Karl Benzio MD

Basic Intro: Karl Benzio, M.D., a board certified Christian psychiatrist, has held several health system clinical and leadership positions. Dr. Karl uniquely implements a faith-informed, Jesus-centered application of cutting edge psychiatric science to successfully treat patients and consult to ministries, teach, write, and serve as a frequent media guest expert, conference speaker, and legislative expert witness.

Education and Expertise: B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering with focus in Central Nervous System imaging from Duke University; M.D. from Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School; Psychiatric Residency at UC–Irvine. Expertise is integrating brain physiology, psychological principles, and spiritual truths to teach Decision-Making process and mechanics with endless application to every facet of psychospiritual health and functioning for individuals, marriages, families, communities, and society.

PsychoSpiritual Philosophy: Combining his training with experiences as a physician (Body), psychiatrist (Mind), a devoted follower of Christ (Spirit), a biomedical engineer (Brain circuitry), and a sinner who used to drink to excess landing him in jail for 6 counts of aggravated assault, Dr. Karl developed a unique cutting-edge BioPsychoSpiritual model focusing on the Spiritual Discipline of Decision-Making. His SPEARS tool not only reveals the cause of, but also unpacks and clarifies Bible based, Jesus-centered, and scientifically synergistic spirit-mind-body treatment for all our psychological and spiritual struggles so we can access the psychospiritual healing and awakening Jesus taught, role-modeled, and died for, so we could be redeemed and blessed.

Professional Highlights and Unique Activities:

• Practicing psychiatrist blessed to help so many find healing while learning from my patients and colleagues.

• First psychiatrist invited by Iraq’s Minister of Health into post-Hussein Iraq to consult and lead a multidisciplinary team to teach Counseling, Decision-Making, and Treatment curriculum to Muslim Iraqi healthcare providers and Christian churches even though Dr. Karl’s curriculum is thoroughly Christian.

• Led a team facilitating healing workshops to 50 mentors and 475 children who were traumatized and tortured victims of Joseph Kony’s ruthless abuses and atrocities in Uganda and Sudan.

• Expert testimony for the U.S. President’s Bioethics Committee and many federal and state legislatures on various social policy issues including Right of Conscience, Physician Assisted Suicide, Same Sex Marriage, Gender Identity/Confusion, Pro-Life/Anti-Abortion, Opioid Epidemic, Suicide, and other Behavioral Health complexities.

• Dr. Karl’s Life Change Radio Minute aired daily on over 475 radio stations.

• Writes unique Stepping Stones Daily Devotional integrating faith and psychiatry in a short, practical, inspirational message used worldwide by many churches and ministries. Signup at https://lighthousenetwork.org/stepping-stones/

• Led Behavioral Health Committee of unique Bux-Mont Katrina Relief Effort where our home county in Pennsylvania adopted Katrina devastated Hancock County, Mississippi, providing several millions of dollars financially and countless hours of professional expertise and labor services over several years. Effort officially decorated and recognized by U.S. Congress and Salvation Army as a template for relief/aid in future national catastrophes.

• Keynote speaker and facilitator of healing services to Polish and Ukrainian pastors in Warsaw, Poland during Ukraine-Russia War.

• White House National Faith Leaders: consultant to President Trump’s administration regarding societal issues.

• Pennsylvania State Director of the American Academy of Medical Ethics 2010 – 2019.

• Developed unique Decision making curriculum presented to and used by many treatment centers and ministries

• Frequent media guest expert and conference speaker

• Content contributor to YouVersion, Bible App, Charisma, and iDisciple platforms

• Founder, www.LighthouseNetwork.org, a nonprofit reigniting Jesus’ Behavioral Health Revolution, in 2003

• Founder and Medical Director, www.HoneyLake.Clinic a unique Christian residential treatment facility 2017-22

Mission: Dr. Karl believes he has been called and specially commissioned by God since the age of 5 to be a Nehemiah, coordinating the reigniting of the Behavioral Health Revolution Jesus – the Great Physician and Wonderful Counselor, thus Perfect Psychiatrist - started by rebuilding the City of Healing. He reveals psychiatric science’s validation of the Bible to the Church to decrease stigma and help implement Biblical truth into Biblical Living while showing the non-Christian community the Bible has the answers for healing minds and transforming lives. His ultimate mission is helping everyone understand and operationalize Biblical and psychiatric principles to become Lighthouse’s so others would see and experience God’s power, love, forgiveness, grace, and peace through our Biblical living.

Current Major Professional Activities:

• Medical Director of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), the largest Christian behavioral health organization. Focus will be synergizing and advancing the Christian Behavioral Health Revolution by articulating Biblically and scientifically sound content, educating more clinicians, developing more Christian treatment options, assisting research revealing the Bible’s healing power, equipping the local church to serve a larger psychospiritual healing role, and developing relationships with like-minded ministries.

• Karl also is a advisor/consultant to the Mental Health Initiative, which is Bubba and Cindy Cathy’s (Chick-Fil-A co-owners) efforts to advance Christian Behavioral Health

• Medical Director Honey Lake Clinic

• Serves on Focus on the Family’s Physician Resource Council as consultant to content, resources, positions, and messaging

• Serve the Christian Medical Association in content development, media representative, and conference speaker as well as as their American Academy of Medical Ethics (AAME) New Jersey Co-Director

Personal: Most importantly, loves Jesus and the Bible, married to his best friend, Martine, for 31 years, is a father to 3 incredible daughters - Dominique, 30 (husband Adam), Nicole, 27 (husband Connor), and Gigi, 22 – lives in Ocean City NJ, loves beach life, travel, psychologically intriguing TV shows/movies, anything about decision-making, pickleball, and his beloved Pittsburgh and Duke teams.