Program
Doctor of Ministry
Number of Pages
191
Year Approved
2025
First Advisor
Friesen Smith, Katie
Second Reader
Jeanine Parolini; Kate Scorgie
Abstract
Christians need a Bible-based tool to help them move from emotionally dysregulated to emotionally regulated. Instead of processing their emotions, some Christians have a tendency to ignore and suppress their emotions, which can lead to poor mental health, unfulfilling relationships, and emotionally dysregulated behaviors such as overeating, rage, and various addictions. This doctoral project explored theological, literary, and field research to create a tool to help Christians move from feeling emotionally dysregulated to emotionally regulated. The biblical examples of God, Jesus, the Prophet Elijah, and King David were combined with secular research on emotional granularity, gratitude journaling, confession, and prayer, resulting in a journaling prompt modeled after such Psalms of Lament as Psalm 77. Using Grounded Theory, the researcher, who is a licensed marriage and family therapist, invited Christian clients in California to participate in a study comparing journal prompts. Participants were given eight different journal prompts and asked to complete between 14 and 20 different journal entries. Before and after each journal entry, participants scaled the level of regulation (calm, relaxed) to dysregulation in the following areas: emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. For Christians actively practicing their faith, using the prompt “Dear Jesus, I feel ________, because _______, and I am thankful for _______” not only showed improvement immediately after journaling but also had a long-lasting impact throughout the day, as noted by participant scales, surveys, and interviews. This information is helpful for pastors and mental health professionals who work with Christians on improving emotional regulation and mental health.
Degree Name
Doctor of Ministry
Document Type
Doctoral thesis
Recommended Citation
de Neve, C. C. (2025). Emulating God’s Heart in Embracing and Regulating Our God-Given Emotions [Doctoral thesis, Bethel University]. Spark Repository. https://spark.bethel.edu/etd/1163
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