Grace-Filled Discernment: Navigating New Age Influences in Your Practice

Camille McDaniel, LPC (00:04.662)
Welcome back to another episode of Christ in private private practice. I Am your host Camille McDaniel and today I’m going to be sitting and talking with a wonderful therapist She has done a lot in the way of helping other mental health professionals with understanding Christ in their private practices and in their life. We’re going to be speaking with

Shakeeta Torres (00:11.918)
you

Camille McDaniel, LPC (00:33.748)
Shakita Torres Thank you so much Shakita from for coming to the podcast today

Shakeeta Torres (00:42.723)
Thank you so much for having me. I’m excited about today’s topic. I really am.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (00:45.974)
I’m excited too. I am excited too. Shakita is super easy to talk with. This is, I think, maybe the first time we’ve actually had an opportunity to talk like, you know, face to face, but she’s so super helpful, so kind. And she has, again, like I said, she has had put out ton of resources for mental health professionals who are also wanting to walk with Christ and just people in general.

even if they’re not mental health professionals. So let me dive in and introduce you because you all have not always had those conversations with Shakita. Let me introduce you to her. Shakita Torres, she’s again, like we said, you know, just a, she’s a dynamic speaker. She’s a licensed clinical social worker and author. She’s a certified life coach and she has over a decade of experience.

Shakeeta Torres (01:24.366)
Thank

Camille McDaniel, LPC (01:42.306)
And you know, she’s been a licensed therapist since 2013, and then she’s been a social worker since 2006. So she’s been in this field for a while, and she specializes as it relates to her counseling walk in clinical trauma and grief counseling. And she’s also the visionary behind Empowered Purpose Academy. Like I told you earlier, she has a lot for the community.

and Shakita Torres offers certification courses, mentorship, workshops focused on mental health and spiritual development. And she’s also founded Doing It for the Kingdom, Incorporated. It’s a nonprofit dedicated to human trafficking awareness. Ms. Torres extends her impact through the Faith in Mental Health Wellness podcast arena. She has her own podcast and it’s called

Faith and Mental Wellness Podcast. She also has a Faith and Mental Wellness Directory. So you’re definitely going to want to just stick around, listen to what she’s sharing. You’re gonna wanna maybe even rewind, take some notes, because as I’ve listed all of these things, they are actually in practice as we speak. This is not just things that she’s working on. These are all things that she has to offer us.

Today, so we definitely want to make sure we don’t miss any of that so in addition to her directory she has designed support for individuals in the mental health and faith journey arena She’s done this through platforms like, know offering her books. She has workbooks she has pain passion and purpose podcast

Shakeeta Torres (03:17.465)
Okay?

Camille McDaniel, LPC (03:37.982)
And she just continues to inspire and uplift countless people, you know, as she is moving forward in the journey of helping to transform people and helping to heal them. She actually, we were talking just before the podcast started, she actually launched another podcast with her husband. So, so we’ll, but we’ll get into all of that toward the end. We will make sure that we get her information. She’s.

Shakeeta Torres (03:57.581)
Yeah

Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (04:05.528)
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (04:06.272)
So as I said, the podcast with her husband just launched, so she is a wife, she is a mother, she is a phenomenal mental health clinician in Christ. So with all of that, thank you. Thank you for taking the time. I look forward to talking with you about this topic, because it’s a topic that, like I said before the show started, this has just kind of been on my heart.

Shakeeta Torres (04:24.288)
Camille McDaniel, LPC (04:35.922)
For a long time now actually just seeing a lot of trends and things. So today everyone we are going to be talking with Miss Shakita Torres about grace -filled discernment how we can navigate new age influences in Christian practice and because this is a topic that might have some

Shakeeta Torres (04:55.065)
Yeah. Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (05:01.974)
some sensitive things that we delve into just because it touches on the way individuals who are walking with Christ, mental health professionals who are walking with Christ practice in their counseling practices or in whatever groups they happen to belong to. And we do not seek for this segment, this podcast episode to in any way be a judgmental.

But in everything that we share today, we hope that you see the heart of Christ. We hope that you also hear the scripture that we present so you know we are standing on God’s word. This is not the word of Camille. This is not the word of Shekita. This is God’s word. And so we are coming from a place of love because we want people in the mental health space who are walking with Christ.

just to be well informed and alert. And so I know that Shakita would like to and is going to say a prayer to open us up. I also, before that prayer, wanted to just share two scriptures that we are standing on as well for this podcast episode. And that first scripture is coming from 1 John chapter four, verse one.

And that scripture says, beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. And the next scripture is from Colossians chapter two and verse eight. And that says, beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit.

according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (07:06.9)
And so then with that, Shakita, please go and please open us up with whatever is on your heart.

Shakeeta Torres (07:16.105)
Yeah, so thank you so much again for just a warm welcome, for setting the atmosphere, for having this podcast. It’s very, very needed. And I’m so excited for you and the growth of it. And I’m just seeing you put out some amazing content, amazing guests. And so I’m honored to be a part of your platform. And I do not take that lightly. So thanks again for having me as well. And so as you were saying earlier,

We don’t want this place or this space to be a place of judgment, although some may thought they are being judged because we are challenging your thinking. We are challenging what you believe. We are challenging the things that you may be doing that’s against the Word of God. And so I do want to offer just a short prayer to prepare our hearts and our minds to do what this says the Lord and just do that with love, do it with boldness, clarity, and encouragement.

