Looking for a Christian counselor who has experience helping teenagers?
In this guide, we’ve explained how to find Christian counselors for youths, including reviewing six different services that can connect teens and their parents with a Christian therapist.
Want to skip right to the suggestions for Christian counseling services for teenagers? Here are our 6 recommended therapy solutions:
- Teen Counseling
- BetterHelp
- Find-a-therapist.com
- Association of Certified Biblical Counselors
- Christian Counseling Directory
- Cornerstone Christian Counseling
Best Christian Counseling Services for Teenagers
Let’s begin our reviews. In this section, we’ve looked at six therapy platforms that provide Christian counseling services for teenagers and young adults.
| Provider | Good For | Location | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teen Counseling | Teens from ages 13-19 | Online therapy | $65 to $90 per week (billed every 4 weeks) |
| BetterHelp | Quick match with the right therapist four you | Online therapy | $65 to $90 per week (billed every 4 weeks) |
| Find-a-therapist.com | Finding and contacting the right therapist for you | Online and in-person therapy | Varies depending on the counselor fee |
| Association of Certified Biblical Counselors | Marriage, family dynamics, personal struggles, and emotional well-being | Online and in-person therapy worldwide | Varies depending on the counselor fee |
| Christian Counseling Directory | Finding and contacting the right Christian counselor near you | Online and in-person therapy in the U.S. and Canada | Varies depending on the counselor fee |
| Cornerstone Christian Counseling | Christian therapy, marriage therapy, play therapy, trauma therapy, EMDR, brainspotting therapy | Online therapy in AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, ID, IN, MN, MO, MT, NC, WA, WY and in-person therapy in CO and FL | $68 to $192 per session |
1. Teen Counseling
Nurture your teenager’s well-being through Teen Counseling. Tailored for ages 13-19, their online therapy begins at $65/week. This includes a weekly live session, the flexibility to message your therapist at any time, and the opportunity for parents to connect with therapists. Empower your teen’s journey today with Teen Counseling – start with their online questionnaire.
Note: We collaborate with top-tier mental health companies and receive advertising fees from purchases through the Teen Counseling links.
- Good for: Teens from ages 13-19.
- Location: Online therapy.
- Pricing: $65 to $90 per week (billed every 4 weeks).
- Features: The platform is designed to make finding a therapist easy, message your therapist anytime, live sessions are scheduled weekly and done via live chat, phone, or video call.
Teen Counseling is an online counseling platform designed for youth counseling specifically. When you fill out the intake questionnaire you will answer a few different questions, including about your religion. If you specify that you’re looking for a Christian teen counselor, Teen Counseling will match you with an appropriate spiritually informed therapist.
2. BetterHelp
Explore emotional well-being with BetterHelp – your partner in affordable online therapy. With 30,000+ licensed therapists and plans starting from only $65 per week, BetterHelp makes self-care accessible to all. Complete the questionnaire to match with the right therapist.
- Good for: Quick match with the right therapist four you.
- Location: Online therapy.
- Pricing: $65 to $90 per week (billed every 4 weeks).
- Features: iOS and Android app available, message your therapist anytime, live sessions are scheduled weekly and done via live chat, phone, or video call.
BetterHelp opens the door to convenient online counseling services for young adults starting at the age of 18, providing access to licensed therapists with diverse specialties, including faith-based therapy. When you engage with BetterHelp, you’ll be matched with a suitable Christian counselor.
Read our BetterHelp review here.
3. Find-a-therapist.com
- Good for: Finding and contacting the right therapist for you.
- Location: Online and in-person therapy.
- Pricing: Varies depending on the counselor fee.
- Features: Filter your search, find accessible and effective online and in-person therapy, find guides on different types of therapy.
Using Find-a-therapist.com you can tailor your therapist search according to specific criteria including if you want a Christian counselor for teens. This customization feature facilitates the discovery of therapists specializing in addressing your specific needs.
4. Association of Certified Biblical Counselors
- Good for: Marriage, family dynamics, personal struggles, and emotional well-being.
- Location: Online and in-person therapy worldwide.
- Pricing: Varies depending on the counselor fee.
- Features: Principles and guidance of the Bible are central, search by location, specialization, or other criteria, reach out to the counselor directly.
The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) offers counseling rooted in a biblical perspective, emphasizing the significance of biblical principles in the counseling journey. ACBC is dedicated to offering accessible Christian counseling services for teenagers seeking guidance in harmony with their faith.
5. Christian Counseling Directory
- Good for: Finding and contacting the right Christian counselor near you.
- Location: Online and in-person therapy in the U.S. and Canada.
- Pricing: Varies depending on the counselor fee.
- Features: Free to access, browse a thorough profile of each therapist, locate a therapist by entering your zip code, state, or province, contact therapists directly.
The Christian Counseling Directory helps individuals get in-person therapy as well as online counseling (referred to as “Telehealth” on the website). There you can find a Christian youth counselor nearby if you would like to find local support.
7. Cornerstone Christian Counseling
- Good for: Christian therapy, marriage therapy, play therapy, trauma therapy, EMDR, brainspotting therapy.
- Location: Online therapy in AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, ID, IN, MN, MO, MT, NC, WA, WY and in-person therapy in CO and FL.
- Pricing: $68 to $192 per session.
- Features: Choose your therapist by qualification, discounts for those in the military, first responders, police, and chaplains.
