Mental health resources
The Gospel and Mental Health
Sermons, a counselor list we trust for LA, OC and online, books and places to turn for anyone walking through a mental health struggle.
All through Scripture, faithful people feel the full weight of being human. Today nearly 1 in 4 American adults live with a mental illness, and nearly half will meet the criteria for one in their lifetime.
If you’re struggling, it doesn’t make your faith smaller or your place in God’s family less secure. Healing happens in community, where we take mental health seriously in every part of life: body, mind, relationships and soul.
Together we want to move from silence, and even stigma, to support, where struggle and hope are held together in Christ. Take what helps, and come back anytime.
The series
The Gospel & Mental Health
Watch every message from the series, then share one with someone who needs it.
Find a counselor
Counselors we trust
Every counselor on this list was vetted by NewStory Church.
Reach out to two or three and ask about fit, cost and availability.
Are you a counselor?
Los Angeles
Couples, anxiety, depression, grief, family conflict and men’s issues
Office in Torrance
In person or online
Asian American community, creatives, religious trauma and EMDR
Office in Highland Park
In person or online (CA and WA)
Cynthia Winn
M.A., MFT
Marriage and Family Therapist
EMDR and Imago couples therapy; teens, adults, trauma and addiction
Offices in Encino and Pasadena
In person or online
Adults, couples, families and teens; anxiety, depression, grief and trauma
Office in Encino
Online, or in person on Wednesdays
Relational healing, intercultural therapy and young adult identity
Office in Pasadena
In person or online
Couples, families and play therapy; infidelity recovery, grief and abuse
Office in Santa Monica
In person or online
Orange County
Adults and elders; ADHD, anger, anxiety, depression and grief
Office in Mission Viejo
In person or online
Couples and families; trust and betrayal, trauma, intimacy and grief
Office in Mission Viejo
In person or online
Couples and individuals; trauma, shame, anxiety and depression
Office in Newport Beach
Mostly in person, or online
Adults 18 and up; addiction, substance abuse, trauma and marriage
Office in Costa Mesa
In person or online
Children 5 and up, couples and families; trauma, EMDR and faith
Office in Laguna Hills
In person or online
Couples and individuals; EMDR for trauma, infidelity and blended families
Offices in Costa Mesa and Mission Viejo
In person or online
Adults and couples; anxiety, depression, grief and trauma (EMDR)
Office in Mission Viejo
In person or online
Teens and couples; EMDR, trauma, premarital and spiritual integration
Office in Mission Viejo
In person or online
Teens, couples and ministry leaders; anxiety, depression and OCD
Office in Costa Mesa
In person or online
Teens and women; anxiety, depression and spiritual abuse
Office in Mission Viejo
In person or online
Young adults and couples; life transitions, anxiety and depression
Office in Newport Beach
In person or online
Online
Severe anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, depression and relationships
Online sessions (CA)
Online only
Trusted resources
Places to turn
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Free, confidential help by call, text or chat, 24/7
LA County Mental Health Help Line
Call (800) 854‑7771 or text LA to 741741
Get Help in LA
Shelter, meals and hotlines near us, in English and Spanish
NAMI
Guides for you and loved ones, in English and Spanish
Mental Health America
Free online screenings and self-help tools
Hope for Brighter Tomorrows
Faith‑based guides for families and churches
Mental Health Grace Alliance
Christian support groups and recovery resources
Oak + Stone Therapy Collective
Gentle worksheets and guides on anxiety and trauma
Psychology Tools
Free worksheets you can use on your own
Books
Books we recommend
The Anxious Generation
by Jonathan Haidt
The Body Keeps the Score
by Bessel van der Kolk
Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You
by James G. Friesen and others
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
by Peter Scazzero
More books
Try Softer
by Aundi Kolber
A gentler way through pain and stress
Grace for the Afflicted
by Matthew S. Stanford
A Christian look at mental illness
Darkness Is My Only Companion
by Kathryn Greene‑McCreight
A Christian’s honest story of mental illness
God and Soul Care
by Eric L. Johnson
Christian counseling rooted in Scripture
Boundaries
by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
When to say yes and how to say no
A Grace Disguised
by Jerry Sittser
How the soul grows through loss
A Grief Observed
by C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis on losing his wife
Celebrate Recovery
by John Baker, Johnny Baker and Rick Warren
The guide behind Celebrate Recovery
Change Your Brain, Change Your Life
by Daniel G. Amen
Brain health and emotional well‑being
Disappointment with God
by Philip Yancey
Honest questions when God feels silent
Where Is God When It Hurts?
by Philip Yancey
Finding God in the middle of suffering
Downcast
by Jennifer Huang Harris, Harold G. Koenig and John R. Peteet
Biblical and medical hope for depression
Breath
by James Nestor
The science of how we breathe
Good Enough
by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie
Short devotions for imperfect days
Glorious Weakness
by Alia Joy
Meeting God in weakness and lack
Grieving a Suicide
by Albert Y. Hsu
Comfort and answers after a suicide loss
Guts, Grit and the Grind
by Sally Spencer‑Thomas, Sarah W. Gaer and Frank King
Mental health tools, written for men
Healing the Wounded Heart
by Dan B. Allender
Hope and healing after sexual abuse
Holding to Hope
by Brad and Donna Hoefs
Loving someone with a mental illness
Resilient
by John Eldredge
Restoring a weary soul in hard times
Indwell: An 8‑Step Mental Health Guide
by Indwell
A step‑by‑step faith and mental health guide
Common questions
Questions people ask
Yes, faith and counseling work together. A good counselor can be one of the ways God brings healing.
No, struggling doesn’t make your faith smaller. David, Elijah, Hannah and Job all walked through despair, and God met them there.
Start with the counselor list on this page, vetted by NewStory Church. Reach out to two or three and ask about fit, cost and availability.
Many counselors offer a sliding scale, so it’s worth asking. Celebrate Recovery and our Care Ministry are free.
Listen without rushing to fix it, and help them connect with care. The Mental Health at Home message from our series is a good place to start.
You don’t have to carry this alone
Whatever you’re walking through, we’d love to pray with you and help you find your next step.