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Lies My Therapist Told Me: Why Christians Should Aim for More Than Just Treating Symptoms
From beloved Christian counselor, professor, and podcaster Greg Gifford comes a bold critique of the mental health establishment. Therapy can backfire and fail, but Christ offers more.
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 trauma
Addiction is a disease
If you improve your brain health, your mind will follow
Medications can heal your soul
Every 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.
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 trauma
Addiction is a disease
If you improve your brain health, your mind will follow
Medications can heal your soul
Every 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.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published May 27, 2025
88 people are currently reading
868 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
June 5, 2025
When I started the book, I had this preconceived notion that it would be very similar to Abigail Shrier’s “Bad Therapy,” but I was very pleasantly surprised to be wrong. Greg Gifford does spend time talking through some of the harms of secular therapy, but he spends most of his time in the book explaining the importance of differentiating between the mind and the brain as the Bible talks about the inner and the outer man. His focus on how the inner man must be renewed via the gospel and the Bible was incredibly refreshing.
He was very careful to not completely just throw all psychotropic medications out the window but also was very careful to make sure that someone is carefully thinking through the why they are taking them which honestly reminded me a lot of the chapter on medication in “A Still and Quiet Mind” by Esther Smith who takes a very similar stance on medication.
I’d recommend this book to any Christian. It’s a surprisingly easy read, and he’s very thoughtful on how he approaches very difficult topics. It just helps you think through the therapeutic language that we’ve all been swimming in for so long, and what the Bible teaches about the mind.
He was very careful to not completely just throw all psychotropic medications out the window but also was very careful to make sure that someone is carefully thinking through the why they are taking them which honestly reminded me a lot of the chapter on medication in “A Still and Quiet Mind” by Esther Smith who takes a very similar stance on medication.
I’d recommend this book to any Christian. It’s a surprisingly easy read, and he’s very thoughtful on how he approaches very difficult topics. It just helps you think through the therapeutic language that we’ve all been swimming in for so long, and what the Bible teaches about the mind.
June 17, 2025
So much food for thought in this book. As a Christian who has done therapy twice (a six month stint in 2017 and a nine month run in 2021), I can anecdotally say that I think Greg E. Gifford is hitting on some important truths around the idea of treating mental health as a brain issue when in point of fact, it’s about the mind (inner man). Namely in my case that when I tried to treat my symptoms with self actualization and analyzation rather than asking myself, “What does God have to say in His Word about my feelings and experiences,” I became more self absorbed and truthfully almost ruined multiple relationships. While counseling, diagnosis, and medication have their place, this book uncovers the inconsistencies within psychiatric practice and asks really good questions about why we keep running after secular therapy when it doesn’t appear to be actually solving the problem of mental health. I know this book will be controversial but I think for the Christian, particularly one who might be struggling with anxiety, it’s a book worth reading; the worst that could happen is that you argue and disagree with the premise.
October 17, 2025
The basic premise of the difference between the brain (material) and the mind (immaterial) sounds good. And I utterly agree with the responsibility of Christians to renew our minds with the Word of God, and plant it deep within our hearts. However, as an autistic person, I am deeply troubled by the claims that ADHD doesn’t exist, and is down to sin (either of the child or adult themselves or their parents). There are too many overlaps between autism and ADHD, too many similar traits, and too much of a similar pattern between children who are clearly born autistic and those diagnosed with ADHD for this to be explained so simplistically. When you see the extreme anxiety exhibited by a baby who later is diagnosed with ADHD, I don’t understand how somebody can think that this is a sin? This book left me sad at the lack of understanding at the broad range of overlapping neurodivergent traits (such as Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria) by a medical doctor. The brain and the mind are both so complex, and I don’t believe that there can be such a clear division. God made us, and only He truly understands our brains and our minds. And yes we are all sinners. But this book left me confused and really sad.
January 24, 2026
A solid intro to and argument for Biblical counseling.
The core argument is that the mind ≠ brain. The mind is immaterial and the brain is material. But, secular therapies and medications have treated problems with the mind (immaterial) as if they are physical/chemical problems with the brain (material). This is most famously represented in the now-debunked 'Chemical Imbalance Theory'.
From here, Gifford correctly argues that the only true and ultimate fix for our mind is God's own truth and the work of the Holy Spirit. We should try and keep our physical brain's healthy, but should not think that the struggles in our minds are physical problems when they are our responsibility to fight.
What's most refreshing about this book is how unrelentingly biblical it is. Gifford doesn't only offer a take that's biblically accurate, he takes great pains to show that his arguments arise naturally from the text of Scripture.
It would get 5-stars if not for repetitiveness. It takes Gifford far to long to make some points and he'll often make those points several times. I'd also argue that he slightly caricatures certain things that he disagrees with (like CBT). Lastly, he writes in an overly conversational tone that irks me.
Still, I'd joyfully recommend this book!
The core argument is that the mind ≠ brain. The mind is immaterial and the brain is material. But, secular therapies and medications have treated problems with the mind (immaterial) as if they are physical/chemical problems with the brain (material). This is most famously represented in the now-debunked 'Chemical Imbalance Theory'.