Cornerstone Christian Counseling features a network of various Christian therapists prepared to provide counseling for teenagers seeking to integrate faith into their healing journey. You have the option to select your preferred therapist or can opt for a personalized match based on your specific needs.
Does my teenager need counseling?
Being a teen can sometimes be confusing or difficult. The challenges and hurdles they face in a very complicated social environment are such that there is evidence that the rates of childhood mental illness are growing nationwide.
Symptoms that your teen may need help include consistent anger, anxiety, depression, and changes in mood that are challenging for those around them. It’s normal for a teenager to experience mood disorders or stress, but if the problem is incessant, and is having a negative impact on their life, your child may need support.
Even if your teenager isn’t at the point where they have a diagnosable mental health condition, guidance from a counselor can help them find the best way forward in tricky times. Counselors with a strong faith can be especially helpful in answering questions such as “where do I fit in this world?”.
How Do I Get My Teenager to See A Counselor?
For many parents, when discussing the possibility of getting help with your teen, communication is key.
Here are some tips you can use to help encourage a teen to see a counselor.
- The most important thing is to try to avoid blaming your child for any issues that they are facing. Instead, try to help and support them as much as possible, and be there for them when they want to talk.
- You can frame seeing a counselor as getting assistance to overcome the challenges they are facing. If your teen does not agree that there is a problem, for example, if they are in denial about an anger management issue, you can use “I” statements to help them understand, while being careful to avoid blaming your child for the situation. For example “I worry that…”, or “I feel like…”.
- Consider looking into online counseling solutions, if this would make things easier for your child.
- Avoid over-involving yourself in the process. Your child may want to discuss certain things privately with their counselor – this is perfectly normal.
- Help your teen to choose their own counselor, rather than picking one for them. You may like to research a few different counselors and give your child the choice of who to see. While you don’t want to over-involve yourself, you do want to make the process of getting help as easy as possible for your child.
How Much Does Christian Counseling Cost?
Online Christian counseling will typically cost around $65 to 192 per week/session through some websites we mentioned above. Many internet counseling platforms can help to support you with lower pricing if you are a student, unemployed, or are otherwise struggling financially. You can read our guide to affordable Christian counseling to learn more about lower-cost virtual therapy options.
In-person counseling that utilizes faith-based values can cost in the region of $100-$150 per week/session, although it depends on the counselor you choose, the type of professional help you seek, and where you live.
However, although virtual counseling can be cheaper, it’s important to note that most of the time, it’s not typically covered by your health insurance provider.
Problems That Christian Counseling Can Help With
During this period, their behavior can change, and this can affect your relationship with your child as well.
There are a variety of ways to help your teenager or young adult overcome issues related to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and stress, including when they are completely overwhelmed. Christian counselors are generally trained in a variety of modern therapeutic disciplines, and use these techniques combined with scriptures and spiritual teachings to help teens in counseling.
Here are four examples of areas where a Christian counselor can help your child find their way back to their true path.
Anxiety and Depression
Factors such as school-related stress, growing pains, and other youth concerns can eventually lead to issues such as anxiety and depression in your teenage years.
Professional Christian counselors can show clients that by following Christ’s will, you will find your way out of issues such as depression/anxiety and discover hope, not fear. God offers light in the darkness, and by following the right path you can be strong in the knowledge of His Love.
To treat depression/anxiety, spiritual teachings will often be used alongside therapeutic techniques by the professional, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychotherapy, to help adolescents through their challenges.
Family Counseling
A family therapist who is also of the same faith can help you to mend relationship issues with your child or children, as well as with your husband or wife. They can also help guide you through the process of raising children, including as they become young adults.
Good communication skills are extremely important for functional families – a counselor can help in situations where communication breaks down between parents and their children.
Parenting can be a difficult path, but a spiritually informed therapist can guide you through tough times, helping to strengthen the bond between family members.
Trauma and Grief
Another strength of Christian counseling is in dealing with trauma and grief. The understanding of the eternal Kingdom of God can help with the loss of someone close, perhaps a parent or sibling, and give your child hope for a future without that key person in the physical realm.
Trauma is a form of grieving, and there are well-established therapeutic techniques for helping a young adult or teen through their experiences and distress. With the knowledge that God will help them through the worst challenges of their lives, Christian counseling can help teens find the extra strength needed to get through these types of challenges.
Self Harm, Eating Disorders, and Substance Misuse
A sad result of a teen losing their way can be that they begin to partake in alcohol or substance misuse, develop an eating disorder, or inflict pain upon themselves, to try and find relief.
Counseling, using both the scriptures and modern therapeutic techniques, can guide a teen back on the right path. When teens benefit from such counseling they can go on to flourish without leaning on such harmful crutches in life.
If you’re a teenager or a parent of a teenager who is having thoughts of harming themselves or others, it’s important to seek immediate in-person help. Dial 911 in an emergency, or the self-harm hotline on 1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288).
Conclusion
Christian counseling for teenagers stands as a compassionate and faith-based approach to addressing the unique challenges and struggles faced by young individuals. Integrating biblical teachings with psychological insights, Christian counseling for teenagers aims to nurture a holistic approach to mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
If you have any questions about Christian mental health treatment for yourself as a teenager, or for your teenage child, please contact us and we’ll help you find the right therapist.
