JESUS CHRIST THE THERAPIST

this is going to be exciting!

Many people have never personally met a professional therapist who is both intelligent and a Christian at the same time. A lot of times, there is one without the other, and that makes them hold prejudices against fields like psychotherapy, or to prefer professionals who don’t hint on their faith in their work.

I had just finished a therapy session with a client. We had designed how his morning routine would allow him enjoy better mental state, as his primary business plays in a very volatile market. So, he needs to be in optimal mental state in order to trade and make money.

As with some clients of mine, what they do first thing in the morning either empowers them for the day or dishevels their entire day. Just as a tiny tweak such as picking up your phone first thing in the morning can completely reduce your productivity and make you more distracted - thereby losing focus of your goal for that day.

Many clients of mine who are Christians, have prayers as part of their morning routine, for those, I work with them to make that prayer part of our therapy process.

“How?” you may ask.

Well, Jesus may have a great deal to contribute to the practice of modern psychology, psychotherapy, mental health and leadership, as well as religion.

So, if you come along in this edition of The Dayo Samuel Report, I will share with you how Jesus would have been a therapist if he were to be living and walking on the face of the earth today.

The Origin Story

As a coach and therapist-in-training in 2017, I had completed my NLP training, and was as usual, asking my breakthrough questions…

“How can we apply these learnings in a Christian context?”

“How can I carry out immersive interventions even if the client is not physically located with me?”

“How can I simplify this awemazing scientific research so my listeners and readers can understand”?

In finding answers to the application in Christian context, I stumbled on a book that literally did NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) on Jesus Christ. I was blown away by the cognitive patterns of Jesus Christ (title of the book, by the way).

Some of what I found were:

1. Jesus was not random in the way he used his senses, his language, nor in the way he organized his experiences to operate in the world around him. Effective people have learned to develop consistent, step-by-step procedures for solving problems, making decisions, creating plans and success, etc. These specific sequences of mental steps are referred to as strategy.
2. There were a lot of sensory language in Jesus’ communications. Unlike most Christians who tend to think you have to deny your physical senses in order to be spiritual, Jesus (as a therapist) recognized and related with the human senses. Searching the Gospel records, you will find that Jesus uses the word “see” (visual) in 82 verses, “saw” in 10 verses. He used “hear” (auditory) in 60 verses, “heard” in 17 verses. You may even find that he used “show” (visual) in 21 verses, “tell” (auditory) in 44 verses. Jesus “touched” (kinesthetic) people at least 12 times, “laid his hands” about 14 times, all of these indicating different and NORMAL human senses. In fact, on 4 occasions, Jesus was “moved” to compassion – which is more internal than external.
3. In reference to sense organs, Jesus directly talked about the eyes 16 times, the ears 13 times, the mouth 12 times, and the body 17 times. And another organ Jesus mentioned a lot is the heart (32 times) – of course because the heart is associated with emotional states.
4. Jesus was also abstract and figurative in the way he talked and was described, using words such as “life” (59 times) and “spirit” (22 times). For example, when Jesus was upset, we are told “he sighed deeply in his spirit” (Mark 8:12) and when he was excited and inspired, he is described as being full of the “power of the spirit” (Luke 4:14). Such descriptions indicate a man who was intimately in touch with his internal feelings.

Looking at the many things that Jesus “began to do and to teach” which were recorded for our learning, we can see a lot about the therapeutic work of Jesus.

I recognize that many of these things may have been interpreted through different lenses in the past, let’s see if we can see Jesus the Therapist through everything he taught and did.

Since 2017, I have studied both theology and psychology in order to understand humans as well as their relationship with divinity. I must mention that the more I studied human beings, the more I understood God; and the more I studied God, the better I get in understanding human behaviors.

How Did Jesus Serve as a Therapist?

 1. Healing & Emotional Freedom

Found about 42 times in the New Testament, the word, “heal” originates from a Greek word, “Therapeuo” which literally means “to serve, do service; to heal, cure, restore to health.”

Of these, about 60% appeared in the gospels, and particularly in Mark and Luke, embedded in Jesus’ life story and miracles.

If you try to pronounce that word, even the spelling already appears THERAPY. Could this signal Jesus was doing the work of a therapist?

On closer look, you find Jesus telling people to “go and sin no more”, lifting their emotional burden of guilt and shame.

Jesus as a therapist today would still be curing and healing people and restoring them to health and sanity.

2. Sound Mental Health

One publication stated:

Jesus was one of the world’s greatest psychotherapists.

Many Western scholars now believe Jesus, the Jewish sage who became known as The Christ, or Messiah, had the intuitions of a top psychiatrist and inspired the West’s therapeutic approach to human growth and well-being.