From here, Gifford correctly argues that the only true and ultimate fix for our mind is God's own truth and the work of the Holy Spirit. We should try and keep our physical brain's healthy, but should not think that the struggles in our minds are physical problems when they are our responsibility to fight.
What's most refreshing about this book is how unrelentingly biblical it is. Gifford doesn't only offer a take that's biblically accurate, he takes great pains to show that his arguments arise naturally from the text of Scripture.
It would get 5-stars if not for repetitiveness. It takes Gifford far to long to make some points and he'll often make those points several times. I'd also argue that he slightly caricatures certain things that he disagrees with (like CBT). Lastly, he writes in an overly conversational tone that irks me.
Still, I'd joyfully recommend this book!
January 7, 2026
Thoughtful, helpful, and well researched, Dr. Gifford explains the ways psychology falls short of truly healing people who are struggling. He compares what wisdom the world can offer with the hope-filled wisdom found in Scripture. His book is balanced and gentle, funny and thought provoking. A helpful tool for a Biblical Counselor, for someone who’s losing faith in therapy, or for someone just curious about researching different approaches.
September 25, 2025
★★★★★★
Extra special book for 21st century.
Greg Gifford is a biblical counselor with clear and biblical view on the mental health epidemic. If your thoughts on this topic has become a muddle, this will help put things in their respective places. This book is for every christian!
Can't recommend enough!
Extra special book for 21st century.
Greg Gifford is a biblical counselor with clear and biblical view on the mental health epidemic. If your thoughts on this topic has become a muddle, this will help put things in their respective places. This book is for every christian!
Can't recommend enough!
June 14, 2025
From the conclusion:
“ Many people think about faith and salvation in a compartmentalized way. ‘Yes, Jesus help save my soul, but I need a mental health expert for the day-to-day issues.’ If this is you, let me challenge and encourage you: your view of salvation is too small. There’s so much more that the Bible offers, you can spend the rest of your life, discovering it and being transformed by it.
Jesus is not an addendum to your therapist. He doesn’t just offer positive encouragement while the psychologist or a psychiatrist does the real work. If Jesus is only role in your life, is to save you for heaven and be worshiped on Sunday morning, then you are missing out on so much more.”
This book was excellent. It’s the book I’ve been wanting for several years now. It reminds me of a biblical counseling book smashed together with “bad therapy” and “the end of trauma”.
Really thought-provoking, challenging, and encouraging. I think he handled this tough topic well.
“ Many people think about faith and salvation in a compartmentalized way. ‘Yes, Jesus help save my soul, but I need a mental health expert for the day-to-day issues.’ If this is you, let me challenge and encourage you: your view of salvation is too small. There’s so much more that the Bible offers, you can spend the rest of your life, discovering it and being transformed by it.
Jesus is not an addendum to your therapist. He doesn’t just offer positive encouragement while the psychologist or a psychiatrist does the real work. If Jesus is only role in your life, is to save you for heaven and be worshiped on Sunday morning, then you are missing out on so much more.”
This book was excellent. It’s the book I’ve been wanting for several years now. It reminds me of a biblical counseling book smashed together with “bad therapy” and “the end of trauma”.
Really thought-provoking, challenging, and encouraging. I think he handled this tough topic well.
June 22, 2025
I really loved this book. I listened to the audiobook, but now I feel like I need a physical copy just so I can underline everything that stood out to me. It really encouraged me to be even more intentional about renewing my mind with Scripture. I was reminded how much influence my thoughts have over my body, and that gave me a fresh motivation to stay grounded in truth.
July 17, 2025
Gifford makes an excellent case for mind transformation as the answer to the majority of “mental health” questions today. Using biblical and scientific definitions to delineate the differences between mind (spirit) and brain (body), as well as historical example, he invites us to consider that much of the modern mental health crisis could be attributed to the dramatic broadening of diagnoses and the confusion between physical and spiritual treatment.
This book is NOT a write-off of psychiatry entirely, but rather a challenge to the consensus of symptom-based diagnosis and medical treatment without physical evaluation, especially in regard to increasingly common conditions such as depression, anxiety, and sexual/gender dysphoria. He argues that we ought to question the assignment of secular medical labels like "disease" and "disorder" to normal emotional and spiritual struggles.
As a member of Gen Z who has battled with all of the above struggles in my teen years, I was fortunate to have parents, pastors, and friends who graciously kept me saturated in the Bible, and my spiritual care didn't have to be outsourced to a "pastor who is allowed to write prescriptions", as Gifford aptly describes psychiatrists.
This book has opened up discussions with Christian friends of mine who both have been helped by meds and therapy and those who have not, and although there may be variations in our initial approaches to "I think I have a mental health problem", we find common ground in the ultimate healing and transformation provided by God and His Word. None of us believe the meds and the therapy to be the final answer, and that is a hopeful sign.
My only reason for giving the book 4 stars is that it's distilling a perspective that's largely been explored in more academic biblical counseling circles, so the result is often repetitive where it otherwise might venture into too much abstraction and semantics for a lay reader. It also isn't as polemic as I expected it to be; I expected it to attack the "lies my therapist told me" more than it did, but I understand that Gifford wisely prefers to steelman his own argument in favor of strawmanning the opposition.
