by Marquetta Smith | Apr 28, 2025 | Counseling
Healing the Whole Person: Spirit, Soul, and Body Through Christ-Centered Truth
Trauma changes everything — how you think, how you feel, how you trust, and how you see yourself. But healing is possible through God’s truth. Biblical counseling for trauma recovery offers more than coping skills; it offers deep, Spirit-led restoration. Through the unchanging promises of Scripture and the compassionate guidance of biblical counselors, you can find hope, rebuild your identity, and experience the life of freedom God designed for you.
Trauma leaves deep imprints on the mind, soul, and spirit, requiring a holistic approach like biblical counseling for trauma recovery. It distorts how individuals view themselves, others, and even God. In the aftermath of trauma—whether from abuse, loss, betrayal, violence, neglect, or major life transitions—many find themselves wrestling with fear, shame, grief, and a deep sense of being disconnected from life and purpose.
Bible-based counseling for trauma offers a powerful and deeply personal path to emotional and spiritual healing.
It brings together the unchanging truth of Scripture, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the compassionate care of godly wisdom.
Unlike approaches that focus only on managing symptoms, Biblical counseling aims to restore the entire person—body, soul, and spirit—back to wholeness in Christ.
1. Restoring Identity Through Biblical Truth
One of trauma’s cruelest effects is the way it shatters a person’s sense of identity. Survivors often carry painful labels in their hearts: “unworthy,” “broken,” “forgotten.”
Biblical counseling goes beyond offering affirmations. It anchors identity in the eternal, unchanging Word of God:
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“You are fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).
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“You are a new creation in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
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“You are chosen, holy, and dearly loved” (Colossians 3:12).
When people begin to see themselves through God’s eyes—not through the lens of their pain—they can step into a new sense of dignity, worth, and hope.
🔹 Her story: One woman, a survivor of childhood neglect, long believed she was invisible and unwanted. Through gentle, Scripture-centered counseling, she came to see that before the foundations of the world, God had already chosen and loved her (Ephesians 1:4). Her heart began to heal as her true identity took root.
2. Healing the Whole Person: Spirit, Soul, and Body
Trauma doesn’t stay neatly in the past.
It can live on in the body through symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, or chronic fatigue. It lingers in the soul, shaping thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. And often, it shakes a person’s spirit—their sense of faith, hope, and connection with God.
Biblical counseling brings healing to all three dimensions of the person.
Through Spirit-led and Scripture-rooted care, survivors are helped to:
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Renew their minds with God’s truth (Romans 12:2).
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Process grief and pain honestly with God through prayer and Scripture (Psalms 6, Psalms 13).
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Invite Christ into wounded places through prayer, bringing restoration to painful memories.
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Rebuild their worldview on the solid foundation of biblical truth, rather than distorted beliefs formed by trauma.
This Christ-centered, holistic approach allows survivors to experience not just coping, but true thriving—carried by the grace of God.
3. Providing a Safe, Spirit-Led Environment
One of the deepest needs of trauma survivors is safety—safe relationships, safe spaces, safe processes.
After experiences of betrayal or harm, trusting again can feel terrifying.
Biblical counseling creates a compassionate and Spirit-led environment where survivors can express their pain, ask hard questions, and wrestle with emotions without fear of condemnation.
Counselors, reflecting Christ’s heart, model:
In this space, many find—often for the first time in a long time—that it is safe to be seen, heard, and loved in their brokenness.
As Psalm 34:18 reminds us, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
4. Teaching Forgiveness as a Key to Freedom
Forgiveness is often one of the hardest steps in healing—and one of the most powerful.
Yet true forgiveness, according to the Bible, is not about forgetting or excusing evil. It’s about releasing the debt, trusting God’s justice, and allowing your own heart to be free.
Biblical counseling teaches forgiveness through the lens of Scripture:
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Forgiveness is a decision, empowered by God’s grace.
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Forgiveness releases the wounded from carrying endless burdens.
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Forgiveness allows God’s healing work to flow freely.
As Colossians 3:13 urges us: “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Counselors gently walk survivors through the process of:
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Naming the real hurt.
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Grieving the real losses.
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Releasing the offender to God’s judgment (Romans 12:19).
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Setting wise and healthy boundaries where needed.
🔹 A young man from college story: One young man, burdened for years by resentment against those who harmed him, found true emotional freedom when he chose, through prayerful guidance, to forgive. Forgiveness didn’t erase his pain, but it lifted the chains off his heart, allowing him to walk forward in hope.