Okay, so father we just thank you.

I thank you again for miss Camille and what she’s doing for the kingdom. God I thank you God for her work her practice God for what she’s doing with our God to bring a light Lord into Into darkness father. I just pray for every single listener who’s on now who will come later Who will hear this podcast months from now even years from now father that God they will have an ear to hear We understand that your words here. There is nothing new under the sun So what we’re discussing today is nothing new, but it’s new from generations

to generation and so father I ask you Holy Spirit to just pierce the hearts of your people God. Holy Spirit speak to them, minister to them, meet them right where they are and show them any areas in their hearts or their lives where it is not in line with your word because God you love us so very much and your desire is to have an intimate and pure relationship with us. Christ, in the I pray amen and amen. Amen. Amen.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (09:03.208)
Amen. Amen. Thank you so much.

So then let’s get started from the top. Can you just share a little bit about like what even inspired you to explore the intersection between like the Lord’s Word, Scripture, you know, the Holy Spirit and then New Age practices as it relates to Christianity, you know. So tell us what got you started with that interest and then can you also add just a few misconceptions?

Shakeeta Torres (09:13.261)
Yeah.

Mm

Shakeeta Torres (09:24.109)
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (09:28.429)
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (09:38.326)
that people do have about new age practices versus Christian beliefs.

Shakeeta Torres (09:39.353)
and

Shakeeta Torres (09:44.153)
Mm -hmm. Yes, and so for me, I want to go back to first of all my walk with God began in 08 and so

For almost 10 years, was already hearing God. I had a relationship with God. I understood the Holy Spirit. I’m still growing. We all are still growing and we all are still learning. Well, in 2017, the Lord called me into my own private practice. Before that, I was a social worker working at other mental health agencies. And we had free reign to pretty much treat our clients depending on what they needed. We didn’t really have a lot of like… I wasn’t being micromanaged, pretty that way.

And so I remember going into private practice and I ended up getting an office space at a location that the Lord has shown me to go to and I was accepted there and everything. So exciting.

So in January 2018, I actually moved into the office space and I had met a, you know, she was a believer who had been there maybe three or four months prior to me. And she was a Christian. She professed to be a Christian. You know, I did too. And, you know, I was sharing with her my excitement. I’m also excited. You know, God led me here. You know, I talk about Christ a lot because Christ, he is God as well. He’s the only way to get to God is through Christ Jesus. Right. But every time I would say,

Camille McDaniel, LPC (11:01.704)
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres (11:06.377)
Jesus or I would say Christ she would act a little funky like her like she it was really weird like okay God Yeah, yeah, so I’m like Lord. I’m like

Camille McDaniel, LPC (11:13.929)
interesting.

Shakeeta Torres (11:19.747)
What’s going on here? You know, and I would see her and pass in, I noticed that when she would see me, she would be uncomfortable. And at times almost try to avoid me in the hallway. Yeah, but I would talk to her anyway. I mean, hey, how you doing? Give her a hug. I always show her nothing but love. And so, but every time I saw her, was the same thing over and over and over again. And so I said, God, what is going on, right?

Camille McDaniel, LPC (11:34.784)
Yes,

Shakeeta Torres (11:47.957)
So remember one day I was you going down the elevator and I was getting ready to go to my vehicle But it was raining outside and I saw her around the corner and she was waiting because it was raining And she was on the cell phone and she looked and I saw her again get uncomfortable. I said, okay, Lord You don’t have to show me what’s going on. Okay, so I go up to her I give her a hug like hey how things how are things going with you? She has to have things going with me. I’m like, you know, it’s going kind of slow right now, but I believe in God I believe in him to continue this in increase

right? And so we’re talking and she said, yeah, mine’s going really well. I’m going really well. I’m getting more clientele, getting more Christian clients as well. And she began to tell me, she said, and I have a practice that I do called Reiki. And she said, initially clients come to me and they’re kind of afraid to do it, but over time they kind of come around to it.

And when she said that word, it was like my spirit man was pierced. was like, like a, like a hit to my spirit. And I said, wait a minute, I have never heard that word before. I had never, you know, didn’t know what that word meant or anything. And so I said, okay, when I get in my vehicle, I need to look this up because this does not feel right in my spirit. And so, you know, I live, we parted ways, I got in my truck and I looked on YouTube and looked up the word, what is Reiki?

Camille McDaniel, LPC (12:47.34)
Okay. Okay.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (13:03.25)
Okay.

Shakeeta Torres (13:11.169)
And my goodness, went down this long rabbit hole of information and my spirit was just like so grieved. My heart was grieved because I was also seeing videos from people who were Christians, who was doing Reiki, who didn’t realize that it was against the word of God. And then they began to try to come out of it. They would experience intense spiritual warfare, know, nightmares.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (13:39.99)
Yes. Mm -hmm. Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (13:41.035)
You being a tag, know, waking up being shoved. And this one lady in particular, I never forget, I forgot her name. You know, whole 45 minute video and she was sharing how she was a nurse, how she was, you know, practicing this practice. She was healing her client. It works, it works.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (13:57.558)
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres (13:58.029)
But I forgot how she said that, know, how she found out it wasn’t right. But when she began to try to come out of it, she experienced so much. She had crystals. I mean, chakra. She had all these different things and elements. And I’m like, my goodness. I’m like, well, Lord, like, what are you gonna do? Because I had like, I had a righteous anger. I had a holy anger because I’m like, God, these are your people. They’re coming to her to get Christian therapy, but they’re being introduced to this particular energy, right?

