Counseling is needed when people are stuck and unable to move forward, or any other time they need help dealing with an personal or relationship issue. Talking to a counselor helps you gain insights and learn new skills. Finding the right one maximizes the benefits.

There are many things to consider when picking a counselor .

There are links to counseling centers, resources, support groups, and individual therapists I can recommend at the bottom of the page. The ones I know to be Christian-based are identified. Not identifying one as Christian does not mean the therapist/practice is not Christian. It means I do not know for sure. Likewise, if I know they take specific insurances, I list them. Not having any listed does not mean they do not take insurance. Always call and ask. Scroll down to access the lists.
 

Finances

 
Counseling is an investment that can be lengthy. Think about your financial resources before starting.

• If you need to use your medical insurance behavioral health benefits because you cannot afford to pay cash, you will be limited to therapists within their network.
• Some counselors and counseling centers have a sliding fee scale based on income.
• Some counseling centers and offices employ interns/associates under supervision and charge lower fees for their services. Licensed therapists supervise them.
• Some employers have Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that provide short-term counseling or therapy services for employees and their families.
• Government plans such as Medicare and Medi-Cal provide therapy, but you need to use a therapist on their plan.
• Colleges with master’s programs have counseling centers that offer therapy by their students under supervision for low fees.
• Family members who are aware of your struggles and difficulties may be willing to contribute toward counseling for you, your marriage and/or your children. You don’t know if you don’t ask.

Type of Counselor

 
Licensed therapists include marriage & family therapists, psychologists, social workers, and counselors—all of which can treat individual and relationship issues. Licensed therapists have more extensive training and oversight by laws and ethics including only providing therapy in states they are licensed in.

Life coaches have less training than licensed therapists. They usually hold certificates from their training programs but not licenses from states and therefore, are not bound by laws and ethics; however, they are sometimes less expensive.

Biblical counselors often have a college degree or a certificate from a church training program. Biblical counselors offer counseling from a biblical view using scripture. Many reject standard psychological viewpoints and interventions.

Lay counselors have training from church programs and are often limited in duration.

Pastoral counseling is available from some churches. Pastors counsel from a biblical viewpoint and most do not understand dysfunctional relationship dynamics. Some have advanced degrees in pastoral counseling and some counsel from their position as pastors.

Specialties include providing therapy for specific problems/issues such as depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, BPD, abuse, trauma, eating disorders, addiction, grief, and others. Marital therapy approaches include attachment therapy, emotionally focused therapy, Gottman Method, Imago Relationship Therapy, Behavioral Couples Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for Couples, and more.

Most therapists are on a website that lists their specialties and credentials.

Insurance companies have lists of therapists and treatment programs on their plans.
 

Therapeutic Approach

 
Sessions include individual therapy, marital therapy, child therapy, or family therapy. There are also inpatient and outpatient programs that address mental illness and addiction.

Here are some of the therapeutic approaches:

Solution-Based is a short practical therapy where finding a solution in the present is the focus rather than understanding the past.

Bowenian Family Systems helps families achieve emotional independence and resolve conflict by differentiating from their family systems.

DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy) offers education and techniques to manage intense emotions and negotiate social relationships.

Psychodynamic therapy focuses on the roots of emotional suffering and relational problems usually found in childhood and experiences with caregivers. It seeks to improve self-reflection and self-evaluation.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on thoughts and belief systems that determine emotions and behavior. Cognitive distortions are identified and corrected.

Trauma-informed therapy is an emerging focus using techniques such as EMDR, somatic experiencing therapy, and more to identify past trauma that is triggering current reactions.

Internal Family Systems identify the subpersonalities or parts of a person and their functions while seeking to accept them compassionately and bring them together in a unified self.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients to stop denying and avoiding their emotions and instead, see them as appropriate responses to specific circumstances. The client is encouraged to accept their problems and commit to making necessary changes in their behavior to move forward in their lives.

Narrative Therapy reframes stories focusing on the positive rather than the problems.

Eclectic approaches use parts of different therapies.
 

Belief System of the Counselor

 
Many Christians prefer a Christian counselor. Christian therapists are most important when you have spiritual issues to deal with or scriptural misunderstandings that are interfering with your growth. You may also see a pastor or spiritual mentor to deal with spiritual issues. The priority should be to find a trained counselor who can competently treat your issues. If you can find a Christian therapist who is skilled in what you need that is the best option because it means you will have more trust in their guidance.

A non-Christian counselor who can competently address your issues is better than a Christian counselor who is not able to competently address your issues.
Counselors are trained not to bring their personal biases and faith into their counseling, unless the client requests faith-based counseling. This is why most therapists will be able to treat you, regardless of their spiritual beliefs.
 

Gender of the Counselor

 
Male versus female is a personal preference.