5. Replacing Trauma Narratives with God’s Redemptive Story
Trauma often speaks in dark whispers:
But Biblical counseling helps survivors confront these lies with the radiant truth of God’s Word.
Through prayer, Scripture, and counseling, survivors learn that their story is being rewritten by a Redeemer who wastes nothing.
Biblical heroes who faced devastating pain—Joseph, Ruth, David, Paul—became mighty vessels of God’s goodness.
Trauma does not get the final word.
As Jeremiah 29:11 promises:
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”
Biblical counseling points every survivor toward that living hope:
Their trauma is not their identity.
Their pain is not their destiny.
God’s redemption is their story.
In Conclusion: Biblical Hope for Deep Healing
Friend, if you are carrying heavy pain from past trauma, or walking alongside someone who is, hear this:
You are not beyond hope. You are not too broken. You are not alone.
Through the Spirit-led journey of Biblical counseling, healing is not just possible—it’s promised.
Not by ignoring the pain, but by allowing Jesus Christ—the Healer of hearts and Restorer of souls—to walk into those broken places and bring new life.
As Isaiah 61:1-3 so beautifully declares:
“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives… to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
Your story does not end with trauma.
In Christ, your story can be rewritten with beauty, hope, and wholeness.
Schedule your consultation today with a highly trained biblical counselor here
Written by Counselor Marquetta Smith, at Safe Harbor House. For more articles, visit our blog page at https://safeharborim.com/articles/.
“For further study of the Scriptures referenced throughout this article, visit Bible Gateway.”
by Marquetta Smith | Mar 21, 2025 | Featured Post, Mental health
The Growth of Social Media
- Over the past two decades, social media has rapidly transformed the world. What was non-existent just decades ago is now deeply intertwined in our society. Although it is still a somewhat new concept in human history, we are starting to see its lasting effects and how it can affect us in the long run.
- When examining the impact of social media, it’s essential to consider various factors and how they affect our interactions and perceptions. A report from 2023 by the U.S. Surgeon General found that in a pool of kids between the ages of 13-17, 95% of them use some form of social media. A third of them reported to be almost constantly using social media (U.S. Surgeon General). In other words, social media is here to stay for the foreseeable future. The amount of youth who find themselves almost constantly using social media could be seen as a cause for concern. If someone is spending all their free time scrolling on the internet, what could they be missing out on? What would they be doing instead?
The Impacts
- Social media, like any other thing, has both pros and cons. Some positives include the ability to connect with old friends, discover new topics and ideas, and interact with new people. The same article points out that “These relationships can afford opportunities to have positive interactions with more diverse peer groups than are available to them offline and can provide important social support to youth” (U.S. Surgeon General).
- During the pandemic when the ability to interact with people in person was severely limited, social media helped bridge that gap. It allowed people to not feel so alone and helped provide some stress relief for many in such an uncertain time (Zsila & Reyes).
- Despite these pros, however, it’s impossible to not see how social media has negatively impacted people. When used excessively, it has been found to correlate with an increase in poor mental health. In the study The Impact of Social Media Use Interventions on Mental Well-Being: Systematic Review, a study was done that had participants limit their social media usage. One of the biggest outcomes they found from this study was a decrease in depression from 70% of participants (Plackett, Ruth, et al).
The Content
- Social media itself may not be the root cause of these results, but rather the content that is shared. The article tells us “Concerns have been raised that social media may lead to body image dissatisfaction [6], increase the risk of addiction and cyberbullying involvement [5], and contribute to phubbing behaviors” (Plackett, Ruth, et al). Those on social media need to be mindful of who and what they follow, that they expose themselves to. You could curate your timeline to bring you tidbits of joy through the day, or tidbits of distress.
- From what we have found from research, it is hard to pretend that social media has no negative consequences. Excessive use has been proven to hurt our mental health, and a large amount of people are using it excessively. We should all self-reflect on our screen time and honestly determine if our usage needs to be cut back. After all, our mental health is far more important than our online presence.
Written by Emily Churchill, intern at Safe Harbor House. For more articles, visit www.safeharborim.com/articles.
All images in article were generated using Canva AI.
Sources:
U.S. Surgeon General. “Social Media and Youth Mental Health.”
HHS.Gov, 2023, urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html__;!!PrVBqlTvcBbYrqSF!HnPN5eIBbujXO457Pj9-3TmEJO-fz6yEuFxBG9UO29XD08a2aMNuuZEgaWS5FyoS5AoCVjUteDW6odQI7iunNZkBxFA$
Plackett, Ruth, et al. “The Impact of Social Media Use Interventions on Mental Well-Being: Systematic Review.”