That said, I hope that this book becomes ubiquitous in church and personal libraries to encourage more discussion around this crucial matter of soul care, and I hope for a resulting increase in certified biblical counselors and well-equipped pastors to guide what might be the most medicated generation in history from brokenness to wholeness.
This book is NOT a write-off of psychiatry entirely, but rather a challenge to the consensus of symptom-based diagnosis and medical treatment without physical evaluation, especially in regard to increasingly common conditions such as depression, anxiety, and sexual/gender dysphoria. He argues that we ought to question the assignment of secular medical labels like "disease" and "disorder" to normal emotional and spiritual struggles.
As a member of Gen Z who has battled with all of the above struggles in my teen years, I was fortunate to have parents, pastors, and friends who graciously kept me saturated in the Bible, and my spiritual care didn't have to be outsourced to a "pastor who is allowed to write prescriptions", as Gifford aptly describes psychiatrists.
This book has opened up discussions with Christian friends of mine who both have been helped by meds and therapy and those who have not, and although there may be variations in our initial approaches to "I think I have a mental health problem", we find common ground in the ultimate healing and transformation provided by God and His Word. None of us believe the meds and the therapy to be the final answer, and that is a hopeful sign.
My only reason for giving the book 4 stars is that it's distilling a perspective that's largely been explored in more academic biblical counseling circles, so the result is often repetitive where it otherwise might venture into too much abstraction and semantics for a lay reader. It also isn't as polemic as I expected it to be; I expected it to attack the "lies my therapist told me" more than it did, but I understand that Gifford wisely prefers to steelman his own argument in favor of strawmanning the opposition.
That said, I hope that this book becomes ubiquitous in church and personal libraries to encourage more discussion around this crucial matter of soul care, and I hope for a resulting increase in certified biblical counselors and well-equipped pastors to guide what might be the most medicated generation in history from brokenness to wholeness.
December 3, 2025
3.75*
Repetitive in many parts but still helpful and good.
Repetitive in many parts but still helpful and good.
January 17, 2026
Interesting, practical, and biblical
July 11, 2025
Dr. Gifford conveyed several excellent points within his book. He caused me to think differently about therapy, psychotropics, and addiction. I'm thankful he took the time to write this book.
I don't see much criticism of this work with other reviews, but I found myself perturbed at times with Dr. Gifford's repetitiveness. I think he could've communicated his points in about 100 pages instead of more than 300. This is my biggest gripe because I appreciate pith and brevity when I read.
Secondly, Dr. Gifford was vague on how he addressed the mind/brain distinction. This was disappointing since it's the core idea of the book. Perhaps some philosophical advisory is required to help with clearly defining what points he intended to convey. Further, he didn't remain consistent throughout the book with this distinction.
With these two criticisms, I think he handled an important topic with care (e.g. he's not a big fan of psychotropics, but he also doesn't suggest a Christian never use them). His position is nuanced and fair, given our culture and the circumstances we live in.
Overall, it's worth a read. The good Dr. concludes by reminding us of both the real power of Scripture and the hope found in Christ. Those are solid reminders and can hardly be understated, so thanks Dr. Gifford.
(I wrote this honestly and critically knowing full well Dr. Gifford may see this after all of his laborious work. My desire is not to tear down; edification is my goal.)
I don't see much criticism of this work with other reviews, but I found myself perturbed at times with Dr. Gifford's repetitiveness. I think he could've communicated his points in about 100 pages instead of more than 300. This is my biggest gripe because I appreciate pith and brevity when I read.
Secondly, Dr. Gifford was vague on how he addressed the mind/brain distinction. This was disappointing since it's the core idea of the book. Perhaps some philosophical advisory is required to help with clearly defining what points he intended to convey. Further, he didn't remain consistent throughout the book with this distinction.
With these two criticisms, I think he handled an important topic with care (e.g. he's not a big fan of psychotropics, but he also doesn't suggest a Christian never use them). His position is nuanced and fair, given our culture and the circumstances we live in.
Overall, it's worth a read. The good Dr. concludes by reminding us of both the real power of Scripture and the hope found in Christ. Those are solid reminders and can hardly be understated, so thanks Dr. Gifford.
(I wrote this honestly and critically knowing full well Dr. Gifford may see this after all of his laborious work. My desire is not to tear down; edification is my goal.)
October 5, 2025
There’s something worth discussing here, and I want to be able to have that discussion. But at the end of the day there’s too much that Gifford leaves wanting; Brain/Mind separation, Trauma, role of The Spirit. I’d put some of these chapters in the potentially dangerous category and hope that we can understand that slapping Romans 12:2 over “Mental Health” is going to hit differently for most people.
August 15, 2025
As a Christian who battled postpartum depression for many years and was on antidepressants for 8 of the last 10 years, I went into this book with my guard up. As a young Christian I developed the thinking that mental health issues & treatment were only for worldly people. When I finally admitted to myself and others that I was experiencing debilitating depression after the birth of my second child, I was told by trusted older Christians to “pray more” and “lose weight.” My midwives recommended antidepressants, which I was adamantly against. Eventually I gave them a try after I came to see that my stubbornness in refusing to try them was actually pride in my stance against them, not a Biblically supported position. By God’s grace, the medication was a tool to help me overcome my postpartum depression - a tool I needed after all of my subsequent pregnancies - and I’m always eager to share my story with new moms who may be experiencing something they were entirely unprepared for after having a child, as I was. The medication wasn’t my salvation, and my postpartum depression wasn’t an excuse for sin - but praise God for help when we find ourselves in a very bad spot in this broken world.