Camille McDaniel, LPC (14:10.145)
Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (14:27.265)
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres (14:27.467)
And so my thoughts on that is like you’re advertising yourself as a Christian therapist, but you’re doing these other things you shouldn’t be doing. And I’m like, God, what do you want me to do? And he said, I’ve already warned her time and time again that what she’s doing is not me and she don’t listen to me. Is she not going to listen to you? And so I’m like, my goodness. I began to look her up and dig a little bit more.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (14:43.455)
and

Camille McDaniel, LPC (14:48.674)
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres (14:54.441)
And as I began to dig and look at her different side, because I hadn’t did that before, I thought what she had also mentioned like law of attraction and different things that she was doing. And I’m like, my God. I thought it’s like that was the very first time for me ever truly being introduced or really becoming aware of just how much this is practice in therapy. therapy in general, but also therapists who profess to be Christians.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (15:16.855)
yes. Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (15:22.688)
right.

Shakeeta Torres (15:22.893)
So that really, really bothered me. And I was like, my goodness. And so from there over the years, I’ve seen little stuff here and there. And I even asked God, God, there’s so much out here. How am I going to be able to keep up with all this stuff? And he said, don’t have to. He said, as you walk with me and you trust me and you continue to have a relationship with me, I will always show you. I will always warn you about things that are coming your way so you can prepare. You know how to pray.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (15:38.327)
Bye.

Shakeeta Torres (15:51.627)
I’ll show you how to navigate it and he has done just that. He’s been faithful to me in that.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (15:53.314)
wow. is so good because you mentioned several things and I want to just really touch on real quick because when we go to and I was going to just ask, know, a little bit about like, what are some of the misconceptions? And I’ll still ask that. But one of the things is that if something is not of God, it won’t work. That is a misconception.

Shakeeta Torres (16:21.347)
Mm -mm. Mm -mm.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (16:22.752)
because there are a lot of things that are not of God and they do work. So when you said, you know, she was actually healing people and she was actually helping people, right? You know, there are going to be some practices on a spiritual level. They open up portals and these portals do help empower people, but it’s not of God.

Shakeeta Torres (16:26.679)
and it worked.

Shakeeta Torres (16:32.055)
and

Shakeeta Torres (16:35.331)
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (16:42.061)
Mm -hmm.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (16:47.67)
That’s the danger. Okay, so it’s not that everything in this world if it’s not of God it won’t work. No, there are multiple spiritual forces. Our belief in Christ just says that he is the King of King and Lord of Lords. There is no other God above him. But there are definitely many different gods that people call on. And as you had mentioned, you saw on YouTube and you had looked it up and

Shakeeta Torres (16:48.013)
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (17:03.373)
Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (17:16.404)
and anybody who is listening to us today can also go on these platforms to see other individuals who are both deeply involved in the practices or those who have come out of the practices. And they will tell you how they are opening up a third eye, they are opening up a spiritual portal, they are calling on the universe, they’re calling on.

different things and if you are in the spirit realm calling on anyone other than the Lord the Bible says that then you are calling on darkness because there is no middle there’s me there’s darkness and there’s nothing else and so we want to just be specific because some people are you know they feel like they’re good people they love the Lord

Shakeeta Torres (17:59.096)
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (18:02.467)
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (18:09.443)
Yeah. Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (18:09.91)
They would they how dare you insinuate that I am doing something that’s not proper Remember what the scriptures we just read earlier. It said not according to world doctrine not according to the philosophy of men, but make sure that it is of Christ So it’s not to say that these things aren’t out there and that they may they may actually be working but the spirit that is

Shakeeta Torres (18:15.571)
Mm

Shakeeta Torres (18:30.808)
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (18:39.042)
behind the practice is just not of Christ and so Kind of kind of jumping into I just wanted to highlight because you had you had mentioned some good things when you were just sharing just now and it’s like Let’s let’s make sure that everyone is really, you know hearing and seeing what you are bringing to the table So then you’ve mentioned a couple just now you mentioned like Reiki crystals Chakras, you know, are you aware of any other?

Shakeeta Torres (18:44.249)
gonna see.

Shakeeta Torres (18:58.253)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (19:04.877)
here.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (19:09.151)
new age practices or beliefs that you kind of see influencing.

Shakeeta Torres (19:11.467)
Yeah, there’s so many. Yes, of course you got a lot of attraction. You have samples, even yoga for sure. And there’s always been this controversy around yoga. So this is what the Lord. Yeah. And listen, this is my thing.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (19:26.308)
no, look, look, we about to go into it and get. Goodness.

Shakeeta Torres (19:34.327)
What happens is, so I see people who do it, but they are worshiping other gods through this practice, okay? Then you have some who just don’t know and they do it because they, I’m just extra that I’m working out, but what is the person who’s leading it? What are they tapping into? Because I met this, I saw this lady on YouTube, she actually did what they call Christian yogurt, there’s also controversy around that, I know it is, I know people are that don’t exist, but she really is a believer and she’s not tapping into.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (19:41.492)
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (19:49.367)
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (20:01.676)
Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm.

