Describe The Relationship Between My Faith And My Work As A Therapist

The relationship between my faith and my work as a therapist is very interesting to me. I was born and raised a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) also known as Mormons. When I was two my family moved to a home in Provo, Utah where my father became a professor at Brigham Young University which is owned and run by the LDS Church. The area where I lived was about 99% Mormon. In fourth grade there was only one student in my entire grade-level who was not a member of the Mormon Church. It seemed that church, school, and family-life all blended together under the belief and instructions of the LDS church. I had doubts and questions about things and I always felt sort of jealous and “less-than” my friends who didn’t seem to have any problems with …show more content…
While the Mormon Church believes in psychotherapy, encourages struggling members to get therapy, and even provides LDS sponsored therapy to members with the recommendation of their bishop, many teachings, I believe, cause therapeutic problems and psychotherapy received is often rooted in LDS doctrine. For example, I had problems with depression growing up and the answers the LDS church gave me often made matters worse. The church teaches that the answers to life’s problems is always to fast, pray, read the scriptures, and have enough faith. I would pour out my heart to God, in faith, asking that I could receive help. When the help didn’t come, I would blame it on myself because I didn’t have enough faith, or because I had skipped a day of reading my scriptures There is also a culture in the Mormon Church about being perfect which causes many members to feel like they are never good enough. They feel guilty for things like having a cup of coffee or doing yard work on Sunday. Members are taught that guilt is a positive thing because it initiates the repentance