Lies My Therapist Told Me: Why Christians Should Aim for More Than Just Treating Symptoms

"Few books combine theological precision with practical wisdom as skillfully as Lies My Therapist Told Me." -- Jonny Ardavanis

From beloved Christian counselor, professor, and podcaster Greg Gifford comes a bold and balanced critique of the mental health establishment.

Too many people are caught in a vicious cycle of visiting every doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, and therapist in their area only to find frustrating labels and numbing medications at the end of each path. Rather than eradicating anxiety in the same way vaccines conquered smallpox, the mental health establishment has seen the number of diagnoses and prescriptions skyrocket on its watch.

How did we get here? And does Christianity have any answers for this mental health crisis?

In Lies My Therapist Told Me, Dr. Greg Gifford delivers the definitive Christian critique of secular psychiatry and psychology. He shows how mental health culture spreads beliefs that misinform our understanding of ourselves and our issues, and he debunks popular myths such as:

We feel and act the way we do because the body keeps the scores of traumaAddiction is a diseaseIf you improve your brain health, your mind will followMedications can heal your mindEvery abnormal or sinful behavior is caused by a mental disorder

These ideas, though common, are ultimately unhelpful because they are based on unbiblical assumptions. Gifford brings clarity where secular therapy has created confusion, and offers hope even for those struggling with the hard cases. Through deep research, biblical teaching, and the inspiring stories of real counselees, he shows why we can't blame the past --or even a diagnosis-- for our bad behavior, and why our society's growing unhappiness is not primarily a medical issue.

With a foreword by Todd Friel of Wretched Radio, this book is a must-read for counselors and counselees alike. You can read all the mental health research in the world, but you still won't learn God's answers for winning the battles in your mind. Lies My Therapist Told Me is a powerful, cutting-edge argument that the supernatural wisdom of the Bible is truly enough for every need.

Greg E. Gifford is the host of the Transformed podcast and television series, the Chair of the School of Biblical Studies at The Master's University, and a fellow at Fortis Institute. He is also the Pastor of Counseling at Faith Community Church in Santa Clarita, CA. He holds a PhD in Biblical Counseling from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, an MA in Biblical Counseling from The Master's University, and a BA in Pastoral Ministry from Baptist Bible College. He served as a captain in the United States Army from 2008-2012 and is the author of Helping Your Family Through PTSD and Heart & Habits, which won the Biblical Counseling Book of the Year for 2021. He is married to his high school sweetheart, and they reside in California with their three sons.

Todd Friel is the host of Wretched TV and Radio and the Executive Director of Fortis Institute. He has authored five books, five evangelistic booklets, and has produced of over two dozen Bible study courses.