Shakeeta Torres (20:04.089)
Third eye, what God showed me, he said, everything that I create, everything I create, Satan tries to copy it. He tries to take what I’ve created and he tries to taint it and make it his. So that’s what’s happening, right? Simply stretching your body and doing movements is not, that’s not where the error is. The error is whenever you are offering yourself up and opening up doors to these entities. That’s where the problem comes at.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (20:16.289)
Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (20:20.61)
I’m gonna go home.

Mm

Camille McDaniel, LPC (20:28.896)
Yeah. Yes.

Shakeeta Torres (20:30.805)
even meditation. Okay, the word of God says meditate on his word day and night, right meditation. What are you meditating on? So it all goes back to doing your own research. Okay. And as you said earlier, the number one misconception is that it works. Why should I stop? It works, right?

Camille McDaniel, LPC (20:40.054)
right?

Camille McDaniel, LPC (20:44.971)
Absolutely.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (20:52.245)
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres (20:52.373)
it has to be God. Why would God allow me to do it? And so the scripture that God always gives me is Satan has power too. We keep forgetting that he used to be an angel in heaven. He have gifts. He has power. And the word of God says that the gifts are without repentance. The gifts are irrevocable. So I can have a gift. I’m gifted. You’re gifted. But if I turn over my gifts unto Satan, he can use my gifts for his kingdom.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (20:56.055)
Amazing.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (21:13.964)
one.

Shakeeta Torres (21:22.583)
So God is not going to take my gifts away from me. Okay. So he did not take his gifts and the power that Satan has away from him. And then he did what he took a third of his angels with him. Okay. And so, yeah. So whenever you are engaging in these things and you feel relief or you feel like, my God, this is working. It is working, but it come with a, with a cost. You are unknowingly or knowingly opening up doors.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (21:23.02)
Bye.

home.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (21:36.076)
Yes. Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (21:46.73)
Yes, yes it does.

Shakeeta Torres (21:51.331)
to yourself, your spirit, your bloodline, generations that have come after you that they had to battle and fight with. I went through that myself. I had to go through a of warfare to close doors from my own bloodline. And a lot of times you won’t really see it until you try to come out of it for one. You might experience chaos in one area of your life. You don’t understand why, but it could be because of an open door, you know?

Camille McDaniel, LPC (21:54.113)
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (22:10.239)
home.

Shakeeta Torres (22:18.197)
It’s spiritual and it’s natural and so it’s so many different elements and different things that you know come into play with this That’s why it’s important for you to see God and see it’s good because like no one situation is the same no one’s Yeah

Camille McDaniel, LPC (22:31.818)
Right. No, it’s not there. There’s there’s not there’s so many different levels that you know in so many different ways that that you really do have to be aware and this goes back to we we want to make sure that as believers in Christ who are also practicing in the mental health field if we want to continue to align ourselves with Christ and align ourselves with scripture we have to we got to know it.

Shakeeta Torres (22:37.719)
Mm -hmm.

Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (22:46.786)
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (22:51.331)
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (22:58.944)
We have to actually know it so that that way hopefully for some of us I know it won’t be for all of us, but for some of us we won’t feel that intense Offense we won’t be offended because we’ll say whoa. Wait a minute, know scripture actually Talks to this specifically. there’s a scripture There’s just one more I want to share with everybody because this all brings to mind especially when you mention yoga because you know that one’s gonna that one’s gonna get us because

Shakeeta Torres (22:59.274)
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres (23:09.037)
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres (23:12.589)
Mm -hmm.

Shakeeta Torres (23:16.513)
huh.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (23:26.626)
But I had a good conversation with a really good friend of mine about that. And she’s like, Camille, come on, it’s just not that serious. And I’m like, you know what? When first of all, if you understand where it comes from, for those individuals who really do practice it, there are individuals who are quite offended that it has now been adopted as this like great new exercise technique that helps you to stretch and helps you to center and helps you.

Shakeeta Torres (23:35.053)
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres (23:40.355)
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (23:55.358)
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC (23:55.566)
There are some individuals who when you go out there and really look at the background of it, they’re a little offended because they’re like, hey, you’re taking our faith and now you’re putting it on like a show, like the greatest new trend that you like to do on the weekend. And this is how we worship and we worship our gods with these poses and we worship them specifically to like, you know, with these poses to honor them. And you’re taking that.

Shakeeta Torres (24:08.054)
you

Camille McDaniel, LPC (24:22.688)
And you’re just saying, this is just something I like to do, no big deal. So people have to also look a little, just do a little digging into what it is that you’re practicing, because it’s not just saying, everything is demonic.

So we’re trying to bring the awareness because there are some things that do work but they are not of God. Yeah so just be careful as you are trying to build your practices and your walk according to scripture and according to

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
God’s will and way So let me but let me ask something else then because I know then you know with all of that information People are like, okay. Well then since there are so many different things out here, know Well, how do we know how are we supposed to know and so, you know as a Christian counselor? How do you discern whether a practice or a belief aligns with Christian teachings or falls into the New Age category?

Shakeeta Torres 
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres (25:25)
Yes. Right. Well, so first and foremost, we have to remember that Christ trumps everything. OK. And so for me, when my personal walk like I stay the word of God, I spend time with God. I’m always open to hearing what he has to say. Am I perfect? No, I’m not perfect.

But the word of God said that if you draw near to Him, He’ll draw near to you. And as you do that, your discernment will be sharpened. And the Holy Spirit can reach you a lot better when you begin to encounter certain things. And your spirit will feel kind of off, like, hmm, something don’t feel right, or, you know, I’m not really sure. And then from there, you can do your research. It’s like, the whole thing with Reiki? I didn’t know, but my spirit man was like, like alarmed.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Right.