If you feel more comfortable with one gender over another, pick that one.

If you don’t care, pick the best counselor out of your choices.

If it is marital therapy, it is best to pick the gender that the least cooperative spouse will respect the most.

With teens and children, choose the one you know will work best for your child.
 

Age of the Counselor

 
Your teenager may interact better with a younger therapist.

It doesn’t matter for young children.

For marriage counseling, it is best to find an older therapist who has life experience that both partners will respect.
 

Asking Questions of the Counselor

 
Many therapists offer a free phone consultation. To find the right counselor, you will need to ask questions:

• How much do you charge and for how many minutes?
• Do you have a sliding fee scale?
• Do you take medical insurance? Which ones?
• What is your therapeutic approach?
• How interactive are you and will you give me practical input?
• Tell the counselor what you want/need out of therapy and ask how the counselor would approach your issues.

If the counselor isn’t a good fit for you after one or more sessions, it is okay to change. It is usually best to be honest before terminating in case you can resolve your concerns. It is healthy for you to assertively address your issues and feelings with your counselor.
 
Counseling is an investment of your time, emotions, and money. It is worth researching to find the right counselor.
 

Bible Verses Recommending Counseling

 
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed (Proverbs 15:22, NIV).

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance (Proverbs 1:5, NIV).

The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice (Proverbs 12:15, NIV).

Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance (Proverbs 20:18, NIV).
 

Low Cost Counseling Centers in Southern California

 
Hope Springs Collective
Tanya Ward, LMFT, Executive Director
City: Brea
Website: https://hopespringscollective.org/

Description of Services: Restoring lives & hope one person at a time. Affordable faith-based counseling. EMDR, individual/couples, family, and group therapy available. Scholarships available.

The Bridge Collective
Cities: Murrieta, Los Angeles, Murrieta
Website: thebridgeac.org

Description of Services: They provide counseling that meets you where you are — whether you’re facing personal challenges, navigating relationships, or looking for specialized support. They work with individuals, couples, and families. They are attachment-focused, trauma informed, person-centered and culturally sensitive.

Hope University Counseling Center
City: Fullerton
Website: https://www.hiu.edu/current-students/student-life/health-and-wellness/hope-counseling-center.php

Description of Services: Hope Counseling Center offers therapy from graduate students under supervision to help children, teens, adults, and couples. Hope is a Christian university.

Azusa Pacific University
City: Azusa
Website: http://www.apu.edu/ccc/services/assessment/

Description of Services: Psychoeducational and psychodiagnostics assessment services in their supervised clinic for graduate psychology students. Azusa is a Christian university.
 

Christian Counseling Centers in Orange County, California

 
Turning Point Counseling
City: Brea (and various surrounding cities)
Website: https://www.turningpointcounseling.org/

Description of Services: Their Christian psychology practice is anchored in the timeless biblical principles of truth, love & grace. For those of different beliefs, they proudly offer holistic therapy that embraces all of you with compassion & respect. Be it Behavioral, Cognitive, Talk, EMDR, DBT or another approach, they’ll use the right therapy for you. Therapists provide counseling for individuals, couples, families and children. They use some associates.

Pacific Coast Psychological Associates
City: Fullerton
Website: https://www.pacificcoastpsych.com/

Description of Services: Therapists provide direct clinical services for individuals, couples, families and children. Anxiety, depression, parenting issues, trauma, phobias, and relationship issues are some of the many issues they treat. Some therapists take Medicare and some insurances. They have some associates.

Inspired Resolutions Counseling (Brandon Joffe, LCSW)
City: Yorba Linda
Website: https://www.inspiredresolutionscounseling.com/

Description of Services: They provide effective resources to families in the community struggling with the transitions and changes that come along with having teenagers. They offer individual and family counseling, support groups, parenting support, online counseling, court ordered coparenting and therapy, and anger management. Their goal is to transform fear and frustration into clarity and connection by creating a safe space where families can learn, grow, and reconnect. They have some associates.​

Restoration Therapy Group (Tanya Ward, MFT)
City: Brea
Website: https://restorationtherapygroup.com/

Description of Services: Life can leave scars, but it doesn’t mean they have to stay with you forever. Our Christian-based therapy, including EMDR techniques, is designed to help you move past these memories and find peace in your life. With their faith-based approach and understanding of trauma, they’re committed to helping you discover the strength within you. They are in network for Aetna, Blue Shield, Cigna, Magellan, Medicare, Optum, and United Healthcare. They have some associates and trainees.

New Beginnings Christian Counseling Spanish-speaking
City: Yorba Linda
Website: https://www.newbeginningschristiancounseling.net

Description of Services: They offer faith-based therapy that is safe, compassionate, and rooted in Biblical truth. They focus on healing your heart and restoring relationships, always grounded in the belief that with God, all things are possible. Have some associates.