All that being said, this book was excellent and I would highly recommend it. The author was gracious, and not legalistic or judgmental at all. I found a lot to think about in the discussion of the mind being different from the brain. My own experience resonated with this. I could never understand how my condition was being treated as a concrete thing: unbalanced chemicals in my brain - yet those “chemicals” are unmeasurable, not exactly understood, and circumstantial things could affect them (like help with the baby, or being in the sun).
I felt this book was a good wake up call to me- it is easy to unknowingly and gradually begin to adopt the secular mental health mindset. The truth is that secular mental health experts have a darkened mind and faith in Christ actually transforms and renews our mind. This is not to be taken lightly. The author repeatedly quotes the verse - “We have the mind of Christ.”
Some favorite quotes:
“Your thoughts are a part of faithfulness as a Christian.”
“Your mind needs renewal and transformation - not self care.”
“This is truly the mind of Christ: when you think, you see yourself and this world the way God does.”
“The Bible is not one additional form of knowledge to add to an otherwise accurate world. Rather, the Bible is the authoritative source of knowledge that directs how we understand the world.”
“‘Yes,Jesus helps save my soul, but I need a mental health expert for the day to day issues.’ If this is you, let me challenge and encourage you: your view of salvation is too small… Jesus is not an addendum to your therapist.”
All that being said, this book was excellent and I would highly recommend it. The author was gracious, and not legalistic or judgmental at all. I found a lot to think about in the discussion of the mind being different from the brain. My own experience resonated with this. I could never understand how my condition was being treated as a concrete thing: unbalanced chemicals in my brain - yet those “chemicals” are unmeasurable, not exactly understood, and circumstantial things could affect them (like help with the baby, or being in the sun).
I felt this book was a good wake up call to me- it is easy to unknowingly and gradually begin to adopt the secular mental health mindset. The truth is that secular mental health experts have a darkened mind and faith in Christ actually transforms and renews our mind. This is not to be taken lightly. The author repeatedly quotes the verse - “We have the mind of Christ.”
Some favorite quotes:
“Your thoughts are a part of faithfulness as a Christian.”
“Your mind needs renewal and transformation - not self care.”
“This is truly the mind of Christ: when you think, you see yourself and this world the way God does.”
“The Bible is not one additional form of knowledge to add to an otherwise accurate world. Rather, the Bible is the authoritative source of knowledge that directs how we understand the world.”
“‘Yes,Jesus helps save my soul, but I need a mental health expert for the day to day issues.’ If this is you, let me challenge and encourage you: your view of salvation is too small… Jesus is not an addendum to your therapist.”
January 28, 2026
A clear-headed, compassionate, and biblical critique of secular psychology that examines how it has been damaging to many, including Christians who have adopted secular categories and assumptions. He helpfully frames secular psychology as a treatment for symptoms that fails to address the root issues of heart and mind renewal. The book's subtitle perfectly summarizes his position: Christians should aim for more than just treating symptoms.
While he makes a helpful distinction between the mind and the brain, I would have liked to see a deeper discussion on their relationship to other aspects of our human nature. Specifically, I was looking for more on how the noetic effects of sin affect the mind vs. brain and how each uniquely contributes to our choices, attitudes, desires and beliefs. Maybe that's unrealistic 🤷🏾♂️
While he makes a helpful distinction between the mind and the brain, I would have liked to see a deeper discussion on their relationship to other aspects of our human nature. Specifically, I was looking for more on how the noetic effects of sin affect the mind vs. brain and how each uniquely contributes to our choices, attitudes, desires and beliefs. Maybe that's unrealistic 🤷🏾♂️
Read
September 30, 2025Probably the best place to start if you want to get an idea of the problems with psychology and therapeutic thinking from a biblical perspective, and a reasonable, godly, practical approach to real transformation. Dr. Gifford writes with clarity, compassion, and grit, working through the issues. Every time I wrote down a question to address, I found the question answered later in the text. Not a screed or polemic, but a loving, serious talk with people who have been confused and misled down a path which will not bring lasting peace or relief from very real suffering.
June 1, 2025
In a compelling and comprehensive fashion, cutting through much confusion and complexity, Gifford exposes the lack of validity in mental health culture, demonstrating its pseudo-scientific nature and unhelpful solutions. Well-researched and documented, compassionate and balanced, and most importantly, thoroughly biblical and hopeful, this is an absolute must-read for Christians living in a confusing therapeutic age. We must be discerning about these issues instead of imbibing them passively and uncritically. Once the curtain is pulled back and you see the underlying worldview, there's no going back.
September 17, 2025
Way more people need to read this book.
Dr. Greg Gifford writes, “Without salvation we are not in need of slight tweaks here and there. Our need is far deeper than behaviour modification, symptom relief, or having fewer "unhelpful thoughts." Rather, we are in dire need of total restoration."