Shakeeta Torres 
And so I had to go research that and figure out my my goodness. Right. So anything that is drawing you away from Christ is not a good thing. Your Christian therapist should be pulling you back to Christ. OK. I’m not saying beating people over the head with scripture, but you be led by the Holy Spirit, be led by God. And I want to also add you had talked before.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yeah. Okay.

Shakeeta Torres 
About us being you know that you know not having any of the gods before god the lord does a desire for any of us to perish Okay, he wants to be the leading the leader of our life in a loving way And he wants us to be protected from these demonic entities because they will come into your life and they will have your have their way Or it could be your children and your children’s children. You wonder and lord what is going on?

where all this chaos coming from. And it can be because there are open doors to your bloodline. That is a very, I’ve seen it. I’ve experienced it. God has shown me things about my own family. Okay. And so as Camille was saying earlier, we’re not sharing this to beat you over the head, to bring awareness and so that way you won’t perish. You have to go through all this warfare that’s unnecessary if you don’t have to. Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
being with.

Camille McDaniel, LPC
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yes, yes. Yes. Absolutely. Absolutely. And I, and I have also seen it for others. I’ve had clients share their own experiences with opening certain portals and some of the results that have come from it and the battle that ensues in trying to get that out of your life. You know, for those who were Christians and even I think I had shared on one of the episodes of

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah. Mm -hmm.

Shakeeta Torres 
Mm -hmm.

Shakeeta Torres 
Mm -hmm.

Mm -hmm.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
someone who was not faith -based and some of the battles that they had even Trying to deal with it and and they weren’t comfortable calling on Christ So they they just you know other ways that they’re trying to to deal with some of those portals that they they had opened because those those things are very real so I Think you you touched on I was going to ask you how do these practices differ from the guidance and the influence of the Holy Spirit?

Shakeeta Torres
All

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
as it relates to Christian counseling and Christian life. And I think that you kind of really touched on that as well with the answers, this information that you’ve been sharing in that it’s just different in that it does not come from God. You’re not seeking God for it, but you are seeking things outside of God in order to gain strength, to gain peace, to gain healing. And so if you’re seeking it outside of

Shakeeta Torres 
Okay.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
of the Lord and you’re actually calling on it, then you kind of know the influence behind it is not the Holy Spirit. So then, you know, how can, because I know this is, this is also a big one that comes up for a lot of therapists. How can Christian counselors maintain their faith while being aware of the influences, you know, of, of new age in their practice? Cause you know, they’re

Shakeeta Torres 
Absolutely.

Shakeeta Torres 
Mm -hmm. Yes, absolutely. Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
clients come with many different beliefs and all of that. So how can they maintain their faith while they’re also staying aware?

Shakeeta Torres 
Right, right. And so first and foremost, I would say this number one, you have to use wisdom and discernment. OK, because every situation, every client is different. We discussed earlier before we went live for the podcast was that, you know, sometimes you can kind of bring it up to them and you can feel that they’ll be OK with exploring that. Then you have some clients who are not OK with that. And so for me, I had so many so many scenarios I’ve had in the past.

And for example, I might have a client who is talking about certain things, but in that moment, I don’t feel led to bring it up. I have to build every pool with them, especially if they are Christians. Okay. Now, if they are non -believers, my expectations is a lot lower. It’s a lot lower because they’re not going to fully understand or be even be receptive to what I am saying. Okay. So I understand that Christian therapists, we serve more than just Christians. Most of us do.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yes. Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yes. Mm -hmm. Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres 
Right. And so I’ve never had a client to honestly ask me to engage in a practice that went against my beliefs. I’ve never had that. I’ve had clients who, OK, for me, it’s just like, for example, like, let’s say a client comes to me and say, hey, Shakita, you know, my husband wants to get, you know, hit with pornography addiction. That is not my area of expertise. And so I’ll just say, hey, you know.

You know, I can use some referrals, you know, I’m training in these areas, but not in this particular area and treating it clinically. So it’s the same thing when it comes to these practices. You just say, is not an area that I am, you know, well trained in. I don’t feel comfortable, you know, engaged in this practice with you. You know, use wisdom and go back to the code of ethics. Do the client no harm. Our ethics tells us to make sure that wherever we engage in clinical counseling with our clients to make sure that we are culturally competent.

culturally competent doesn’t mean that you have to know everything. That’s not what that means, okay? Or agree with everything. That’s not what it means. And you know, so I’ve always, I’m always respectful. I’m always showing my clients, I’m respect. Now I can feel the tension in the spirit at times, okay? Because I can feel what’s in them is pushing up against me, okay? And that’s where I have to continue to be in prayer, continue to be in my work, continue to put on my armor.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yeah.

right right yeah

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
huh, huh, huh.

Yes.

Shakeeta Torres
Because from day to day you don’t know what you’re encounter in your practice

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Right, right, right. Absolutely. my, that’s so true. And sometimes we may not want to know. I’m like, if something’s walking through that door and, you know, in the spirit realm, I’m like, mm -mm, let the Lord fight on my behalf. I don’t need to see it. Right. Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres 
Exactly!