Journal of Medical Internet Research, JMIR Publications Inc., Toronto, Canada, urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.jmir.org/2023/1/e44922/__;!!PrVBqlTvcBbYrqSF!HnPN5eIBbujXO457Pj9-3TmEJO-fz6yEuFxBG9UO29XD08a2aMNuuZEgaWS5FyoS5AoCVjUteDW6odQI7iunt__V3X4$.
Zsila, Ágnes, and Marc Eric S. Reyes. “Pros & Cons: Impacts of Social Media on Mental Health – BMC Psychology.”
BioMed Central, BioMed Central, 6 July 2023, urldefense.com/v3/__https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-023-01243-x__;!!PrVBqlTvcBbYrqSF!HnPN5eIBbujXO457Pj9-3TmEJO-fz6yEuFxBG9UO29XD08a2aMNuuZEgaWS5FyoS5AoCVjUteDW6odQI7iunloi5qro$.
by Marquetta Smith | Mar 13, 2025 | Featured Post, Wellness
What is Minimalism?
Why Minimalism?
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There are many benefits to living a minimalist lifestyle. Buying less means spending less money. This allows you to put that money that you may have spent on something you really don’t need towards something more important (i.e. bills, savings for the future) or something more meaningful (i.e. vacation, concert). This can create a domino effect that leads to better financial wellness, which down the road leads to less stress.
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Owning less can definitely help with finding things. A lot of times we sometimes go out and buy multiples of something unintentionally because we may have lost that item, or even forgot we already had that item. Sometimes we intentionally buy multiples so we can always find one of said item when needed. This can be considered wasteful spending if it is not necessary for you to have a duplicate of that item. When you have less clutter in the way, you also are less likely to be scrambling to find something important throughout all the clutter.
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A benefit to some may be the visual appeal. A space that is more maximalist can be overwhelming for some. Minimalism can help create a more visually clear space for a more peaceful state of mind.
How to practice minimalism?
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Decluttering can be a great first step. Evaluate the things you own. Have you used this in the past year? Does this still fit? Is it comfortable? Does this item bring me any joy? It’s also important to discern when you are keeping things for good reasons VS making excuses to keep said item. One common thing that many minimalists do is create a capsule wardrobe. This is a small collection of clothes that usually have more simple, maybe even timeless pieces that mix and match very well. This allows you to keep from spending money on clothes and can help save time when getting ready or when doing laundry.
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Now that you have decluttered, it’s important that you do not just refill your space with more items that you also do not need. The same questions can be asked when shopping as you do while decluttering. Currently there is a challenge called Project Pan that can be very useful for this. The idea is to completely use up one item before buying a second. For hygienic products, makeup, and similar items, that can mean using every drop so long as it is not expired or a hazard to your health or well being. For something like technology, it can mean not upgrading your phone until you actually need a new phone or attempting to repair an appliance before going out to replace it.
Minimalism is not always everyone’s cup of tea, but for many it can be a useful change in lifestyle. It can save money, time, and effort, which in the end creates more space for what really matters to you in life.
by Marquetta Smith | Feb 13, 2025 | Featured Post
As Valentine’s Day approaches, constant reminders of the holiday are everywhere. For some, this can be a sweet time to appreciate the love in their lives—whether romantic or platonic. However, for many, it can also bring up negative feelings, with loneliness being one of the most prevalent emotions.
It’s not uncommon to feel lonely. According to the article “Loneliness Matters: A Theoretical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms,” up to 80% of individuals under 18 and 40% of adults over 65 report feeling lonely at least sometimes (Hawkley and Cacioppo). Furthermore, 15% to 30% of the general population experiences chronic loneliness.
While it can be disheartening to recognize how widespread loneliness is, it’s comforting to know that you’re not alone in feeling this way. Loneliness can impact more than just mental health; it has been linked to physical health problems such as heart disease, lung disease, cardiovascular issues, hypertension, atherosclerosis, stroke, and metabolic disorders (Yanguas, Javier,).
How to Approach Loneliness
Often, the first response to loneliness is to seek the company of others. For some, this strategy may work. However, research indicates that this is not always effective. The study mentioned earlier found that sometimes the most effective way to address loneliness is to challenge our negative thoughts and investigate the root causes of our feelings (Hawkley and Cacioppo). Occasionally, the problem may indeed be a lack of social interaction, but other underlying issues could be at play.
