“Let your Light Shine among the Darkness” 2 Corinthians 4:6

About the Book

How can one escape the darkness of suffering, and find hope? Many lose faith after enduring hardships. I understand how suffering can extinguish hope. Many carry burdens most of us could never endure. This book is offered as a measure of hope for those who have become defeated along the way. Suffering is a part of life. We all struggle. Some suffer less; others struggle much more. Some stay lost in the crevasses of their pain and eventually concede to futility, while others journey through the thicket of what they have become and seek light in their suffering. With over 45 years of experience as a psychotherapist and a background in Christian faith, my mission has always been to offer the best of myself to those experiencing distress. This text shares the intersections and divergencies between Christian teachings and scriptural insights while integrating psychotherapy treatments and practices. These two measures are the cornerstone of this text and offers primary foundations for those enduring persistent suffering. This text offers a discussion about the “why’s” of suffering, even to the extent of experiencing God’s unconditional love. It also provides detailed descriptions of the Triune God, the Father, Son, and Spirit in light of suffering. In addition, this book highlights various psychological conditions that interfere with one’s ability to deal with suffering, as well as corresponding scripture with cognitive, affective, holistic, familial, and behavioral psychotherapies, concerns of addiction and the need for boundaries. It also recognizes the significance of attachment and its effects, and the nature of traumas, and efforts toward recovery. Unconditional love (Christianity’s command), or absolute positive regard (primarily used in humanistic psychology) is at the heart of defeating suffering. As we shake off our defenses and genuinely engage in compassion for ourselves and others, we can enter a space of self-discovery. With the renewal of our minds, we can alter how we define our suffering and how we plan to cope with it. Oftentimes, we do not have control over our circumstances, but we do have some control over our suffering. Although suffering is a normal process, extensive and defeated suffering oftentimes leads to further anguish and hopelessness. Thus, as we gain new insight through scriptural and psychotherapeutic practices, there are options to recovery.

About the Author

Claudia Liljegren encourages readers to reflect on their personal challenges as they explore the relationship between psychological and spiritual frameworks. She aims to offer hope to individuals experiencing distress. Drawing on both faith and professional dedication, she brings a distinctive perspective to her work. In her practice, she acknowledges the interplay between humanistic and spiritual approaches while helping others. Raised in the suburbs of the Twin Cities, Claudia’s faith was an important, though private, aspect of her upbringing. She pursued a degree in social work at Moorhead State University, where she met her future husband, Fred. After earning her master’s degree from the University of Minnesota, Claudia and Fred married and settled in west central Minnesota on Fred’s century-old family farm. Claudia worked for several years as a program director at a residential facility for chronic mental illness and as a child protection case manager. As well, she spent over 40 years as a psychotherapist in mental health centers, the last being at Lakeland Mental Health Center. She has also served, and continues to serve, as a consultant on the Region IV Crisis Response Team across five counties. She remained dedicated to therapeutic practice throughout her professional journey. Claudia has also been a lifelong Christian who has often grappled with reconciling her faith and her work as a therapist. Authoring this book allowed her the process to do just that. Now retired, Claudia and Fred have raised two children, Annie and Andy, and have two wonderful grandchildren. Recently, they also concluded their work on the dairy farm. Claudia’s Christian perspective and professional commitment have shaped her life. Faith and a professional commitment to her profession have deepened her understanding of the interaction between mind and spirit. This worldview continues to inspire her engagement with others who share this interest.