Shakeeta Torres 
right, right, exactly, exactly, exactly. So and honestly when you bring it like listen, we already know the scripture as well, darkness cannot stand light, okay. So if someone is walking in darkness, they’re not gonna stick around, but so long if your light is brightness from the Lord, they’re not, they’re gonna stop coming.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Mm -hmm.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yeah, yeah. Now that I definitely have experienced and it didn’t and it wasn’t even a negative experience. It just was the path that they were desiring to continue to walk on was in strong opposition and they just really couldn’t feel settled in themselves probably. And they moved on. But I think you touched on something really important. Like you said, you know, you really have to go back and make sure that you’re practicing ethically.

Shakeeta Torres 
is.

Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm. Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
So don’t go outside of your scope of practice. Know what it is that you are practicing. If you are practicing from a Christian lens, then be willing to share that at the onset, whether that’s how you advertise, whether that’s on your website, whatever it, you want to make sure people are fully informed when they come to see you, because then you don’t have to really try to then worry, my goodness, how do I address this?

Shakeeta Torres 
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres 
Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Well, hopefully you are addressing it in the same way that you told them they’d be receiving services from you mental health services through the lens of Christian worldview. So then you easily say that, well, that kind of goes outside of my scope because you know, you know, they already kind of know at the onset. And then if, a referral is needed or if you all need to even process in the session, you can do that. Yeah, absolutely. Okay.

Shakeeta Torres 
Thank you.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yes.

Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm.

Shakeeta Torres 
Mm -hmm.

Shakeeta Torres 
Mm -hmm.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
So I think that even goes to how people would set boundaries. mean, because I was going to say, you know, how can Christian counselors set boundaries around this, like, you know, in their own practices? But I think that’s it, you know, making sure that you’re fully informed yourself of your ethics and how you’re putting things out. So, you know, if a client does come to counseling and they want to receive that faith

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yes, it is.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
incorporated that Christian counseling faith, then you know how to guide them.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yes, and I know as a new clinician, I know it can be a little scary, but as you grow in your field, yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
It can be as a new clinician. Yeah Yeah but we always you know speak the truth and speak it in love, you know, so you don’t have absolutely We’re not it’s not judging everybody has the opportunity to make decisions that are going to be right for their life But if they happen to be coming and they want christ their christian worldview incorporated into their counseling experience Then it is just saying and we were saying this before the podcast. I i’ve had times where i’ve told a client

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Let me push here. Okay, you know, you know, cause that’s my way, my gentle way of saying it’s going to get a little tough. Let me just kind of push and then I’ll tell them like I’ve, I’ve shared sometimes I’m like, now, you know, I know you have asked for this counseling experience to incorporate your faith in Christ and Christ is not going to co -sign on that. So let’s kind of, you want to, do you want to go there and unpack that or, or, or not right now?

Shakeeta Torres 
is.

Shakeeta Torres 
I

Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah, right. Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
And we kind of, you know, kind of turn it over, but just saying this could be something that’s coming up that’s causing some issues. So yeah, absolutely. So then tell me what advice, and I know that we are kind of coming to the end of our time together and this has been good, but I want to get from you a couple more things. What advice would you give counselors who are trying to navigate this whole complex terrain? I would ask not just even with

Shakeeta Torres
huh. huh.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
their own clients, but what about Christian counselors who are trying to navigate this and they don’t stay in all Christian spaces, right? So maybe they are in all kinds of spaces, whether online or in person around other mental health professionals. And so, you know, what advice would you just give them on navigating this complex topic?

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres 
you.

Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres 
I’m always going to say first and foremost, make sure that you’re spending time with the Lord. I remember when I first opened my private practice, I didn’t advertise to the Christian counselor. I just put I was a counselor and I put, you know, what I treated, but I didn’t put that I was just a Christian counselor. And the Lord had pretty much had told me that this is what I’ve called you to. I’ll call you to the body of Christ primarily to help them because there’s so many mental health issues in the church, right? And so I noticed that I would get.

these different clients who were just from like everywhere I mean doing my gosh and I was so like exhausted because it was also spiritual for me right and then as I began to start advertising as a Christian counselor I became more confident doing that then I began to get the people that God had for me okay so

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres 
Go back a little bit to understand what you’re saying for those who are practicing in places where it’s secular. God can use you anywhere. Okay. And it’s not always just spitting out scripture, right? As you said earlier, you pointed out that, know, I’m a kind person. I genuinely just love people, whether they’re believers or not. I love people. And so for me, people who come to see me who are non -believers, they felt that for me that I genuinely cared about them.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
right.

Shakeeta Torres 
And so when you usually care about people and you love the Lord and you love people that first is your first ministry to be honest And then as you you know continue to walk and you’re led by God He will show you what to say and the people will even bring stuff up to you I remember when I worked at other company that was secular, you know And I would have I was doing a little bit of outpatient therapy But also also in the community as well doing community social work and therapy and all that good stuff

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres
They would ask me, you a believer? And I’m like, yes, I am. And they, thank God. Thank you, Lord, because I was praying, Lord, I need someone who could understand what I’m going through, spiritual and natural. And so people would come to me and they would ask me. And I’m like, wow, God, you were so strategic. So trust that God.

Camille McDaniel, LPC
What?

Shakeeta Torres
is more than capable of leading you in the right direction and some of us are called to secular secular spaces Right to bring the light there to bring God’s presence and glory just by you being there So the more you time with God you get confident in hearing his voice Sometimes you might not always be sure that’s okay. I have not always been sure and so get in a community, right?

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Y ‘all.

