CPFS Therapists are Christians committed to spiritual growth and transformation in their own lives as well as the lives of their clients. Our therapists grew up in and currently attend churches from a variety of Christian denominations. We understand ourselves to be members of the Church, which is the body of Christ in our world and of which Christ is the head. Our common calling as Christians is to serve others by demonstrating the love of God and actively participating in the ministry of reconciliation. In the context of therapy, reconciliation may take the form of integrating competing desires within oneself, wrestling with one’s relationship with God, or growing in understanding of relationships with others.

The following brief statements are not meant to be an exhaustive credo, but to convey some key theological perspectives on the growth and transformation that are sought through psychotherapy.

The Bible
Scripture provides an authoritative text from which theologians are able to draw doctrinal conclusions about God’s nature and the nature of humanity. As the Bible tells the story of God’s interaction with creation, it depicts God not only as our Creator and Sovereign, but as One who comes to dwell intimately with humanity. The Biblical narrative shows people of faith exhibiting the full range of human emotion – joy, suffering, grief, gratitude, anger, fear, depression, passion, contentment, and anxiety. It tells of faithful communities in which people glorify God and of the struggle to maintain faith in the midst of personal, relational and institutional brokenness. So the Bible functions as a mirror in which we can see ourselves and reflect on how God is with us in the midst of our human experience, as well as a source for theological doctrine.

The Trinity
God’s eternal existence in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - is a mystery central to the Christian faith. Through contemplation of God’s person, we gain insights about our relationship to our Creator, God’s relation to God’s Self, our understanding of ourselves, and the nature of Christian community. CPFS therapists seek to understand how information from psychology, biology, linguistics, philosophy, and human development elaborate our understanding of these relationships. We invite input from others within the Christian community to engage in this dialogue.

Jesus Christ
The life, death, and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, assures us of God’s presence and compassion in our lives. This assurance gives us hope for reconciliation and is foundational to the faith and courage necessary for the therapist and patient to achieve real transformation through a therapeutic relationship. CPFS therapists see their role as one in which they exhibit the love of God in Christ by following His example even as they look for Christ in their patients.

Grace and Work of the Spirit
We believe that a high level of training in the disciplines of psychology and theology are important. However, we believe that it is by God’s grace through the work of the Spirit that growth and transformation occur in us and in our patients.