In addition to Jesus being able to heal people who struggled with what we now call mental illness, more psychotherapists are saying Jesus stressed the therapeutic values of personal transformation, combating shame, reintroducing outsiders into the community and showing unconditional positive regard for all humans, good or bad.

In the book, Jesus the Village Psychiatrist, Donald Capps, a professor of pastoral theology at Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey, turned upside down the traditional understanding of the New Testament miracle stories, in which Jesus is said to have healed the blind, the hemorrhaging and the paralyzed.

Instead of following classic church tradition and accepting that Jesus’s “miracles” were supernatural physical cures, Capps argues they were more likely psychosomatic healings.

Bringing together a deep understanding of both psychological theory and contemporary biblical interpretation, Jesus the Village Psychiatrist maintains Jesus’s miracles liberated many “hysterical” people from devastating emotional disorders.

In his day, it was believed mentally ill people were “possessed” by evil spirits. But Capps argues many were probably suffering from extreme anxiety — the result of living in a dirt-poor rural culture rife with clan clashes, sexual exploitation by those in power and constant threat of bandits.

Jesus as a therapist today would be very particular with the mental health of humans, and would most likely have a parachurch organization that focuses on helping people reduce fear, worry and anxiety. You remember he said you need not worry that God will take care of you, right? And when he said that, it was to thousands of people, too?

3. Lasting Transformation

According to the book, Jesus and Psychology (Templeton Press), edited by Fraser Watts, who directs the Psychology and Christianity Project at the University of Cambridge in England, Jesus was described as a healer of those struggling with hysteria, depression and “learned helplessness.”

Jesus stressed the liberation that can come from “giving up one’s old self”; from being open to being transformed, or “reborn.”

The result, lasting transformation, is what most personal development programs try to accomplish. As with the model of Jesus, and how he did “ministry,” it was: if you want to be transformed, it is an inside-out job, not an outside-in work.

Jesus as a therapist today would still want men and women everywhere to focus inwards any time they want a change in their lives, rather than chasing “new knowledge and skill” up and about. How do you do this? I’ll share in the section of Contemplative Meditation below.

4. Love and Empathy

As the book Jesus and Psychology says, Christianity, at its best, stresses that, while everyone is imperfect, they must love others as they themselves wish to be loved.

In retelling the story of disillusioned Nathaniel, for instance, the author points out how the young man is changed by Jesus’s empathy and astute observations about him, as “an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” A former cynic, Nathaniel is reborn as a result of feeling understood for the first time.

As someone said, “seek to first understand before being understood”. When someone is struggling with or suffering from an issue, showing that person a glimpse of love can go a long way. Unfortunately, people are quick to point fingers, laugh at or judge than they are ready to empathize with another human.

Jesus as a therapist today would catch you red-handed in the act yet question the motive of those trying to crucify you instead of judging you for your “bad” behaviour.

In fact, Jesus as a therapist today would not label you as a “broken” human being. He may perceive you as “damaged, seeking redemption” though. And that’s because his correctional facility is equipped to handle your case.

5. Truth and Understanding

Proud Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:6) He never organized a masterclass or create an online course to teach people how to find the way, to discover the truth “inside life”, he made them aware if you have a premium relationship with me, you can be sure to access these things.

Sometimes when I work with clients, I do not give them assignments at all. Instead, I let them go explore and learn out more about themselves through an experience I create for or a tool I provide to them. One of such is the new Ready. Set. Go. The Anti-Procrastination Plan that makes taking immediate action easy. (My mentor says it is the best on the market he has seen so far).

Times without number, my clients come to a new understanding of themselves not because I told them anything, but because they have a relationship with me that enables that understanding.

Therapy provides people with a relationship that typically leads to a greater understanding of themselves, and consequently other things in their lives.

So Why Don’t Many Christians Go for Therapy?

1.      They don’t know the value. Perhaps with this report, you can enlighten them. Or share my YouTube videos with them.

2.      Paul, the Apostle, was probably misunderstood when he said when he said something about “being spoiled through philosophies and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world” and the “wisdom of the world” being separate from the “wisdom that comes from God”. I was there too. For over 13 years, I struggled with masturbation and pornography. I kept praying and stretching my faith. I even told God to cut off my penis if I do it again. You know what? I did it still. Until I sought therapy that I was calling the “wisdom of men”, did it stop. My thoughts back then was that seeking help was the wisdom of men, and not relying on God.

3.      As I mentioned earlier, they are yet to meet a professional who is both a Christian and solid in the practice of his profession. I had someone who, kind of, shut down their therapy practice because they wanted to do ministry, and heal people.

Admitting you are struggling with a psychological and/or emotional distress does not question or invalidate your faith. Going to therapy does not mean God cannot heal you.