Shakeeta Torres 
The community doesn’t always have to be just therapists, people who are believers, who understand the Word of God, you know, your church family, you know, all that, right? Making sure that you are, you know, reading your code of ethics, because you have to cover yourself. You do have to cover yourself and use wisdom of how you move and operate. Get things in writing. If a client say, hey, I always ask the client on their questionnaire and they fill it out. Do you want Christian counseling? If they say no,

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Right?

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yes, right, Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm. Right. Yes.

Shakeeta Torres 
I don’t bring up but I’m still praying for them. I’m praying for them my problem. What am I bringing up all these scriptures and different things? But sometimes you can’t hit a roadblock and I let them know I can’t go any further because you’re not allowing me to touch on this from a Christian lens, you know, and so it’s just every client every situation is different. I’m pretty sure you you agree that the clients are not everybody is not like a okay do it XYZ or AB you know, it’s not that way.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Why? Why?

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Right. Absolutely. It’s It’s true. Yep. We’re all, you’re absolutely right. We’re all different. And because of that, you do have clients and there’s going to be, the client might be coming two different clients and they might be coming with some serious struggles. Maybe, like you said, we’ve been placed in places that are not faith -based, but you have to listen to the Lord and how he’s instructing you.

Shakeeta Torres 
You know, we’re all different.

Shakeeta Torres 
Okay.

Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Because yeah, you may need to take a different approach with one individual versus the other. As you had just mentioned, sometimes the father will instruct you to just sometimes even ask a certain question and you’re like, yeah, okay, let me ask that. And that opens up a door for them. Right, right, right. So.

Shakeeta Torres 
Thank

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah. A whole door. Yes, it does. Yes, even the treatment modalities. I can have a, well, okay, I’m gonna do this with this client today. And I get essentially like, no, I want you to do it this way. And is it what they needed, you know? So it’s so beautiful walking with the Lord, you guys. It’s like a, it’s…

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Right. Yes, yes, yes.

Shakeeta Torres 
It’s so fulfilling and it’s so beautiful. If we look at it from that lens, like, okay, God’s not trying to take anything away from you. He’s trying to add something to you as a Christian therapist. And it makes your job a lot easier, to be honest, when you allow Him to lead you.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Absolutely. Absolutely. Yes.

It does make it, gosh, cause he can see way beyond what we can see, you know, right? And I find what’s so beautiful about having the Lord and walking with the Lord and having the Lord in my practice is I even see how he works on the behalf of those who don’t even believe in him. You know, it’s like, man, you know, he’s rooting for you even though you don’t believe in him, right? That’s like.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah, so we can see.

Shakeeta Torres 
you

Shakeeta Torres 
Maybe you’ll harvest from being connected to your practice. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
so awesome and they don’t you know sometimes my clients don’t even know and they’re just how did you what how did you ask that or or what made you ask that or or you know it’s so interesting you would say that because right you know and so it’s like holy spirit is actually drop that one for you you know but i don’t always say that because i understand that sometimes sharing where it came from would be uncomfortable for them or or you know not something they would want but but holy spirit you know the lord is like working on the behalf of not just

Shakeeta Torres 
Mm -hmm. Right. Exactly. Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm. Yeah.

Right.

Shakeeta Torres 
Bye.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
believers but even those who don’t believe in him as well. so then tell us where we can find you. Please don’t, don’t leave out anything. So I know you have you have the directory, website, I know or at least somewhere where we can talk. I know because there there are quite a few things but but even if there’s one central place where we can find it all or you know just share share with us please.

Shakeeta Torres
Yes.

Mm -hmm. He sure does.

Shakeeta Torres 
my gosh,

of avenues. Yes. So right. Okay, well first I want to go back a little bit to kind of share how I came into this space of educating other Christian therapists and creating everything I’m creating. So I told you about story before about how you know I ran to the lady who was a Christian practicing Reiki but I also came across other people who were going to see

Christian therapists and they were telling me things that they were telling them to do that was also not of God, right? And so I didn’t realize at that time that the Lord had gave me a burden and a heart for Christian therapists to truly operate from his vein, right? And so for years I’ll be praying, Father, like raise up Christian.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Okay.

Shakeeta Torres 
You know new people who were after your own heart, you know change the ones who are already practicing change their hearts God They really serve you and not succumb to the things of this world right you have mentioned the scripture earlier About the rudiments right they’re talking about what the world creates the world systems and it’s christian therapy Sometimes you can think that the world knows more than god. They do that does not know more than god. Okay

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yes. Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Right, right.

Shakeeta Torres
Yes, yes. And so from there, as I began to grow in my ministry and my calling and everything, and God was really training me, I didn’t understand the time, but he was training me to be able to do what I’m doing right now in this podcast. And so from the first thing he had me create was the Academy in 2021. So in 2021, I began working on Empowered Purpose Academy. And since then, here it is 2024, about 2025, I have created.

so much stuff, so much content, lives, courses, books, and so much more. So the book specifically for Christian therapists, it is a book here called Holy Spirit -led Counseling, Unleashing Your Impact as a Christian Therapist. So this book is a guide that goes over the gifts of the Spirit. It talks about how to really bring in Holy Spirit into your sessions.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Okay.

Shakeeta Torres 
It talks about how to be led by him, how to hear his voice and different things. So it’s very short. I’ve had many people purchase this book, said it was a blessing to them. It’s really good, very easy read. Anything I write is easy read. I don’t believe in a whole bunch of fluff. One guy that I had, but I also have…

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Canyon.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
awesome.