“When a mind is darkened and distorted, no medical treatment will fix it. God, through His word and Spirit, is the only one who can truly heal the mind."
Dr. Greg Gifford writes, “Without salvation we are not in need of slight tweaks here and there. Our need is far deeper than behaviour modification, symptom relief, or having fewer "unhelpful thoughts." Rather, we are in dire need of total restoration."
“When a mind is darkened and distorted, no medical treatment will fix it. God, through His word and Spirit, is the only one who can truly heal the mind."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2025
If someone asked me the best introductory book to biblical counseling that has absolutely no idea what it is, I think this would be my first book I hand them. It shows the emptiness of the secular therapy movement and gives a robust view of the Bible’s sufficiency.
November 26, 2025
I loved this book and I’m so glad a Christian counsellor finally wrote about mental health from a Christian perspective. I appreciated that he explained the mental health industrial complex (it’s been corrupted like most other systems), distinguished between brain and mind (they’re NOT the same thing), compared mental health with mind renewal and how medication cannot treat the mind but only ease some symptoms whereas only Jesus can renew and ultimately change/heal our minds. It’s ultimately a book of hope for those who think that mental illness is a burden one has to carry for the rest of their lives. We can give our burdens to God and He will restore our lives and our minds.
January 6, 2026
Exceptional. Polarizing and unpopular. Truth.
October 6, 2025
This was a profoundly helpful read in critiquing the culture, work, and claims of what Gifford broadly refers to as the “secular therapeutic.” In the day in which we live, I’m tempted to labeling this a “must-read.”
God’s Word is truly sufficient to address the full gamut of the human condition and Gifford demonstrates that expertly. For me, he leaves a little something to be desired in emphasis on counsel being primarily pursued within the context of good discipleship in the local church, but local church involvement is still a key emphasis in the book and, for that, I’m thankful.
God’s Word is truly sufficient to address the full gamut of the human condition and Gifford demonstrates that expertly. For me, he leaves a little something to be desired in emphasis on counsel being primarily pursued within the context of good discipleship in the local church, but local church involvement is still a key emphasis in the book and, for that, I’m thankful.
November 22, 2025
Unpopular opinion: this book felt a bit cold and heartless to me. I would’ve appreciated more nuance in its central idea that many “mental health” struggles are actually sin issues.
On Psychiatric Medication
I agree with all he says about psychiatric meds. Still, there are crucial nuances missing. I highly recommend Julie Rutledge’s TED Talk, “The Surprisingly Dramatic Role of Nutrition in Mental Health,” which highlights the biological side of this discussion. I’d also mention Dr. Edward M. Hallowell’s Connect and Dr. Peter Breggin’s Your Drug May Be Your Problem — both emphasize the healing power of human connection. The author critiques secular approaches, but if people lack proper nutrition or the ability to form healthy relationships, they’re not going to be doing too well even with sound theology.
Mental Health as Response
I believe God designed our brains to adapt, cope, and protect us from unbearable pain or emotions we can’t yet process — whether through blackouts, detachment, or even conditions like schizophrenia, which may function as involuntary self-protection against trauma.
In my view, people’s mental-health struggles often exist for reasons. Even rebellion is usually a response, not a random choice to sin “for fun.” That doesn’t excuse sin, but it does call us to listen, understand, and lead with compassion — remembering passages like 1 Peter 4:8, 2 Peter 3:8-9, Psalm 139, 1 Corinthians 13, and Galatians 5:22-23.
Material Language for the Immaterial
Throughout the book, the author criticizes using physical or “brain health” language to describe immaterial struggles. Ironically, the Bible itself often does something similar — it anthropomorphizes God, describing Him with physical imagery even though He is spirit.
On Psychiatric Medication
I agree with all he says about psychiatric meds. Still, there are crucial nuances missing. I highly recommend Julie Rutledge’s TED Talk, “The Surprisingly Dramatic Role of Nutrition in Mental Health,” which highlights the biological side of this discussion. I’d also mention Dr. Edward M. Hallowell’s Connect and Dr. Peter Breggin’s Your Drug May Be Your Problem — both emphasize the healing power of human connection. The author critiques secular approaches, but if people lack proper nutrition or the ability to form healthy relationships, they’re not going to be doing too well even with sound theology.
Mental Health as Response
I believe God designed our brains to adapt, cope, and protect us from unbearable pain or emotions we can’t yet process — whether through blackouts, detachment, or even conditions like schizophrenia, which may function as involuntary self-protection against trauma.
In my view, people’s mental-health struggles often exist for reasons. Even rebellion is usually a response, not a random choice to sin “for fun.” That doesn’t excuse sin, but it does call us to listen, understand, and lead with compassion — remembering passages like 1 Peter 4:8, 2 Peter 3:8-9, Psalm 139, 1 Corinthians 13, and Galatians 5:22-23.
Material Language for the Immaterial
Throughout the book, the author criticizes using physical or “brain health” language to describe immaterial struggles. Ironically, the Bible itself often does something similar — it anthropomorphizes God, describing Him with physical imagery even though He is spirit.