Casting out demons does not automatically denote the person doesn’t need therapy too.

How can Jesus be Your Day-to-Day Therapist?

Welcome the power of contemplative meditation.

To understand the distinction & confusion between contemplation vs. meditation, it’s important to understand their original meanings, and how their meanings have changed over time. 

Contemplation: a combination of the Latin prefix “con” (with) and root “templum” (shrine, temple or sacred place). According to the Guided Meditation Framework, ‘temples & shrines were often at higher vantage points in the landscape, enabling one to observe or survey down below. Combining its various root definitions, the word contemplation can be defined as the act of seeing or observing with the help of the divine.’

Meditate: derived from the Latin verb “meditor” (to think, ponder, reflect upon, consider, study, intend, plan, etc.), which has no direct spiritual connotation.

It’s clear from the original derivations of these two terms that their meanings have been inverted in recent history. Contemplation is actually the more spiritually derived action, where meditation represents the more systematic, rational exploration of life’s many questions.

The widespread popularization of mindfulness has somehow misled many into thinking that meditation is the practice of clearing the mind of all thoughts, when in fact, the true meaning of meditation is to purposefully engage in deep thought.

Consequently, the meaning of contemplation has been inverted. Instead of its original use in describing a state of divine observation or inner listening, many misrepresent contemplation as a non-spiritual process of focused deliberation.

How to Practice Contemplative Meditation

(taking a cue from my book, Limitless Courage and Confidence, pages 92 and 120):

• Close your eyes so you can focus inwards.
• Take 4 or 5 deep, focused breaths, dropping into your heart level and feeling the rhythm of your heartbeat.
• Focus on the question or intention at hand, while deeply relaxing your body.
• Then ask your spirit to provide solutions or steps you need to take to move forward.
• Pay attention. Listen. You will come up with what you can do.
• If you do it the first time, it doesn’t work, try again. This time, more relaxed.

Can I say I am anointed to help people heal as though Jesus was physically or virtually present with them?

Yeah! That’s what I do. I treat the mind, body and spirit of my clients, and over time, I have recognized that connection. In fact, the disconnection can be problematic in some cases.

As Kimberly Boone said, “You can have Jesus and a therapist and your salvation will still be intact.”

seek help if you’re struggling with any issue. God has given people like myself wisdom and understanding to help and to heal. Take advantage. (And yes, pay us too).

I hope this edition of The Dayo Samuel Report does not come off as a Bible study though. If you enjoyed it, let me know. Share with someone too. Who knows, you just might be closing their brunt bridges.

Live more courageously,

I am Dayo Samuel

Managing Partner,

The Dayo Samuel Research Multiversity

PS: I took out a lot of things from this report to reduce it to this. If I missed some points, be aware I do not want to bore you with too much to read – that defeats the purpose of the report. Hopefully, I’ll touch on this sometime when I have even more subscribers. Thank you

References:

• Dilts, R. (1992). Cognitive Patterns of Jesus of Nazareth: Tools of the Spirit: Amazon.com: Books. Dynamic Learning Publications. https://www.amazon.com/Cognitive-Patterns-Jesus-Nazareth-Spirit/dp/B001JKWRTC
• Baker, M. W. (2007). Jesus, the Greatest Therapist Who Ever Lived [E-book]. HarperCollins. https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Greatest-Therapist-Ever-Lived/dp/0061374776
• Boone, K. (2020, July 15). You can have Jesus and a therapist! Mental Chatter. https://www.mentalchatter.com/post/you-can-have-jesus-and-a-therapist
• Griffin, A., Siler, J., Jenkins, D., Adams, H., Edited By, C., & Freeland, L. (n.d.). Therapeuo Meaning in Bible - New Testament Greek Lexicon - New American Standard. Biblestudytools.Com. https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/therapeuo.html
• Gulick, Joe, "Examination of Critical Greek Texts of the New Testament Through Word Study of Therapeuo" (2013). Honors Theses. Paper 362.
• Meditation and Contemplation – What is the Difference? | Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles. (n.d.). Carmelite Sisters OCD. https://carmelitesistersocd.com/2013/meditation-contemplation/
• Varnum, B. H. (2020, December 5). What Is Contemplative Meditation? | The Guided Meditation Framework^TM. Guided Meditation Framework. https://guidedmeditationframework.com/blog/what-is-contemplative-meditation/
• Todd, D. (2010, August 30). Jesus: One of the greatest psychotherapists. Vancouver Sun. https://vancouversun.com/news/staff-blogs/jesus-one-of-the-greatest-psychotherapists
• Watts, F. (2007). Jesus and Psychology (1st ed.). Templeton Press.
• Capps, D. (2008). Jesus the Village Psychiatrist. Westminster John Knox Press.