As rates of anxiety, depression and loneliness continue to rise across the United States, new research is pointing back to an age-old truth: humans were created for authentic connection. At Columbia International University’s Seminary & School of Counseling, faculty are leaning into this reality shaping Christian counselors who understand the deep link between relationships, spiritual formation and mental health. Dr. David Croteau, Dean of the Seminary & School of Counseling, sat down with Assistant Dean of the Seminary & School of Counseling, Dr. Seth Scott, to discuss why biblical community is essential for emotional and psychological well-being in today’s digitally driven world.
The Mental Health Crisis in a “Connected” Culture
Despite unprecedented access to social networks, people report feeling more isolated than ever. Dr. Scott notes that the irony is impossible to ignore.
“We’re becoming increasingly disconnected through mediums that we thought would bring connection,” he said. “Social media and the internet give the illusion of community yet we’re seeing greater levels of mental illness.”
The problem isn’t technology itself, Dr. Scott explained, but how it reshapes our understanding of relationships. Instead of genuine presence or mutual vulnerability, online platforms often promote highlight reels, selective snapshots of success, filtered experiences and curated identities.
“It’s not our true selves. We present a façade,” he said. “When all we see is one polished slice of someone’s life, we feel less connected, not more.”
For counselors in training, this raises urgent questions:
How does digital culture affect client relationships? How do you help someone navigate loneliness in an age of constant but shallow connection?
At CIU, those questions become foundational to how students learn, practice and eventually lead in their counseling careers.
Biblical Wisdom: Designed for Community from the Beginning
Christian counselors recognize something modern research keeps rediscovering: people thrive in authentic, committed relationships.
Scripture affirms this truth from the start. “In Genesis, God says, ‘It’s not good for man to be alone,’” Dr. Scott shared. “God designed us to complement, counter and balance one another relationally, emotionally, spiritually.”
The Old Testament reinforces this design. Ecclesiastes 4 describes the danger of journeying alone: “If one falls, the other can help him up.”
Without that support, Dr. Scott explained, life’s pressures intensify: “When someone faces challenges by themselves, it becomes overwhelming. Having a community eases the burdens we all carry.”
For CIU students preparing to serve in churches, clinics, schools and communities, this biblical foundation is woven deeply into the counseling curriculum. Students learn not only the science of mental health, but also the theological, relational and cultural dynamics that shape human flourishing.
Why This Matters for Future Counselors and Counseling Educators
Dr. Scott’s insights highlight a growing need in the counseling profession: clients are desperate for genuine connection and looking for counselors who understand how relationships shape healing.
At CIU, counseling students are trained to:
- Integrate faith and clinical practice in a way that honors both Scripture and evidence-based research.
- Build meaningful therapeutic relationships, the strongest predictor of successful counseling outcomes.
- Understand cultural forces, including social media, that affect identity formation, anxiety and belonging.
- Develop leadership capacity for future roles as supervisors, educators and clinical directors.
For prospective students, these strengths make CIU’s counseling programs distinctly relevant:
- Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling: Designed to prepare compassionate, biblically grounded clinicians who can meet the rising needs of individuals, families and communities.
- PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision: Built for experienced counselors who want to become leaders shaping future practitioners, directing programs, conducting research and influencing the profession with a Christ-centered perspective.
Both programs emphasize the same foundational truth Dr. Scott highlights: healing happens in the context of real relationships with God and with others.
A Community That Forms Counselors Who Transform Communities
Dr. Croteau closed the conversation by reflecting on how CIU’s culture forms its students.
At CIU, students don’t learn about relationships in theory alone. They experience them through mentoring, cohort-based learning, faculty investment and a community shaped by prayer and purpose.
Ready to Become the Kind of Counselor Today’s World Desperately Needs?
Whether you feel called to clinical counseling or to train and supervise the next generation of counselors, CIU offers a distinctly Christian, relationally rich, academically rigorous path forward.
You’ll study with faculty like Dr. Scott, scholars, practitioners and mentors who believe that authentic community changes lives.
If you’re passionate about mental health, discipleship, research or leading in the counseling profession, there has never been a more important time to step into this calling.
Explore CIU’s counseling programs and discover how you can make an impact in a disconnected world. Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling | PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision
Dr. Seth Scott serves as Program Director and Assistant Dean of CIU’s Seminary & School of Counseling and Professor of Counseling Education. He teaches and mentors students in research, trauma-informed practice, counselor identity, worldview formation and faith integration. An active scholar and licensed professional counselor, Dr. Scott’s work appears in leading counseling journals, and he maintains a private practice to stay closely connected to clinical work in the community. CIU students learn from a faculty leader who combines academic excellence, real-world experience and a deep commitment to Christ-centered counselor formation.
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