136. Orthodoxy and Therapy | Fr. Timothy Pavlatos on Mental Health, Trauma & Spiritual Warfare136. Orthodoxy and Therapy | Fr. Timothy Pavlatos on Mental Health, Trauma & Spiritual Warfare
Raised & Redeemed
An Orthodox priest–counsellor and a host with a history of trauma and addiction talk through how therapy, trauma work and spiritual life can fit together. The conversation raises nuanced questions about mental health, spiritual warfare and identity in Christ without dismissing either psychology or the Church.
1:26:38•26 Aug 2026
Orthodoxy, Therapy and Trauma: Fr. Timothy Pavlatos on Healing the Whole Person
Episode Overview
- Psychology and therapy can offer real help but are limited without the fullness of healing found in Christ and the Church.
- A trustworthy, present therapist who truly listens often matters more than any specific therapeutic technique.
- Somatic practices like intentional breathing and bodily awareness can support trauma recovery when grounded in Christian prayer rather than New Age frameworks.
- Diagnoses such as bipolar or addiction describe struggles, but a person’s core identity remains in being created in God’s image.
- Priests and therapists each have a place in healing; discernment and honest conversation with a spiritual father can clarify which support is most helpful at a given time.
“"Your identity is connected with God in whose image you are created… What you have is bipolar. Your identity is not connected with that."”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This conversation on Raised & Redeemed sits right at the crossroads of psychology, trauma, addiction and Orthodox Christian faith. Michaela, who has her own history of substance abuse and New Age spirituality, chats with Fr. Timothy Pavlatos, an Orthodox priest and seasoned counsellor with over 25 years' experience and multiple degrees in psychology, divinity and counselling.
Together, they tackle big questions: can Orthodox Christians go to therapy, when should someone turn to a priest instead of a therapist, and how does spiritual warfare show up in the mind. Fr. Timothy sees psychology as useful but limited: "I see psychology as a science... they have something to contribute, and they also don't have all the answers.
Whereas in Orthodoxy, we have all the answers." He explains why the person of the therapist matters more than technique, and why feeling genuinely heard can be healing, whether it happens in a counselling room, a support group or confession. For anyone recovering from trauma or addiction, you’ll hear practical talk about somatic practices, nervous system regulation, and why simple tools like breath work can sit alongside the Jesus Prayer without slipping back into New Age territory.
Michaela shares her journey from yoga, psychedelics and occult "weekend rituals" to finding that "nothing truly healed me until I came to know Him," and then encountering the deeper healing of the Orthodox Church. They also unpack mental health diagnoses and labels such as "I am an alcoholic" or "I am bipolar", with Fr. Timothy gently reframing: your identity is in Christ, and diagnoses describe struggles, not who you are.
Throughout, the tone stays grounded, non‑dramatic and honest, making space for those who feel caught between therapy culture and faith. If you’ve ever wondered how therapy, trauma work and spiritual life can fit together during recovery, this episode might be the thoughtful bridge you’ve been looking for.
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