July 27, 2025
I'm sure that there will be much pushback to this book, while at the same time, I believe Gifford does an excellent job in showing why the term "mental illness" is nonsensical. Gifford writes extensively to demonstrate that the "mental illness and mental health" philosophy is rooted and grounded in naturalism and evolutionary philosophy. Because of the bases for the mental health complex, there is a failure to distinguish between the brain and the mind. Reality is, the mind cannot have a disease. The brain can. Gifford does a good job in showing that the Scriptures actually do the best job in addressing the mind. The world system, because of its commitment to naturalism, can only offer medications and forms of therapy. It has always been an oddity that the psychiatric world (also the psychotherapy world) promotes prescribing medications that work on the brain, doing so many times without blood tests, scans, etc. Gifford documents all of this and points the reader to a better alternative. I'm guessing many will call, "foul" and disagree with Gifford's conclusions. I believe he has a legitimate voice in the discussion and this is an excellent read.
November 26, 2025
I slowly grew persuaded to agree with the main points the author argues in this book. Some of the sub-points are incomplete and shaky. However, I am not a fan of the clickbait title which has nothing to do with the contents of the book. No chapter listed or clearly outlined the lies a therapist tells clients. In my opinion, the title set an accusatory, combative tone that does not reflect the author’s true heart for those who struggle with mental battles. The only way I was able to learn of the author’s gracious tone was through hearing it during Allie Beth Stuckey’s podcast Relatable. Furthermore, the editing is very confusing. The author jumps from one topic to another then back tracks to a point made chapters before. But in order to expand upon said “old” point, he gives a renewal of the entire point to explain more. This felt like a glaringly obvious (rookie) editing error that made for a structurally confusing (rhetorically weak) book. I finally did not appreciate the minimal rebuttal of the psychosis counterargument in chapter 11. The author chose to give many verses about insanity and deconstructed them to explain what it means to be out of your mind. But the resolution, the analysis, felt rushed and therefore lacking. This is compared to the previous chapters that spent pages slowly explaining the implications of the corrupt healthcare system which (to me) seemed obvious. It was not hard to convince me of how tangled the diagnosis-confirming process is. I needed to be convinced that paranoid schizophrenia is a sin issue - a sub-argument that the author attempts to make. The main points were successfully made: the psychiatric care system is broken and the mind is separate from the brain (to an extent).
July 13, 2025
I had great hopes for this book and I do recommend it BUT it was not what I expected. Most of the book beats the dead horse that the brain is not the Mind. An excellent point but one he incessantly makes. His pointing to the Scriptures was excellent but I think there are some specific Scriptures that teach ways to deal with anxiety, anger, and temptation that deserve special attention and teaching. As a retired Licensed Professional Counselor with a Biblical counseling focus I was both encouraged and disappointed with the book.
June 8, 2025
The author of this extraordinary book is a pastor, a Certified Biblical Counselor (ACBC), and the chair of the School of Blbical Studies at The Master’s University in California. The introduction to this rich resource in Part I, “Secular Therapy Isn’t Working,” suggests that the lines between mind and brain are being blurred, and the Bible makes a clear case of distinction between the material (the brain) and immaterial (the mind). As Gifford begins by introducing what he termed “The Mental Health Industrial Complex,” he cites numerous sources, from political and scientific pundits to biblical references and scholars from various world views. He writes on the presence of iatrogenesis, the harm that can be caused by medical interventions, as he presents the history of the mental health industry and the concerns present regarding the validity of the DSM-V, a document which has had its challenges even from within the field. The resulting diagnostic inflation and the incentivizing of diagnostic labels to fund medical companies has resulted in the growth of the so-called “mental illness” phenomenon, with medical doctors (psychiatrists) treating mental issues that have no real somatic source. The author even chronicles a personal visit to a psychiatrist (offered in more detail in the appendix) to determine how easily secular counseling and/or medications may be recommended based on a single interview to determine symptoms.
Part II, “Misunderstanding Humanity,” presents a solid biblical explanation for the distinction between the mind and the brain, reviewing the representation of the mind in both the Old and New Testaments, including all the language of Scripture as well as providing a “Doctrinal Statement on the Mind and the Brain” (p. 85). Even as he admits it is challenging to separate issues of the mind and the brain, Gifford states that “The brain can influence organic issues and also influence mind responses, but the brain does not control the mind” (p. 105). The goal of the biblical counselor is much more than treatment; the focus is transformation. The author suggests that we are not looking for mental health, but for “mental renewal,” which can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit. He references the “putting off” and “putting on” in Ephesians 4 as representative of this goal, noting that “For a Christian, using the term mental health is unhelpful at best” (p. 133).