Shakeeta Torres 
many other workbooks on know shame and grief and anxiety I mean and everything I’m creating God’s telling me to create this next create this next create this next what I’m working on now is also some more workbooks but also just like two three weeks ago he told me to start creating worksheets that are also christian centered along with the different categories yes I’m working on that now so I’m okay I mean it’s

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Okay, yes.

Mm -hmm.

Shakeeta Torres 
Some of I already had that I’ve created over the years myself that I’ve created because as you know, there’s not that many resources. It’s not for Christian therapists to be able to incorporate because I’ve did my research. So I had to take things and like redo it and add scripture to it because people are hungry for Christ. Believe it. People really are hungry for something new. They might not know what that new is, but they’re hungry for it. And the Lord show me in the days to come.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Okay. Yes, there’s not a lot of Right. Right. No, there’s not a lot. Right.

against.

Shakeeta Torres 
people are going to be seeking after us more than ever because we’re going to hit a crisis, right? And nothing else going to work. So we have to be ready and equipped, right? And so it’s been a journey for me. It’s been a sacrifice of my time, my energy, all that. But God has been gracing me and equipping me to be able to do that. Okay. So I had that, the academy.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Absolutely. Yes.

right that part

Shakeeta Torres 
Then I also have the faith and mental wellness. And originally I had to summit, it’d be two years, I had it in March. From there he had me create a directory, as you mentioned earlier. We also are gonna start back up our virtual meetups for those who are Christ centered, know, therapists or want to be Christ centered therapists who are like, you know, about to graduate and all that good stuff. They come together and it’s really just fellowship and encourage each other. And so I’m gonna start that back up probably October.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
you

Shakeeta Torres
with that. I know you also have your support group as well, which is very beneficial as well. So I encourage you guys join that. And what was some of my miss? how to find me. So I am on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn. I’m on TikTok. So you can look at those places primarily for me, Shakita Torres, very simple, nothing fancy. And I publish content pretty much every day.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Bye for

Shakeeta Torres 
When it comes to mental health, sometimes it’s prophecy, sometimes it’s whatever God put in my heart to share, that’s what I’m sharing. And I also have the podcast, Faith in Mental Wellness podcast. Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
And then you have a podcast that just aired. us what’s where can they find the podcast with you and your husband?

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah, yeah, me and my husband’s was called Kingdom covenant conversations. So the Lord wants us to do couples ministry a few years back, but we’ve been so busy, so busy with everything that I’m doing, you know, everything that he’s doing. And so I’m now things are starting to slow down just a little bit. And so we launched our first episode of our podcast last week. We’ve been married for 15 years. And so we have so much.

Camille McDaniel, LPC
Okay.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Yeah, that’s awesome!

Shakeeta Torres 
wisdom to share so much, know, experience to share about how God desires for us to have a God -centered relationship, God -centered marriage. You can have a beautiful marriage, you know? And so I love my husband. He’s my best friend. He’s my biggest supporter. He’s not a person like to be up to the forefront like that. So he just support me like, babe, you go forth. I got you. So, yes, it’s also on Spotify, you know, anchor and all the major podcast networks.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
Awesome. Okay, so then I will make sure that I get this posted on the website so that you all will have all the links but again Shakita Torres for those who are listening that’s -h -a -k -e -e -t -a -t -o -r -r -e -s She has a website so Shakita Torres comm and then like she said she’s on tik -tok. She’s on Instagram. She’s on Facebook

Shakeeta Torres
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yes.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yes.

Yes.

Camille McDaniel, LPC
You can locate all of the Christ centered material that she has, whether you happen to be a mental health professional or if you are listening and you are just interested in the intersection of Christianity and mental health. You can definitely find all of that as well as the new podcast that she’s has coming up with her husband. Thank you again so much, so much, Shakita. It has been wonderful talking to you today. Wonderful.

Shakeeta Torres
Mm -hmm.

Shakeeta Torres 
and

Shakeeta Torres 
Yes, absolutely. Same here. Same here. and also I have a guide. I think I gave you the link to that. But I do have a link with all the links on it so you don’t have to post all these links. I do have one link I can give you. But I do have a guide called 10 ways to increase your impact as a Christian therapist. So it’s like 10 tips and it’s like a free guide.

I can give you that as well.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
We want all the stuff, so that’s good, okay?

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah. OK.

Camille McDaniel, LPC
So we’re going to say goodbye to Shakita but we’re going to post everything that she has to offer and mostly because again Christ in private practice is a movement to help other mental health professionals who are Christians to better understand where they can find other Christ -filled and led professionals in the mental health field

who are already doing it, who already have resources so that we can join together so that we don’t have to just try to scour the internet hoping we can find a worksheet or a book or a treatment plan or a podcast, but we can find out like, hey, this is all out here. These individuals may be in multiple states around the United States and maybe even the country one day we’ll have maybe someone outside of the country, but.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Camille McDaniel, LPC 
You know, I want for it to be so that we can all be more aware of how we can equip ourselves as we seek to help others for the kingdom. Yeah. So thank you so much. And it’s been wonderful talking to you today.

Shakeeta Torres 
Yeah.

Shakeeta Torres 
You know what? You too. Thank you so much. All bye.

CPP Ep. 8 Grace-filled discernment: navigating new age influences in your Christian practice