How Prayer and Psychology Work Together in the Therapy Room
Can prayer be part of therapy, and how does it actually help?
For many Christians, prayer is a sacred rhythm—woven into daily life as a source of comfort, connection, and clarity. Prayer is the backbone of a relationship with the God who hears, loves, and acts on our behalf. But in the context of therapy, prayer becomes more than a spiritual discipline.
In Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy, prayer is welcomed as a therapeutic tool that can support emotional processing, deepen connection with God, and offer grounding in moments of vulnerability. Not all prayer looks the same—and that's a good thing.
In this post, we'll explore several forms of Christian prayer and the unique ways each can support healing in the mind, body, and spirit. But before we dive in, let's talk a little about when and how prayer is used in therapy
How Prayer Is Used in Therapy
Prayer is very intimate. Therefore, therapists respect that if a client wants to pray or wants to pray together, it is a personal decision with no right or wrong answer. Prayer is never forced in spiritually integrated sessions but is gently available. Clients are invited to engage with God in a way that feels natural and aligned with their own faith journey.
Here are a few ways prayer might show up in the therapy process:
Opening or closing prayer to center the session in God's presence
Guided reflective prayer to explore emotions, memories, or needs
Silent or contemplative prayer when words feel too heavy
Spontaneous prayer during moments of breakthrough, grief, or gratitude
Homework prayer practices to deepen healing between sessions
Your therapist may offer to pray with you or for you—but just as often, prayer may be integrated as a topic of conversation or a tool for emotional regulation. The focus is always on safety, consent, and collaboration.
Because therapy is unique to each individual, prayer is not used in a cookie-cutter style. You and your therapist will work together to find where or if prayer fits into your healing journey.
Types of Prayer That Support Mental and Emotional Health
1. Lament: Honesty That Heals
Lament is one of the most underused spiritual tools in modern faith practice—but one of the most healing. It gives voice to grief, sorrow, anger, and unanswered questions. The bible even has a whole book on it- Lamentations!
In therapy, clients are often encouraged to engage in lament through written or spoken prayer, using Psalms (like Psalm 13 or Psalm 42) as a guide. Naming what feels broken creates space for God's comfort and renewal.
Mental Health Benefits:
Validates painful emotions
Reduces emotional suppression
Creates space for grief and trauma recovery
"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?" —Psalm 13:1
As we pour out aour hearts like water to the Lord, and lift us our hands to Him in prayer (Lamentations2:19), God hears us and He does the healing work in our hearts! But we first must take our pain to Him and leave it at His feet.
2. Centering Prayer: Rest for the Nervous System
Centering prayer is a contemplative practice focused on quieting the mind and resting in God's presence. Using a sacred word (like "peace" or "Jesus") as an anchor, this silent prayer allows space to be—not perform-before God.
In therapy, it supports emotional regulation and helps clients reconnect to the present moment when anxiety or overwhelm takes hold.
Mental Health Benefits:
Reduces anxiety and stress
Calms the body and mind
Promotes spiritual groundedness
"Be still and know that I am God." —Psalm 46:10
Centering prayer is a Biblical type of meditation that we use to place our whole attention on God, therefore removing our attention from our problems! As we focus on who God is and listen for His voice, we see that our God is bigger, our God is greater, and He can handle whatever is in our way.
3. Labyrinth Prayer: Clarity Through Movement
Labyrinth prayer is a form of embodied prayer—walking a set path (either physical or visual) while reflecting, releasing, and returning to God.
Therapists may recommend labyrinth walking as a grounding practice outside of sessions or guide clients through a paper version in session as a metaphor for life's journey.
Mental Health Benefits:
Integrates movement with mindfulness
Encourages spiritual and emotional clarity
Supports somatic healing for anxiety and trauma
"You will show me the path of life;" - Psalm 16:11
Labyrinths can be created on the ground to walk through, or many people have "lap labyrinths" made of wood or cloth to use inside. Often you can find printable versions online. A labyrinth is typically a circular maze with only one entrance. The client slowly considers their way towards the center, telling God about their burdens. Then, the client is invited to sit with God in stillness before returning down the same path to leave, remembering that God is going with them.
A therapist may often utilize this type of prayer with a client when they feel alone, or that the problems in life are too many.
4. Intercession: Compassion in Action
Praying for others—whether loved ones, enemies, or those in need—can shift the internal landscape of the heart. Many clients are familiar with this type of prayer before beginning therapy, and are comfortable with it.
As the therapist prays for the client, often God softens hardened places, opens space for forgiveness, and encourages reconciliation work. It reminds us that we are not alone in our burdens.
Mental Health Benefits:
Encourages empathy and compassion
Supports relational healing
Reduces bitterness and isolation
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” - Galatians 6:2
Having your therapist pray for you can be very powerful and often deepens the therapeutic relationship. Knowing that someone genuinely cares for you and hearing them ask the Father to give you good gifts spiritually connects you, making you feel less alone. in the moment of prayer, you know that you are cared for and loved and that your therapist wants what's best for you!
5. Confession and Grace-Based Prayer: Releasing Shame
Confession in therapy isn't about condemnation—it's about honesty paired with grace. Naming struggles or failures before God becomes a sacred invitation to step out of shame and into belovedness.
In spiritually integrated work, this prayer is often used when a client is wrestling with guilt, self-judgment, or moral injury. Scripture reminds us that confession leads to restoration, not rejection.
Mental Health Benefits:
Breaks the cycle of shame
Increases self-compassion
Reinforces identity in Christ
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us…" —1 John 1:9
Grace, we all need it. Yet sometimes we struggle to accept it. Confessing our sins and accepting the free gift of forgiveness from Jesus is the most powerful prayer!
Final Thoughts: You Can Pray Your Way Toward Wholeness
Prayer is not a technique to get things "right" with God. It's a practice of returning—to His presence, to truth, and to the deep work of healing. In the therapy room, prayer can help integrate your emotional life with your spiritual life in deeply restorative ways.
Each form of prayer—lament, centering, labyrinth, intercession, and confession—offers a different path into God's care. And in that care, your healing is not only possible, it's welcomed.
Invitation to Go Deeper
If you long for a space where your faith and emotional life are both honored, I'd love to walk with you.
👉 Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to learn how prayer-informed therapy can support your healing journey.
Coming Next:
"What About Sin, Guilt, and Grace in Therapy?"
We'll explore how Christian therapy can transform shame and restore identity through biblical truth and psychological insight.