Part III, “Christians Living in a Therapeutic Culture,” pulls no punches in addressing the chasm between biblical counseling and secular therapy. After stating that psychotropics can never result in a renewed mind (they only treat the brain, not the mind), Gifford provides wise guidance on the use of psychotropics, if necessary. This section continues by directly addressing a range of treatment modalities from a Christian perspective that realizes the distinction between brain and mind. The treatments he discusses include CBT, Yoga, EMDR, and Mindfulness/Eastern Medication. Each of these is treated honestly and directly, acknowledging that therapies may be useful for symptom relief, but fail to address the real issues (this chapter is titled “There’s No Better Treatment Than the Truth”). The author continues by challenging the very existence of “mental illness,” providing biblical definitions for a variety of DSM labels, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Binge Eating Disorder, and Sexual Addiction or Compulsive Sexual Behavioral Disorder. Noting that these issues can exist while not representing “mental illness,” he speaks to the hope present for all of these issues through biblical counseling. He even provides practical guidance on actions the Christian can take when such diagnoses are necessary to access resources, even as he emphasizes the danger in accepting the diagnosis of a mental illness. The concept of insanity is reviewed from Scripture, and Gifford dives headlong into considering the issue of addiction – is it a disorder, a disease, or disobedience? In confronting the issue of psychosomatics, he makes the case that the source of most physiological cravings is the body, although the mind makes the decision. This powerful section closes with a brief treatment of key questions that can arise in challenging biblical counseling as the only true intervention to bring “mental renewal.” The author finishes with a short chapter, “Christ Offers More,” that focuses on critical verses from God’s Word.
Four appendices complete this eminently powerful and practical book: My Visit to a Psychiatrist, Habits for a Healthy Brain, Habits for a Biblically Transformed Mind, and How to Find a Biblical Counselor.
“Lies My Therapist Told Me” is a brave, God-honoring book that is well worth reading.
Part II, “Misunderstanding Humanity,” presents a solid biblical explanation for the distinction between the mind and the brain, reviewing the representation of the mind in both the Old and New Testaments, including all the language of Scripture as well as providing a “Doctrinal Statement on the Mind and the Brain” (p. 85). Even as he admits it is challenging to separate issues of the mind and the brain, Gifford states that “The brain can influence organic issues and also influence mind responses, but the brain does not control the mind” (p. 105). The goal of the biblical counselor is much more than treatment; the focus is transformation. The author suggests that we are not looking for mental health, but for “mental renewal,” which can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit. He references the “putting off” and “putting on” in Ephesians 4 as representative of this goal, noting that “For a Christian, using the term mental health is unhelpful at best” (p. 133).
Part III, “Christians Living in a Therapeutic Culture,” pulls no punches in addressing the chasm between biblical counseling and secular therapy. After stating that psychotropics can never result in a renewed mind (they only treat the brain, not the mind), Gifford provides wise guidance on the use of psychotropics, if necessary. This section continues by directly addressing a range of treatment modalities from a Christian perspective that realizes the distinction between brain and mind. The treatments he discusses include CBT, Yoga, EMDR, and Mindfulness/Eastern Medication. Each of these is treated honestly and directly, acknowledging that therapies may be useful for symptom relief, but fail to address the real issues (this chapter is titled “There’s No Better Treatment Than the Truth”). The author continues by challenging the very existence of “mental illness,” providing biblical definitions for a variety of DSM labels, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Binge Eating Disorder, and Sexual Addiction or Compulsive Sexual Behavioral Disorder. Noting that these issues can exist while not representing “mental illness,” he speaks to the hope present for all of these issues through biblical counseling. He even provides practical guidance on actions the Christian can take when such diagnoses are necessary to access resources, even as he emphasizes the danger in accepting the diagnosis of a mental illness. The concept of insanity is reviewed from Scripture, and Gifford dives headlong into considering the issue of addiction – is it a disorder, a disease, or disobedience? In confronting the issue of psychosomatics, he makes the case that the source of most physiological cravings is the body, although the mind makes the decision. This powerful section closes with a brief treatment of key questions that can arise in challenging biblical counseling as the only true intervention to bring “mental renewal.” The author finishes with a short chapter, “Christ Offers More,” that focuses on critical verses from God’s Word.
Four appendices complete this eminently powerful and practical book: My Visit to a Psychiatrist, Habits for a Healthy Brain, Habits for a Biblically Transformed Mind, and How to Find a Biblical Counselor.
“Lies My Therapist Told Me” is a brave, God-honoring book that is well worth reading.
June 18, 2025
This was an excellent book with many strong points, tackling a needed subject. Gifford provides a strong biblical critique of the mental health industry, but manages to do so while keeping real people in view. He is careful, compassionate, and clearly experienced in counseling people from a wide range of backgrounds. Overall, I commend this book and hope it gains a wide readership.
There are two (related) nuances of disagreement that I wish weren't present in the book: the persistent emphasis on the "mind-brain distinction", and the prioritization of the mind over the heart. For the former, Gifford repeatedly critiques the mental health world as failing to distinguish the brain (a physical organ) from the mind (an immaterial aspect of personhood). I agree the two should not be conflated, but the relationship between them is complex. Gifford acknowledges this complexity, and makes some strong points about things like medication being unable to change your mind. But I think it's somewhat reductionistic to say that the whole mental health complex has made a simple category mistake (they've confused the brain for the mind), and I think some readers and practitioners (especially integrationist leaning) will dismiss Gifford as being too simplistic.
