Religious issues in counselling: are Australian psychologists “dragging the chain”?

Abstract

While American psychologists have been making significant contributions regarding the best ways to deal with religious issues in counselling, Australian psychologists have generally been less active in stimulating debate, conducting research, and making clinical applications in this area. In this paper, it is argued that consideration of religious issues is an important aspect of therapy. In framing this discussion, consideration is given to boundaries and the task and role of the therapist. Suggestions are given for understanding value conflicts, implementing religion‐accommodative techniques, networking with colleagues in the religious community, and training psychologists to sensitively deal with religious issues in therapy.

Locating the sacred within the therapeutic landscape: Influence of therapists’ religious and spiritual beliefs on psychotherapeutic practice.

“…Over the last few decades, there has been a growing movement within the larger discipline of psychology, and within the mental health profession, to explore and understand the role of religion and spirituality in well-being and mental health (Duggal & Basu, 2012; Oman et al, 2018; Sharma et al, 2009). Considering that religious and spiritual beliefs contribute significantly to aspects of cultural identity, as well as individual world-view and perspectives (Bilgrave & Deluty, 1998), there is an increasing focus on how religious and spiritual beliefs of clients and psychotherapists enter into psychotherapy (Passmore, 2003). As Laungani (2005) points out:No counsellor, therapist, psychoanalyst, psychologist, in fact, no scientist works in a social vacuum.…”

“…Further, the uncertainty of clinicians could well be related to limited training and supervision, regarding the place of religion/spirituality in therapy, leaving them with little direction and guidance on how to bring this into their therapeutic work (Shafranske & Gorsuch, 1984; Shafranske & Malony, 1990). The need for therapists to understand the religious and spiritual beliefs of clients and how they impact their attitudes and behaviors has been emphasized not just for therapists and clients from different religious backgrounds, but also for those who identify with the same religion, as they may still differ in their beliefs and practices (Passmore, 2003).…”

Psikolojik Danışmanların Maneviyata İlişkin Tutumları ve Etkili Danışman Nitelikleri Arasındaki İlişkiler

“…Ruh sağlığı uzmanları psikolojik danışma sürecinde manevi konuların ele alınmasının önemine yönelik bazı sebepler göstermişlerdir: Maneviyatın evrensel bir insan yapısı olarak görülmesi (Helminiak, 2001;Ingersoll, 2004), birçok kişinin yaşamında yaygın olması (Burke vd., 2005;Cashwell & Young, 2011a;Johnson, 2013), yaşamın önemli bir yönü ve kişilik gelişiminin ayrılmaz ve gerekli bir parçası olup keşfedilmesinin kişiyle ilgili değerli bilgiler veriyor olması (Elkins, 2005(Elkins, , 2015Sperry & Shafranske, 2005), potansiyel olarak yararlı bir destek ve güç kaynağı olması (Barnett, 2016;Corey, 2012;Corey vd., 2011, Fallot, 2001Pargament, 2011;Pargament vd., 2005;Shafranske & Malony, 1990), sıkıntıların kaynağı olabilmesi (Ano &Pargament, 2013;Barnett, 2016;Chandler vd., 1992;Corey, 2012;Corey vd., 2011;Pargament, 2011), mesleki etik kurallar tarafından zorunlu olması (ACA, 2014), çok kültürlü duyarlılığın bir parçası olması (ACA, 2014; Curtis & Davis, 1999;Fukuyama & Sevig, 1997;Ljungberg, 2006;Robertson, 2010;Sue & Torino, 2005), bütüncül yaklaşımın bir boyutu olması (Burke vd., 2005;Myers & Williard, 2003;Passmore, 2003;Robertson, 2010) Son zamanlarda manevi yönelimli psikoterapilerin etkililiği üzerine meta analiz çalışmaları yapılmaktadır (Hook vd., 2019;Worthington vd., 2011). Örneğin, Hook ve arkadaşları (2019) psikolojik danışma ve psikoterapiyi danışanın manevi değerlerine göre uyarlamanın etkinliğini meta analiz yöntemiyle incelemiş ve maneviyatla uyarlanmış psikoterapilerin etkinliğini alternatif psikoterapilerle karşılaştırmıştır.…”