Who You Are: Internalizing the Gospel to Find Your True Identity

“Dr. Judy Cha's Who You Are is a most welcome contribution to a discussion that will only continue to intensify in importance--namely, 'How do we minister the gospel effectively to individuals shaped by wounds incurred in an increasingly diverse and complex world?' For years Dr. Cha has led a group of New York City counselors who are astute to the insights of evidence-based psychotherapy but animated to the core by their love for Jesus Christ, their trust in his Word, and their conviction that his gospel is powerful to liberate, heal, and restore. In this volume she pulls back the curtain on their insights and methods. The included optional exercises give readers an opportunity to experience healing along the way.”

“For Christians seeking to understand the world around us and their own emotional struggles, this book is a gift. Dr. Cha takes complex psychological material and makes it accessible and compelling. She argues persuasively that theology matters in our lives and particularly in our experience with feelings, but she doesn't stop there. She goes on to demonstrate what can be done about it. This is a tool kit for spiritual and psychological growth. Dr. Cha offers her heart and her years of experience as a therapist listening to people's pain, distress, and self-shaming. She tackles the why of these common human dilemmas and presses on to offer a path toward healing and release in changing how we see God and God's redemption project, seeking to restore us to a relationship rooted not in our efforts to be successful, but in the wide expanse of God's love and grace. Take time to read this book slowly and thoughtfully. Allow Judy to help you see yourself and your world through a new lens.”

“Identity formation is not just one of the 'big issues' of our time, but because identity is, by implication, central to who we are, it is the lens through which we see all other issues. Who You Are is an outstanding book to help us navigate a way forward in this important and emotionally charged area. Judy Cha writes with a rare blend of gracious insight honed through 10,000 counselling sessions and gospel truth applied in an integrated and thoughtful way. She is particularly adept at giving tools to the reader to help bridge the stubborn gap between head and heart so that the gospel takes root in our identity. The book also makes important points for the church to engage with on the integration between body and mind in pastoral care, as well as the destructive nature of shame as a distinct corollary to guilt. Whether you are a counsellor seeking to develop in this vital area of identity or a layperson wanting to live free from shame, knowing more fully the grace of Jesus Christ, this book really is a must-read.”

“The work of Redeemer Counseling Center, spanning decades, has been a lifeline to thousands of New Yorkers experiencing the transformative power of the gospel. Under Judy Cha, the counseling center has grown to be an institution that is critical to the mission and health of gospel renewal in New York. Judy's leadership and work in the field has paved the way for gospel-centered clinical therapy in ways the Christian counseling world has long needed. This book not only unpacks gospel-centered clinical therapy but also beautifully weaves in Judy's personal narrative and her own work in fully experiencing her identity in Christ. The book is the culmination of the collective wisdom and research of Judy's counseling team and staff.”

“Using her personal experience and decades of work as a counselor, Judy Cha tells us how to find our true identity and greater intimacy with God. She shows us how to discover and gain freedom from our deep idols and how to be healed through the gospel of grace. She demonstrates how wholeness is found only in Christ as she reveals the hidden dangers found in our own self-defeating strategies. Cha is a wise and courageous guide who shows us that we can know who we are only in relationship with God and others and also shows us how we can give that gift to others.”