Related to this is some weak exegesis and linguistic fallacies about a biblical definition of the mind. Gifford seems to prefer "mind" as the master category for all our inward identity, but because the Bible's terminology is more flexible and less precise, this sometimes leads him to make unwarranted textual claims about which texts support his view. His general conclusions are still defensible, but saying things like "The closest place in the Bible where we see the brain spoken of specifically is Matthew 27:33," a text which uses kranion to describe Golgotha as "the place of the skull," opens him to criticisms of being reductionistic or confused. At places I wanted to know whether "mind" is interchangeable with "soul" or "heart" or "inward man", or does it focus more specifically on cognitive aspects of our inward life? The practical pay-off is that Gifford doesn't describe the heart (he prefers the term mind), which slants him towards prioritizing thought and cognition as the "good stuff" (my term) for what's really going on inside us. I think this could minimize a fully biblical evaluation of other aspects of our hearts (my preferred term, because I think it is most biblically broad): our beliefs but also our affections, choices, intuitions and perceptions.
These are subtle and small differences overall. I mention them at length because I think the book needs to be read in evangelical circles, and I think this nuances would make its case even stronger.
There are two (related) nuances of disagreement that I wish weren't present in the book: the persistent emphasis on the "mind-brain distinction", and the prioritization of the mind over the heart. For the former, Gifford repeatedly critiques the mental health world as failing to distinguish the brain (a physical organ) from the mind (an immaterial aspect of personhood). I agree the two should not be conflated, but the relationship between them is complex. Gifford acknowledges this complexity, and makes some strong points about things like medication being unable to change your mind. But I think it's somewhat reductionistic to say that the whole mental health complex has made a simple category mistake (they've confused the brain for the mind), and I think some readers and practitioners (especially integrationist leaning) will dismiss Gifford as being too simplistic.
Related to this is some weak exegesis and linguistic fallacies about a biblical definition of the mind. Gifford seems to prefer "mind" as the master category for all our inward identity, but because the Bible's terminology is more flexible and less precise, this sometimes leads him to make unwarranted textual claims about which texts support his view. His general conclusions are still defensible, but saying things like "The closest place in the Bible where we see the brain spoken of specifically is Matthew 27:33," a text which uses kranion to describe Golgotha as "the place of the skull," opens him to criticisms of being reductionistic or confused. At places I wanted to know whether "mind" is interchangeable with "soul" or "heart" or "inward man", or does it focus more specifically on cognitive aspects of our inward life? The practical pay-off is that Gifford doesn't describe the heart (he prefers the term mind), which slants him towards prioritizing thought and cognition as the "good stuff" (my term) for what's really going on inside us. I think this could minimize a fully biblical evaluation of other aspects of our hearts (my preferred term, because I think it is most biblically broad): our beliefs but also our affections, choices, intuitions and perceptions.
These are subtle and small differences overall. I mention them at length because I think the book needs to be read in evangelical circles, and I think this nuances would make its case even stronger.
June 27, 2025
5 starts on content, 3 or 4 on writing style - I think it needed one more look by an editor. But that being said, it's well worth your time. The biggest takeaway - the brain (outer man) is not the same as the mind (inner man), even though they are obviously related. He breaks down the mental health industrial complex, explains how the 'body creates the trial' and ultimately pushes the reader to seek true salvation in Christ, not to find mere symptom relief; merely "feeling better" is not the goal of human life. While someone can get relief through some secular therapies, he reminds us that we only achieve 'mind renewal' (his term to use instead of mental health, because the mind doesn't get sick) by meditating on God's word and learning to think his thoughts after him. The mind affects the body and vice versa, but the body cannot make you sin. Like mentioned earlier, the body can create a trial (due to habits, addictions, or sinful predispositions), but the mind is never forced to sin. I really appreciated his take on meds - while he wouldn't advocate for them, he's not opposed in principle, but is careful to point out that chemicals affect our brains, not our minds.
There are times when he overstates his case and creates a mind/body duality, as opposed to a psychosomatic union, but it's inconsistent throughout the book. At times it seems like he's going to veer into gnosticism only to come right back and point out that sleep and exercise are important for minds. In sum, the human existence is more complex than he implies at times.
But best of all, he insists on uses biblical terms for sin issues, rather than re-labeling disobedience as "oppositional defiant disorder" or drunkenness as "alcohol use disorder." He does so without denying that these conditions or symptoms exist, because of course they exist in our fallen world. He often reminds us that the DSM is only using symptom-based diagnosis and that therapists are basically secular pastors that can't renew our minds.
It's not exactly Bad Therapy, but it's in a similar vein of pushing back against the therapeutic goo of our age, and it's from a thoroughly Christian perspective. Tolle lege!
There are times when he overstates his case and creates a mind/body duality, as opposed to a psychosomatic union, but it's inconsistent throughout the book. At times it seems like he's going to veer into gnosticism only to come right back and point out that sleep and exercise are important for minds. In sum, the human existence is more complex than he implies at times.
But best of all, he insists on uses biblical terms for sin issues, rather than re-labeling disobedience as "oppositional defiant disorder" or drunkenness as "alcohol use disorder." He does so without denying that these conditions or symptoms exist, because of course they exist in our fallen world. He often reminds us that the DSM is only using symptom-based diagnosis and that therapists are basically secular pastors that can't renew our minds.
It's not exactly Bad Therapy, but it's in a similar vein of pushing back against the therapeutic goo of our age, and it's from a thoroughly Christian perspective. Tolle lege!
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