Spare Ministries and Counseling Centers (Sharon Barnes, Executive Director)
Counties: Orange, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino
Website: www.spareministries.org

Description of Services: SPARE is unique in that it uses a combination of both traditional psychotherapy expertise as well as principles taught within the Christian faith to bring about healing for the individuals under its care. SPARE Counselors are caring professionals experienced in a broad range of specialties. They are able to provide individuals and families with high quality counseling for past and present issues. They have some associates.

Browning Therapy Group
City: Los Alamitos
Website: https://www.browningtherapy.com/

Description of Services: Browning Therapy Group is a professional family counseling practice, helping families, couples, individuals and children for over 35 years. They utilize solution-focused, short term counseling that achieves real results. Therapy approaches include behavioral/cognitive behavioral, Christian/Biblical, Cognitive/Behavioral, Decision-Making, Psychoeducational, Psychosocial, Rational-Emotive. They treat infidelity/betrayal, porn addiction, depression, loneliness, grief, anger management, abuse, anxiety, depression, work-related issues, co-parenting, divorce, bipolar disorder and more.

Uram Family Therapy
City: Irvine and Newport Beach
Website: https://www.uramfamilytherapy.com

Description of Services: Creative Problem Solving for Individuals, Couples and Families Uram Family Therapy specializes in teaching you the tools that you need to improve your self-esteem, decrease anxiety, improve your connection with the people that you love and be more of the person that you would like to be. They offer Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Collaborative Problem Solving and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help you and your family understand what needs to change and to slowly pivot depression, anxiety, anger and arguments into a more peaceful and satisfying life. They do child therapy and help kids regulate their emotions, decrease tantrums and understand their big emotions.

Christina Gonzalez MA, CDAAC, MFT and Certified Addictions Counselor
City: Costa Mesa
Website: https://cgonzalezcounseling.com/

Description of Services: Online and in-person therapy for depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, grief, individuals, and couples.

Revision Counseling
City: Yorba Linda
Website: https://www.edsegawa.com/index.html

Description of services: Ed Segawa’s specialty, other than marriage counseling and couples therapy, are mood disorders. Mood disorders include social phobia, PTSD, fears, trauma, abuse, panic attacks, agoraphobia and depression and bipolar disorder.

Chiron Psychological Associates
City: Yorba Linda, Irvine and Telehealth
Website: https://chironpsych.com

Description of Services: Chiron Psychological, Inc. is a group practice of licensed psychologists, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and professional clinical counselors dedicated to supporting individuals through life’s challenges. They work with clients of all ages and backgrounds, offering compassionate, evidence-based care in a welcoming and respectful environment. They offer child and teen therapy, couples therapy, individual therapy, and testing and assessments. They take some insurances. Check the website for more information.

Dr. Jerry Lindquist
City: Buena Park
Website: http://www.drlindquist.com/

Description of Services: Jerry Lindquist is a psychologist, neuropsychologist and occupational therapist who specializes in treating children with neurodiversity and their families.

Dr. Barbara Lynn Sanders, PsyD
City: Upland
Website: https://brainspotting.com/directory/name/barbara-lynn-sanders-psy-d/

Description of Services: She specializes in working with adults recovering from trauma of various kinds including processing anxiety, panic, grief, depression, codependency, divorce recovery, and marital improvement when only one partner participates in treatment. She is also trained in the integration of Christian principles with therapy. Trained and certified in EMDR and Brainspotting.
 

Nationwide Low Cost Counseling

 
Open Path Collective (sliding fee therapists)
Location: Nationwide
Website: https://openpathcollective.org/

Description of Services: They make it seamless to find a trusted therapist that meets your needs. Pay between $40-$70 per session ($30 student intern sessions are also available).
 

Nationwide List of Christian Therapists

 
Dr. Alison Cook
Website: https://www.dralisoncook.com/resources#counseling

Description: Dr. Alison Cook’s website has a nationwide list of Christian counselors across the United States including a separate list of EMDR therapists.
 

Support Groups and Educational Resources for Couples Needing Help With Relationship Skills

 
The Third Option
City: Attend in person in Fullerton, California or Online/Zoom
Meets every Tuesday night at 6:30 – 8:30pm PST at Fullerton Free Church.
Website: https://thethirdoptionoc.com

Description: The Third Option is a weekly relationship skills program that is good for anyone in any stage of relationship—dating, engaged, married, or separated. It offers help and hope for those in healthy relationships, as well as those in distressed ones. Both spouses don’t have to attend. It will help even if only one person wants to work on the relationship. This class is open to all: general public, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and extended family. All participants make a commitment to confidentiality within the group. You can join anytime. It is a year-round program that offers fourteen topics on a rotating basis.