How can we tackle this?
Here are some suggestions:
- Counseling or therapy
- Journaling
- Prayer or meditation
You can also find counseling services through Safe Harbor. The study “What Works in Interventions Targeting Loneliness: A Systematic Review of Intervention Characteristics” emphasizes that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to loneliness.
However, it notes that “learned practices and behaviors should be integrated into one’s lifestyle to achieve long-term reductions in loneliness” (Morrish, N., et al.).
Remember, you are never completely alone. There are people in your life who care about you. We hope that you can feel the love around you this Valentine’s Day.
Written by Emily Churchill, intern at Safe Harbor House. For more articles, visit www.safeharborim.com/articles.
All images in article were generated using Canva AI.
Sources
Hawkley, Louise C, and John T Cacioppo. “Loneliness Matters: A Theoretical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms.” Annals of Behavioral Medicine : A Publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Oct. 2010, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3874845/.
Morrish, N., et al. “What Works in Interventions Targeting Loneliness: A Systematic Review of Intervention Characteristics – BMC Public Health.” BioMed Central, BioMed Central, 9 Nov. 2023, bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-17097-2.
Yanguas, Javier, et al. “The Complexity of Loneliness.” Acta Bio-Medica : Atenei Parmensis, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 7 June 2018, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6179015/.
by Marquetta Smith | Jan 20, 2023 | Counseling, Empowerment, Featured Post
I don’t know about you, but I am relieved when trash day comes around for my neighborhood every week. This is the day we gather up all the trash around the house, check every trash can, making sure we remember all waste and place it in the big trash can for pickup on Thursdays. We also say that this is the day we remove the clutter in our homes.
I remember one week when the sanitary workers didn’t come, boy; you could see all of the built-up stuff and trash people had. All the trash accumulated over two weeks, and our neighborhood looked like a dumping ground. Waste fell out of the piled-up trash cans where cats had gotten into them the night before, and of course, the wind blew several trash cans down during that week due to a storm we encountered. You get the picture.
How to Remove The Clutter In Your Life
You may ask yourself, why is this writer talking about trash? Today I had a spiritual trash day. Yep, you heard me right… “a spiritual trash day,” a day of spiritual releasing of soul issues. I sat with God, my daddy, and dumped out all my feelings of pain, disappointment, discouragement, sadness, anger, bitterness, jealousy, envy, hatred, and so on.
Wow! I had a lot of stuff to get rid of that was eating me up inside. It was all trash that needed to be discarded. It was literally weighing me down to the point that I could not think, sleep or function normally.
Psalm 34:18 encourages us to go to God if we have a broken heart, suffer disappointment, give up hope, lose all hope, and are crushed in spirit. One version of the Bible, CSB (Christian Standard Bible), says, The Lord is near the brokenhearted, he saves those crushed in spirit. The Contemporary English Version says The Lord is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope.
During this prayer time, I heard the words “Trash Day.” The Holy Spirit began to minister to me about Trash Day and how I allowed all of this trash inside of me to compile over time without discarding it. The trash of people’s words, negative things I have said about myself, what people thought of me, bad situations, trauma from past hurts, disappointments, and even dealing with year after year not seeing promises fulfilled in my life.
Getting Rid of the “Soul Trash”
He began to remind me about our Thursday trash day and how if we don’t get rid of our “soul” trash every week, it will build up and begin to smell, mold, decay, and much more.
Our souls are our minds, emotions, will, and how we think and feel. It is who we are as human beings. Our souls are not designed to carry a lot of stuff in them. Yet over time, we continue to allow ourselves to get bogged down in souls with “Trash.”
So today, I sat with my Heavenly Father and had what I like to call “Trash Day.” I gave God everything that bothered me, weighed me down, made me sad, and discouraged me. After releasing all that stuff, I felt lighter, encouraged, and ready to take on my day.
Everyone Needs a “Trash Day”
I want to encourage you today to remember to always take time to talk to the Father and have regular “Trash Days.” God never designed us to carry all of this stuff around. To the caregivers, the front lines, counselors, and Pastors, and all of the ones who give to others week after week, remember that you, too, need a “Trash Day.”
Sometimes we may even need someone to help us release past pain, trauma, and disappointment, like a therapist. It is no shame to release what hurts you with another trained individual. Go ahead and have a “Trash Day.”
Image by Ralph from Pixabay
Written by Marquetta Smith, CCC, MSSW and ED at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, check out our blog page: https://safeharborim.com/articles/.
