A licensed therapist lights a candle, invokes ancestral spirits, and calls it trauma-informed care — on TikTok.
This isn’t fringe anymore. It’s mainstream.
 And for Christian counselors, it’s time to ask: 
What exactly are we endorsing in the name of healing — and where must we draw the line?
 — Dr. Marie Grace

As a trauma-informed care (TIC) specialist and a long-standing member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), I’ve observed the evolution of therapeutic practices over the past decades. In today’s therapy culture, a growing number of clinicians are integrating occult rituals into mental health care, often with no clinical disclaimers or spiritual safeguards.

This raises a crucial question for Christian mental health professionals:
How do we remain ethically grounded and Biblically faithful in a therapeutic landscape increasingly shaped by spiritual pluralism?

Many Christian counselors are unsure how to respond. Others are unaware that these trends have entered mainstream care. But as these practices grow in popularity, our silence becomes complicity.

Out of the Shadows: Witchcraft as Wellness

Occult practices are increasingly common in wellness spaces. For instance, Village Witch Therapy, led by a licensed therapist in Seattle, blends nature-based counseling with divination rituals to support trauma recovery (Psychology Today, 2025). Similarly, The Occult Therapy combines esoteric rites, body suspension, and psychological coaching—advertised as “trauma-informed.” 

A Pew Research Center study found that 60% of U.S. adults believe in New Age practices such as astrology and divination, fueling demand for these therapies in both secular and spiritual settings.

These approaches are often couched in the language of empowerment and mindfulness, making them attractive to those seeking nontraditional healing. Practitioners may argue that such methods honor clients’ spiritual beliefs and foster autonomy. However, their lack of empirical support and overt spiritual risks raise concerns for clinicians committed to both ethical practice and Biblical fidelity (American Association of Christian Counselors, 2014).

A Historical Perspective

The blending of psychology and spiritualism isn’t new. Carl Jung’s work in the 20th century explored archetypes, dreams, and the collective unconscious, opening doors to esoteric interpretations in therapy (Jung, 1971). In many cultures, ritual and spiritual practices serve as coping mechanisms and markers of identity. Understanding these beliefs is essential to cultural humility.

Yet there is a critical difference between understanding a client’s beliefs and integrating practices such as spellwork or ritual magic into therapeutic modalities, particularly when those practices conflict with Christian doctrine.

“Let no one be found among you who practices divination or sorcery.”
— Deuteronomy 18:10 

Christian counselors are called to honor diverse backgrounds without compromising scriptural and ethical integrity.

The AACC’s Code of Ethics (2014) emphasizes the use of evidence-based interventions, spiritual discernment, and the protection of client welfare. Integrating occultism into therapy contradicts both the letter and spirit of that charge.

The Risks for Trauma Survivors

Trauma survivors often seek healing through control, meaning-making, and empowerment—needs that occult practices superficially promise. Platforms like TikTok have popularized hashtags such as #WitchTok, where rituals are presented as mental health tools (West, 2022).

Many of these practices are marketed as therapeutic or trauma-informed. Yet, they lack empirical support and introduce spiritual confusion. Below are several tools now being promoted under the guise of emotional healing:

• Spellwork/Spell Jars
   Promoted as tools for healing, manifestation, or emotional regulation.
• Ancestral Rituals
   Invoking ancestors for guidance or emotional release, often framed as trauma integration.
• Divination Rituals
   Including tarot, astrology, and intuitive “readings” used for self-understanding or decision-making.
• Energy Invocations/Energy Healing
   Such as chakra balancing or channeling spiritual energy as emotional therapy.
• Crystals
   Used for grounding, protection, or trauma release—often included in “self-care” kits.
• Moon Rituals
   Practices aligned with lunar cycles (e.g., full moon release ceremonies) claimed to aid emotional processing.
• Body Suspension / Esoteric Rites
   Referenced in The Occult Therapy program as methods of intense trauma healing.
• Nature-Based Counseling
   While not inherently occult, when combined with spellwork or witchcraft, it crosses from holistic to spiritualist practice.

However, emotional relief is not the same as healing. According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, empirically supported treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), are most effective for trauma recovery (Cloitre et al., 2018).

Programs like The Occult Therapy, which describe healing as “dark and challenging,” may instead destabilize vulnerable clients, leading to confusion rather than clarity, especially for those seeking spiritual peace (The Occult Therapy, 2022; Deuteronomy 18:10).

Biblical Discernment and Professional Ethics

Christian counselors are uniquely positioned to uphold both clinical excellence and biblical truth. We are not called to adopt every spiritual trend but to discern carefully what we endorse in therapeutic practice.

The AACC Code requires clinicians and mental health coaches to:

• Maintain boundaries
• Use evidence-based methods
• Prioritize client safety, both spiritually and psychologically

When counselors embrace occult practices, they risk violating that trust. This is especially critical in trauma-informed care, where clients’ sense of safety, agency, and truth is already fragile. Faithful counselors must ground their work in both Scripture and sound science, offering hope that is not deceptive or misguided.

In a therapeutic culture increasingly shaped by spiritual pluralism, this kind of discernment isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Final Thought

As therapy continues to evolve, Christian counselors are called to stand firm, not in fear, but in faith. While some therapeutic models embrace alternative spiritualities for their cultural appeal, we carry a sacred responsibility: to offer healing that is both clinically sound and spiritually rooted.

In a landscape where wellness language often blurs spiritual boundaries, discernment becomes an act of care and compassion. We don’t need to adopt every trend. We need to stay grounded—in truth, in integrity, and in the enduring peace Christ alone provides.

References
American Association of Christian Counselors. (2014). AACC Code of Ethics. https://www.aacc.net/code-of-ethics/

Cloitre, M., Cohen, L. R., Ortigo, K. M., Jackson, C., & Koenen, K. C. (2018). Treating survivors of childhood abuse and interpersonal trauma: STAIR narrative therapy. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 31(6), 795–804. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22347

Jung, C. G. (1971). Psychological Types. Princeton University Press.

Pew Research Center. (2020). New Age beliefs common among both religious and nonreligious Americans. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2020/10/01/new-age-beliefs-common-among-both-religious-and-nonreligious-americans/

Psychology Today. (2025). Cooper Stodden (they)—Village Witch Therapy. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/cooper-stodden-seattle-wa/1040531

Smith, E. (2007). Healing Life’s Hurts Through Theophostic Prayer. New Creation Publishing.

The Occult Therapy. (2022). Introduction to The Occult Therapy. https://theocculttherapy.com/

 West, J. (2022, Aug 18). Witchcraft Helps Me Cope With Anxiety — & It’s Cheaper Than Therapy. SheKnows. https://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/2607920/witchcraft-mental-health-anxiety/

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