Dr. Mike Strating

I am a registered psychologist whose clinical work, teaching, and scholarship focus on the development and practice of Christian Psychology. I emphasize a whole-person, biblically-based, and scientifically-informed approach to mental health care. I completed my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Windsor as well as my residency with the London Clinical Psychology Residency Consortium.

In addition to my clinical practice, I am an Associate Professor of Psychology at Redeemer University where I am leading the development of a new M.A. in Counselling program in which I will be training and supervising new therapists. I am also a Fellow of the Christian Psychology Institute.

Areas of Expertise

I provide therapy to individual adult clients and am experienced in treating a wide range of mental health concerns, particularly those that involve difficulties managing, understanding, or engaging with emotion.

This includes:

Anxiety and stress

• anxiety

• panic

• obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Trauma and relationships

• PTSD

• family/interpersonal issues

• grief

Personality and emotional difficulties

• self-criticism

• perfectionism

• shame

• anger

• depression

Christian faith and spiritual formation

Christian Psychology

Many people are surprised to learn that there are different Christian approaches to psychology and counselling. Because every approach to therapy rests on assumptions about what it means to be human and how lasting change occurs, these differences matter. Christian Psychology is the framework that shapes my understanding of human flourishing, suffering, and psychological change.

Christian Psychology is a distinctive approach to psychotherapy that seeks to understand persons and psychological change through the lens of historic Christian theology while engaging contemporary psychological science thoughtfully and critically. The Christian Psychology framework begins with a biblically and theologically grounded understanding of God and the human person, drawing from the rich soul care traditions of the Christian church. Contemporary counselling theories, research findings, and clinical practices are then critically engaged and incorporated into this Christian conceptual foundation. In this way, Scripture and theology function as the organizing framework for understanding persons and therapeutic change, while empirical psychological research is received as a valuable - though secondary - source of insight.

Christian Psychology overlaps with – but is somewhat distinct from and falls between – two other common Christian approaches to counselling. On the one hand, Christian Integration approaches often begin with secular psychological theories and practices as their primary foundation, incorporating biblical or theological perspectives secondarily. While this approach has made valuable contributions, it may unintentionally allow assumptions drawn from secular theories to shape counselling in ways that are not always fully examined from a Christian theological perspective. On the other hand, Biblical Counselling approaches strongly affirm the authority and sufficiency of Scripture for counselling but often operate with a heightened emphasis on the incompatibility between Christian faith and contemporary psychology. While this approach rightly seeks to safeguard biblical faithfulness and primacy, it can risk underappreciating empirical insights arising from creation and common grace resources that may meaningfully inform counselling practice.

Christian Psychology understands Scripture to be the foundational and authoritative guide for knowing God, understanding the human person, and living faithfully. At the same time, it recognizes that God also reveals truth through His creation. Contemporary psychological research, when evaluated critically and interpreted within a Christian worldview, can therefore contribute meaningful insight into understanding and caring for people.

Christian Psychology understands genuine psychological growth within the larger story of God's work in creation, redemption, and restoration. While all people experience both the goodness of creation and the brokenness of life in a fallen world, Christians also understand lasting transformation to arise from union with Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. Consequently, psychotherapy is not simply about reducing symptoms or developing coping skills, but about growing in wisdom, love, and Christlike character as we participate in God's transforming work within us. Although complete healing awaits the renewal of all things, Christians can experience genuine hope, growth, and transformation even amid ongoing weakness and suffering here and now.

In practice, this means that I seek to understand every client as a whole person whose biological, psychological, relational, developmental, cultural, and spiritual dimensions are deeply interconnected. I believe every person bears God's image, possesses inherent dignity, and experiences both the beauty and brokenness of God's creation. Experiences of suffering, loss, conflict, and longing often become opportunities for deeper self-understanding, growth, and transformation. Whether or not a client shares my Christian faith, my aim is to understand their story with compassion, respect their agency and worldview, and provide thoughtful, evidence-based psychological care. For Christian clients, this also includes intentionally integrating Scripture, prayer, and other spiritual practices into the therapeutic process.

For more information about Christian Psychology, see the Christian Psychology Institute webpages titled What is Christian Psychology? and What We Believe.