The Uncomfortably Important Place of Spirituality in Systemic Therapy

Abstract

This article presents some of the author's reflections and observations of the challenges and opportunities that arise when including matters of spirituality in the therapeutic process. Research indicates that many individuals want to incorporate their spiritual or religious ideas with therapy (Hull, Suarez, & Hartman, 2016), yet doing so can often raise discomfort in the client, therapist and the therapeutic process, and so frequently the topic is avoided. This article considers the presence and importance of spirituality for many clients in understanding the dilemmas they bring to the therapy room, and reflects on some of the personal and institutional challenges of integrating spirituality into the therapeutic process. It concludes with some thoughts about the modest contribution systemic therapy might make in this regard, including the usefulness of opening dialogue about a client's spiritual history with early enquiry (Payman, 2016) and considering the relational context of a person's spirituality using Bowen Family Systems Theory (Kerr & Bowen, 1988).1 Many individuals seeking counselling services want to include their spiritual beliefs or religious worldview with their mental health treatment. 2 Spirituality does not fit easily with a culture of evidence-based treatments, but can be an important part of how clients attribute meaning and understanding to their presenting dilemmas. 3 There are significant challenges to integrating spirituality with the therapeutic process, including the discomfort that arises for therapists. 4 Enquiring early on about a client's spiritual and religious history and how a client wants to include spirituality in therapy can be an important part of the therapeutic contract. 5 Exploring the relational context of a client's spirituality using Bowen Family Systems Theory as a framework can help clients think through how their beliefs, values, and opinions have been influenced and are maintained.As a kid from a devout religious family I was always acutely aware of how skittish people could be about anything to do with the sacred. My neighbours and schoolmates did not exactly welcome expressions of spiritual devotionthat sort of thing made them very uncomfortable, even angryand in this regard, despite generations of multiculturalism, Australians haven't changed much. We're pretty good at maintaining a secular public space, and that's worth celebrating, but we're a bit tin-eared about matters of religion and anxious about using terms like 'sacred.' This strikes me as a bit ironic, for we live on the most spiritually potent continent imaginable. (Winton, 2015, p. 220) Partway through writing this article I came to the realisation that there was an uncomfortable parallel process playing out. I consider spirituality to be a core aspect

Religious Sensitivity at Secular Universities – A Cross-Sectional Replication Study among Norwegian Psychology Students

“…On the one hand, its epistemological connection to constructivism made it easier to integrate religious and spiritual concepts into treatment as clients' individual constructions, while, on the other hand, the systemic rejection of singular truths and religions' claims of truth could make interaction challenging (Ludewig, 2011). Today, systemic therapists discuss the "uncomfortably important place of spirituality" in therapy (Errington, 2017) and provide techniques to address spirituality without manipulating clients (Ybañez-Llorente & Smelser, 2014).…”

“…Increasing secularisation, as is the case in Norway with its diversification in perception and language, adds to this challenge (Furseth et al, 2019). Only recently have reciprocal dynamics in therapy become a greater focus of research, including the influence of therapists' attitudes and interests (Errington, 2017;Spero, 2010). In Norway, recent contributions to research on spiritual competence of health care professionals have explored professionals' attitudes towards the integration of the existential, spiritual, and religious domains into patient treatment (Frøkedal et al, 2019).…”

Intellectual Humility, Spirituality, and Counselling

“…Worthington, 1986) indicates that clients can feel reluctant to mention issues about spirituality in their sessions, and that doing so can raise discomfort in both client and therapist (e.g. Errington, 2017). This means that a large number of therapists may not be very practiced at dealing with—or even reflecting on—the impact of spiritual beliefs.…”

“…therapist (e.g. Errington, 2017). This means that a large number of therapists may not be very practiced at dealing with-or even reflecting on-the impact of spiritual beliefs.…”

Integrating Spirituality into MFT Training: A Reflexive Curriculum and Qualitative Evaluation

“…Despite that nearly 80% of Americans identify spirituality as an integral part of their lives (Newport, Agrawal, & Witters, ), therapists often fail to initiate spiritual conversations in practice due to feeling uncomfortable and/or unprepared (Errington, ). Part of MFT core competencies include helping students “recognize contextual and systemic dynamics” (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, , 1.2.1) and “deliver interventions in a way that is sensitive to special needs of clients” (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, , 4.3.2).…”