A Mental Health Therapist's Journey Home to Jesus.
Updated: Mar 24
We have a God-shaped hole in our heart that the world cannot fill.
Let me tell you a bit about my journey and how it influenced me to become the person and therapist I am today. Mental health struggles do not discriminate and I am no stranger to the impact. I lived a large majority of my life consumed by pain and frozen in time. Formative experiences in development left life feeling like a never-ending uphill battle. I knew deep down that there was so much more to this life, and there was an emptiness inside me that I could not shake. My mind always worked differently than others. I had an insatiable curiosity about existence, the soul, and what it means to be human. Feeling different and not fitting in caused years of suffering and a long road of seeking answers in all the wrong places. That all changed when my profession in the psychology field eventually led me straight into the arms of Jesus, the true source of healing.
Being born and raised in a Christian household, I always knew of God but never had a true relationship with Him. As most young adults do, I went in the opposite direction in my college years and began exploring other religions and worldviews. Loneliness, unresolved trauma, and working in a secular field ushered me into the wildly popular and deceptive New Age movement. I was unaware at the time that this was the antithesis of Christianity because I never truly understood the faith I was raised on. A few years into my exploration, God revealed the deception I'd walked into, so I opened my mind to seeking the objective truth. I took a deep dive into studying the Bible, apologetics, Church history and the early church fathers. Everything finally made sense, especially mental health, as well as why many of my clients suffer and why secular means of approaching the human person just aren't enough.
I had what's called an "intellectual conversion" back to my roots of faith as I learned that the evidence all adds up to our one, true, divine Creator. The world, however, does its best to try to keep us from this knowledge and to convince us that religion, Christianity, and God are outdated. According to the Christian worldview, we are in a spiritual war that is battling for souls. I think that war takes place in the battlefield of our minds and hearts, wreaking havoc on our sense of meaning, purpose and emotional stability in this life. The truth is, we were made for love and for relationship, particularly with God. The Bible teaches us that our very nature is wired to seek the truth of our existence; that He has "written eternity on the human heart." After almost ten years of experience in the mental health field, I can say with confidence that many people are hurting, suffering, and dealing with the same ailments I did because they are spiritually starving. The depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, lack of identity, etc. are often manifestations of our lack of wholeness.
My path led me into the mental health field where my experience and training helped me understand suffering, trauma and the human condition, as well as the blindspots of the secular model. I decided to shut down my secular mental health practice and rebranded to a Christian Counseling practice that is focused on serving the Lord and His children. I am now dedicated to merging Christianity, Faith and Psychology in a holistic mode of therapy that addresses all of you. The spiritual burden of this broken world and the toll it takes on your mental health has motivated me to serve and passionately share the supernatural healing of relationship with Jesus in our evolution towards holistic mental wellness. I specialize in working mostly with trauma survivors and emotionally sensitive souls from a Christian worldview, supported by neuroscience, psychology, and faith.
Are you ready to break free of your chains?
Soul Revival Christian Counseling is based in San Antonio, Texas and is accepting clients for virtual counseling in Texas and Colorado. Please visit us at https://www.soulrevivalchristiancounseling.com for more information or to book a free 30 minute phone consultation with Michelle Byrd, M.Ed., LPC.
** DISCLAIMER: The information contained herein is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not therapeutic or medical advice nor a substitute for therapy. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any mental health problem. If you are located within the United States and you need emergency assistance please call 988 or 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. If you are located within Colorado you may also call the Colorado Crisis Line at 844-493-TALK (8255). **