Page 135 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 13

Susan Gitau (Kenia)
Comment on the eJournal

Christian Psychology
Around The World

I am Susan Wambui Gitau (PhD), Counseling
Psychologist working as a consultant therapist in
Nairobi, Kenya and a lecturer at Africa Nazarene
University, Kenya. I am also a founding trustee of
Susan Gitau Counseling Foundation that supports
vulnerable individuals, families and communities.

MY CHRISTIAN IDENTITY PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES
Writing about my Christian identity has a lot to My African identity has a big impact on my
do with who I am as an African Christian, Afri- Christian identity because growing up as an Af-
can Psychologist, African Christian Lecturer and a rican, there is so much to relate with Christia-
Practicing African Therapist too. At the university, nity. When a child is born in an African com-
I teach Multicultural Counseling, Trauma Coun- munity, the names given have meaning and this
seling and Marriage and Family Therapist. During also applies to the Christian names. Wambui is
all my classes, I integrate Christianity into my lec- my maiden name which means, a leader, Gitau
tures and in retrospect; I have come to realize it is means open and authentic. Susan from Susanna
about my identity as Christian that takes a bigger is a Christian name that was given to me during
space in the integration than the expert in the sub- the baptism; it means one with moral courage.
ject. Compassion goes beyond judging others, ad-
vising others, obeying the law but giving of
Passionately, I have found my Christian identity ourselves; responding to the needs of my clients
make more sense in my trauma work marriage and more like Christ did and God does. However,
family counseling where I have tested many cogni- while dealing with my clients in trauma, mar-
tive and marriage and family theories but none of riage and family counseling, there is a big need
them compares to the mindful self – compassion to reconcile my cultural identity and Christi-
practice. Compassion of Christ remains the big- an identity. I have found myself trying to live
gest challenge to model for many Christians today. like Christ desires for all his followers and this
I have found myself relating to many incidences has made me feel like part of the big church of
in my life that lack any explanation and all that is Christ without discrimination (Romans 11:11).
left is self - compassion. Christ offered to die for us Just like the Jews believed in the forefathers wis-
sinners and in my walk a Christian. I have offered dom, Africans are not any different. I have had
myself to suffer by speaking up in cases of moral to read more about different cultures to seek
issues and advocacy for the rights of vulnerable and understand meaning form their cultural
groups. At times, am so exhausted to do anything roots.
but when I recall the compassion that Jesus Christ
treated the world with, I press on to lead a Christi- As a Christian lecturer, am mostly encouraged
an purpose driven life. by great biblical teachers like Ezra (Ezra 7:6-10)
who was well versed with the law of the Lord
and he not only preached the gospel with po-
wer and convention but also lived the law. I

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