CoupleTalk®
Website: https://coupletalk.com/

Description: CoupleTalk® is an evidence-based marriage and relationship education curriculum that represents the latest version of the Relationship Enhancement® (RE) model, originally developed by Dr. Bernard Guerney more than 50 years ago. RE was the first structured, skills-based approach to teach couples how to strengthen their relationship through empathy, emotional expression, and effective conflict resolution – skills that could be taught by trained laypersons, not just professionals. The program is taught on Zoom and at churches but can also be purchased to do on your own or to host at your church. Contact Alex and Don Flecky for more information through the website.
 

Abuse and Narcissism

 
Eagles Ministries Global Tawni Carney, Executive Director
Cities: Inland Empire and Orange County, California
Website: https://eagleswingsglobal.org/

Description: They offer support for abuse victims including court support. They offer in-person and Zoom “Love Does No Harm” groups for victims. They educate churches on how to recognize and support victims.

The MEND Project, Founder Annette Oltmans
Website: https://themendproject.com

Description: The MEND Project offers online workshops, training, and courses to help you identify, address, and overcome emotional abuse and difficult relationships. Learn from a survivor and expert, Annette Oltmans, and find hope and healing through her blog posts, stories, and models. They also train first responders to recognize and support abuse victims.

Marriage Recovery Center Founder, Dr. David Hawkins
City: Seattle WA/Remote
Website: https://marriagerecoverycenter.com/

Description of Services: Specializes in treating narcissistic abusive men and their wives. They provide structured group therapy for men, marriage therapy, and individual therapy for men and women in most states.

Called To Peace Ministries
City: Wake Forest, NC/Remote
Website: https://calledtopeace.org

Description of Services: Called to Peace Ministries exists to provide a compassionate, comprehensive, and Christ-centered response to those impacted by domestic abuse. They offer support groups, personal advocates, and information to abuse victims.

FACES Counseling
City: Laguna Hills and Santa Ana
Website: https://www.facescounseling.org/

Description of Services: FACES is a family services non-profit agency dedicated to families in crisis from separation and divorce. Their mission is to prevent family violence. (Not faith based.) Sliding fee scale.

Lundy Bancroft
Lundybancroft.com

Description: Lundy Bancroft’s website is a good resource for abusers to get help overcoming abuse. He has excellent resources for identifying abuse and what has to change for them to stop the abuse. It is also a good resource for victims to see what has to change for the abuse to stop.
 

Support Groups for Sexual Addiction

 
Be Broken
Website: https://www.bebroken

Description of Services: Offers online support groups for sexually addicted men and their wives to help both on their healing journey.

American Association for Sex Addiction Therapy
Website: https://aasat.org/

Description: AASAT has a directory of trained sexual addiction therapists nationwide. When treating sexual addiction, it is critical that the therapist be trained.
 

Divorce Resources

 
Second Saturdays
Website: https://www.secondsaturday.com

Description of Services: Online and In-Person Divorce Education Workshops

Divorce Care
Website: https://www.divorcecare.org/

Description: DivorceCare’s life-changing support groups welcome people and guide them on the path of recovery after separation or divorce. Over 1 million people have found comfort and hope through this 13-week, video-based series. Groups are offered on Zoom and at churches. Check their website for times and locations.

Mental Health Support

 
Mental Health Strong
Website: https://mentalhealthstrong.com/

Description: Mental Health Strong offers hope through resources and support to marriages with mental health and addiction challenges. They have an online group for couples.

Grace Alliance
Website: https://mentalhealthgracealliance.org

Description of Services: Mental Health Grace Alliance provides science-based, biblical mental health resources, support group models, and church training to empower individuals and communities through Christ-centered grace. They have Zoom groups and in person groups at churches. Check the website for times and locations.

Fresh Hope for Mental Health
Website: https://freshhope.us/

Description: To equip and empower individuals (and their loved ones) who are affected by a mental health diagnosis to live a full, rich and purpose-filled life in wellness and wholeness (mental, physical and spiritual) through participation in local Fresh Hope groups which are Christ-centered peer support groups, as well as online forums, educational opportunities and faith based mental health resources. They also seek to challenge the Christian Church to address the mental health crisis in their community.

National Alliance on Mental Illness
Website: nami.org

Description: They are dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Their Alliance includes more than 650 NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education to those in need. They offer education and support groups.
 

Addiction Support

 
Alcoholics Anonymous
Website: aa.org

Description: Twelve Step group for alcoholics.

Al-Anon Family Group
Website: https://al-anon.org/

Description: Twelve Step group for the families of alcoholics.

Video Game Addiction
Website: https://gamer-anon.org/online-meetings

Description: Support groups and resources for addicted gamers and their families.