Samuel Masarik is a clinical psychologist in Slovakia, exploring a transition to focus more on marriage counselling.
When did you trust Christ?
My father was a pastor and my mother is also a Christian, so I grew up with knowledge of Christ. However, it wasn't until I was 14 when I had a strong feeling of guilt and repented, fully accepting Christ as my Saviour. I was baptised a few months later.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
I changed schools a lot because my family had to move from time to time. Because of that, I experienced rejection from my peers, and this led me to be socially isolated. After my studies and training, I was able to change some of the poor coping strategies I had developed. While I was in university, I also had a faith crisis. I didn't stop believing in God, but my understanding of God changed. I felt very alone and was waiting for God to show up. Finally, He did after I stopped questioning Him. He broke down my defense mechanisms and showed me His deep understanding, proximity, and love. Meeting my wife during my studies and becoming a certified clinical psychologist were also major moments for me.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
I believe that I need to reorient my career and provide more education for church leaders. We have an epidemic of ruined marriages in our church and towns and I want to shift toward marriage counselling. I am also struggling with new healthcare guidelines that are forcing me into therapeutic procedures which are not in accordance with my conscience.
What is your ministry?
I work as a clinical psychologist in a military hospital. I hold group and individual psychotherapy sessions. In my local Baptist church, I am a leader, serve in the worship group, and I also provide therapeutic sessions for some church members.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
In the past, I have led group and individual psychotherapy sessions in the Gypsy community.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
I have been called to work with many top specialists in psychotherapy. Many of them promote methods rooted in Buddhism or Hinduism. The modern third wave of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) uses predestination paradigms in understanding mental disorders and doesn't leave place for mercy and repentance. It understands faith only as a mental form of avoidant behaviour in coping with anxiety. I would like to be more direct and clear in talking about Jesus with colleagues who have lost their Christian faith.
