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Justin K. Hughes, MA, LPC

Get Unstuck From Fear

OCD is Not a Faith Problem: Why the Church Must Listen to the Muffled Cries of the Tormented

Posted in Anxiety, CBT, Christian, Mental Health, OCD

Chris and Olivia are two people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), yet their stories reveal a tale of two churches, highlighting sometimes inconsistent and poor treatment of those OCD within the church. ⛪

This past month, I started a Substack with the article, OCD Is Not A Faith Problem: Why the Church Must Listen to the Muffled Cries of the Tormented.

  • Chris is met with harmful clichés and minimization.
  • Olivia finds compassionate listening and a referral to an OCD specialist, leading to successful treatment.

OCD is not a problem of faith, and churches do well to learn from truthful insights no matter where we find them (inside or outside the church), recognizing that many with OCD often exhibit a more mature faith than their symptoms suggest.

In this month’s YouTube, I share these divergent experiences and consider our call as the Church to embody Christ’s love for the suffering by slowing down, listening, asking questions, and providing tangible support. I hope it blesses you.

➡️ Read the full article on my substack 👀

💻Discover my online course to learn how you to overcome OCD and grow closer to Christ: CHRISTIANS, OVERCOME YOUR OCD: AN EXPERT-LED MASTERCLASS

~Justin K. Hughes, MA, LPC

*The title idea comes from author Amy Simpson. Names are composites that don’t identify individuals.

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