God-Confident: Cyndie de Neve's Approach to Healing and Counseling

When I set out to record this episode of More Precious Than Rubies, I knew it would be a deeply meaningful conversation. This time, we welcomed my friend and mentor, Cyndie de Neve, a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, and passionate advocate for mental health and spiritual growth. Cyndie’s story isn’t just about professional achievement; it’s a powerful testimony to how vulnerability, authenticity, and faith can transform our understanding of ourselves and guide our service to others.

"The purpose of emotion is to draw us closer to God and to each other."

For so many of us raised in faith communities, there’s often an unspoken rule: emotions are something to suppress, especially the messy or painful ones. Cyndie candidly shared how this shaped her own upbringing in a Marine family, where showing feelings was rarely encouraged. Her personal journey included times of wrestling with depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts, experiences she transparently weaves into both her counseling practice and writing. She reminds us that our feelings do not make us less spiritual; rather, as Scripture and research both affirm, acknowledging and working through emotions is where true healing often begins.

The Power of Prayer and Evidence-Based Practices

A cornerstone of Cyndie’s message is the transformative nature of prayer, when prayer is approached not as a basic exercise, but as a holistic, evidence-based practice for emotional and mental health. Through her work with Moms in Prayer and her bestselling books, she breaks down four powerful steps: praise, confession, thanksgiving, and intercession.

"When we pray God’s Word, we pray God’s will."

What deeply resonated with me was Cyndie’s insight that centuries-old practices found in the Bible—like gratitude and confession—are now validated as beneficial by modern psychology. Starting prayer with praise, for example, shifts our anxiety and problems into the hands of a much bigger God. Practicing thanksgiving is clinically shown to improve mental health outcomes. And praying Scripture, she explained, is not just about requesting what we want, but aligning our hearts (and our children’s) with God’s greater vision.

Literature that Heals: Books as Bridges to Mental Wellness

Cyndie’s heart for holistic healing led her to write not just for adults, but for families and children navigating complex emotional landscapes. Her new book series—beginning with stories of kids dealing with anxiety, ADHD, and depression—is designed to de-stigmatize mental health and give families practical tools for open conversations.

"How do you help your kid know they were created on purpose, for a good purpose?"

She challenges the status quo that says only fixing weaknesses matters. Instead, Cyndie points us to raising “God-confident” kids, children who can celebrate their unique strengths, process their weaknesses without shame, and listen to the loving guidance of the Holy Spirit. This foundational shift doesn’t just inspire my work as a podcast host. It invites all of us to reconsider how we nurture ourselves and our families, recognizing that emotional and spiritual development go hand in hand.

Counseling with Compassion: Meeting People Where They Are

Perhaps most inspiring was Cyndie’s approach to counseling clients from all backgrounds and faith journeys. Whether working with Christians, nonbelievers, or those hurt by spiritual communities, her model is rooted in Jesus’s example: radically loving people right where they are, without judgment, and creating a safe space for authenticity. She reminds us that the smallest act, listening without fixing, asking gentle questions, praying quietly for wisdom, can be transformative.

"My goal is just to meet people where they’re at and to show them God’s love in their life."

As I reflect on our conversation, I’m reminded how “being Jesus with skin on,” as Cyndie beautifully puts it, isn’t about preaching or persuading. It’s about embodying compassion, truth, and hope for each person we encounter. In every role, whether as a counselor, parent, or friend, we can be agents of healing and possibility.

For more from Cyndie, check out the links to her books in the show notes. And if you’re inspired by her wisdom and story, check out my YouTube channel for part two, where we dig even deeper into trauma healing and building thriving communities of prayer.

No matter what path you’re walking, God is walking alongside you.

Subscribe to the MPTR Newsletter so you don't miss a new episode!