Service
Christian Counselling
Counselling for women who want their faith understood, included only by choice, and held within clear professional boundaries.
No GP referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan required to book
Faith can be a source of identity, community, meaning, and comfort. It can also be where difficult questions, church hurt, shame, or conflict sit. Christian counselling makes room to speak about that part of your life without assuming it explains everything.
Aana is a practising Catholic. If faith matters to you, you do not have to translate away words such as prayer, parish, vocation, or God before they can enter the conversation. If faith is not part of what you want to discuss, it will not be introduced as an agenda.
The work remains counselling. It is not spiritual direction, confession, prayer ministry, or pastoral decision-making. Aana will not tell you what a good Christian woman should do, interpret doctrine for you, or use faith to pressure a particular choice.
In Session
What You Can Bring to Counselling
- Anxiety, low mood, guilt, or perfectionism where faith is part of the context
- Grief, pregnancy loss, infertility, or questions about suffering
- Church hurt, spiritual abuse, shame, or coercive religious experiences
- Relationship and family concerns shaped by faith or community expectations
- Changes in belief, belonging, identity, or religious practice
- The impact of trauma on trust, meaning, connection, or spiritual life
What to Expect
How It Works
Step 01
Talk about fit
Use a free discovery call to ask about Aana’s approach, professional boundaries, and how much—or how little—you want faith to feature.
Step 02
Set the counselling focus
At the first session, agree on the concern you want to explore and whether faith, church experience, prayer, or spiritual questions are relevant to that work.
Step 03
Review as you go
Your preferences can change. Faith can come into the conversation, remain in the background, or stay outside the counselling work entirely.
Clear Boundaries
Counselling and Spiritual Direction Serve Different Needs
Counselling attends to your emotional wellbeing, lived experience, relationships, coping, and patterns of response. Spiritual direction attends to prayer, vocation, and the movement of faith. Some women use both at the same time, with each practitioner staying within their own role.
With your permission, counselling can sit alongside care from a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist, priest, pastor, or spiritual director. Consent and role clarity come first.
Your Choice
Faith-Informed Does Not Mean Faith-Imposed
Women of different Christian traditions—and women questioning or stepping away from faith—can use this service. The aim is not to produce a religious answer. It is to offer counselling that can understand religious language and community context without overriding your autonomy.
Our Approach
Catholic-Informed, Client-Led
Aana’s Catholic faith is disclosed so you can make an informed choice about fit. It does not determine the content or outcome of your sessions. Your values, goals, consent, and safety guide the work.
If you are unsure whether the approach suits you, a discovery call is a practical place to ask direct questions before booking.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Christian Counselling
Do I need to be Catholic to book Christian counselling?
No. Women from Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, Orthodox, other Christian, uncertain, or non-religious backgrounds are welcome. Aana is Catholic, but your beliefs and preferences set the direction of the counselling.
Will prayer or Scripture automatically be part of a session?
No. Faith is included only when you want it to be relevant to the counselling. You can ask questions about Aana’s approach during a discovery call and can change your preference at any time.
Is Christian counselling the same as spiritual direction?
No. Counselling focuses on wellbeing, relationships, experiences, patterns, and practical change. Spiritual direction, confession, pastoral care, and sacramental guidance have different purposes and belong with an appropriately qualified clergy member or spiritual director.
Can I talk about church hurt or spiritual abuse?
Yes. You can explore the personal impact of church hurt, coercion, shame, or spiritual abuse without being pushed towards a theological conclusion, forgiveness timetable, reconciliation, or return to an unsafe setting.
What happens if I need support outside Safe Refuge’s scope?
Aana will discuss referral or shared-care options when another practitioner or service is more appropriate. This may include a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist, specialist service, crisis service, or—when you request it—an appropriate pastoral or spiritual support.
Take the Next Step
Book Now
A short, free conversation to explore what is troubling you and whether Safe Refuge is the right next step. No GP referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan is required to book, and there is no pressure to continue.