Published article-reading and analysis
Nupur James
Pastoral Counselling in the Ethnic Church Context
PAST 0653
Instructor: Dr. Vincent Poon
Date: February 9th, 2016
“Counselling attempts to provide encouragement and guidance for those who are facing losses, decisions or disappointments. As a Christian counsellor we seek to bring people in to relationship with Christ and help them to find forgiveness and relief.” In this paper we will aim to analyse the Journal article written by Thomas G. Plante on Integration Spirituality and Psychotherapy: Ethical issue and Principles to consider. In this paper we will try to evaluate the article, understand how it deals with different issues of temperaments and how it can
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I would like to bring our attention to RRICC approach to ethical decision making. In order to continue to integrate spiritual matters into professional work, there are different types of ethical issues that must be considered. “RRICC stands for the value of respect, responsibility, integrity, competence and concern. These values are highlighted in the ethic code and we will be using this model to highlight ethical issue in spirituality and psychotherapy integration.”
“The RRICC model focuses on “respect for peoples’ right and dignity”. In the past, deeply spiritual people were often considered as defended, insecure, deluded, and thought to be suffering. They were considered logically dysfunctional needing treatment.” The 2002 APA Ethics Code and other expert ethic codes now explain the need to regard the convictions and qualities related with religion, deep sense of being and to abstain from pathologizing the individuals who look for religious and profound development. While we are not required to agree with all faith convictions and religious beliefs, we need to respect it. This journal article states that most of the people, who are spiritually active, are more concern about their mental well-being. While we experience no difficulty in working cooperatively with doctors, teachers and instructors, or lawyers as required for our clients, we should now add ministry and religious leader to this list and understand to work with them. This
In the work of professional psychology, we have now a forray of theories, therapeutic techniques, and modern psychotherapies which has all too frequently ignore the spiritual element in human life. In Care of Souls, Dr David Benner recaptures the place of the spiritual in psychological work. Among the many benefits of the use of modern therapies and medical science, he has also emphasised putting God's priorities above one's own in the practice of Christian soul care.
Enwistle’s book, Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: An introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration (2010) is a text that explores integrating psychology and Christianity. We start out by learning about integration related to both psychology and Christianity. Is this a thing? Is integration between these two subjects a subject itself? Enwistle explores through time to reveal how psychology and Christianity have been both closely studied and intertwined throughout time. Enwistle (2010) defines Christian psychology as “ a commitment to a Christian worldview that shapes how psychology is studied and applies, and that recognizes that there are specific Christian resources that uniquely reveal crucial aspects of what it means to be human (p. 14). Those in the psychology or counseling field who are also Christian have unique and different approaches but they draw from both Christianity and psychology to help them succeed.
Integrating spiritual and religious dimensions of clients ' lives into their treatment requires consummate professionalism and the highest quality of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Psychologists
The professional clinical model in the psychiatry/medical world is the ideal model. However, the professional is allowed to develop his/her own model of counseling that meets the regulations of the State and the medical world. The secular view of the professional clinical model has been condensed to represent a basic fiduciary relationship placed within a box that is supervised and regulated by outside authorities. The nature of this counseling relationship does not include religious beliefs or does it involve the Scriptures as a resource. Harold Bullock (2003) expounds on this matter, “In the contemporary Western world, we have reduced the concept of god to “no god at all.” We do not want to bow our knees to any god. So, we have concocted a mixture of science and pseudo-science to explain how everything came to being without any god behind it. Morally, we have decided that we human beings can be and do whatever we want.” Science becomes the primary authority in which all “valid” knowledge is accepted. What the world considers to be the ideal model of counseling contrasts from what the Scriptures consider counseling to be.
Interdisciplinary integration is of utmost importance and the best usually comes from those “who have formal and informal preparation in both psychology and theology” (McMinn, 1996, p. 9). McMinn carefully describes the meaning, likeness, and distinction between psychology, theology, and spirituality. His manner of writing makes it easy for students, professionals, or lay persons to digest the information. Challenges that Christian counselors are
Within the psychology field and in society, there is a common belief that theological principles, scripture, Christianity, and psychological principles are not compatible. Instead they believe that modern psychology is secular, scientific, and sacrilegious. However, many Christian psychologists and counselors, organizations and associations such as the Society for Christian Psychology, are striving to unite, integrate and incorporate Christian values, principles and knowledge into modern psychological counseling, research, and practice. Two of the main perspectives that tries to merge the two principles and theories is the Integration perspective and the Christian Psychology perspective.
The study of psychology and Christianity has been known to be at odds over the past several decades. Many believe that Christianity and Psychology cannot mix or intertwine. They believe a person can only believe in one but not both. In this essay I will discuss what the integration view entails in reference to psychology and Christianity. I will then discuss the major objectives that can arise from this view and follow by the counter objectives and core strengths of this view. I then will give an example of how this view can be used practically in a counseling situation.
The benefits of religious counselling is it’s proven efficacy Nathaniel (2005) that illustrates clients as experiencing a greater feeling of closeness within the
Christian counseling is all about integrating psychology, theology and spirituality into counselor and clients lives. Psychology, Theology and Spirituality in Christian Counseling gives insight into how these three perspectives can be used to help individuals identify certain aspects of their lives that might be enhanced when the counselor includes spirituality into their counseling sessions. We also see how important it is for the counselor to be in touch with their own spirituality so that
The integration of psychology and theology is so intertwined that it has caused ill-well between the two disciplines. The over-arching concern for a counselor is to understand the why of a person disorder. In trying to understand the why, there are issues concerning the mind of the person, the thought process, their body, their soul, their temporal and the supernatural systems that can be manipulated if they are not living with a healthy lifestyle. So what a counselor is trying to discover is the physical function of individuals as well as trying to uncover the spiritual components of their lives, which can be worked through within the intake process, however it does not need to be left out during the counseling process. This is best said in the words of McMinn (1996) who declares “the best interdisciplinary integration work usually comes from those who have formal or informal preparation in both psychology and theology” (p. 9). Scripture states in, II Chronicles 1:10, says “give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours” (New International Version)? This research article will endeavor to search through varies theories to aid counselors in the integration process of psychology and theology. Because the ultimate goal for any counselor especially the Christian counselor is to be used as an instrument for God to bring about healthy living, corrective thoughts, and eradicate persistent sins.
Christian counselors have a responsibility to their clients to integrate psychology and theology in their therapeutic approaches. Incorporating multiple components however is not as straight forward as one might think. In Psychology Theology, and Spirituality (McMinn, 2011) McMinn discusses the benefits of an integrated counseling approach that strives to promote “both spiritual and emotional growth” (McMinn, 2011, p. 5) by including a third element; spirituality, or more specifically, spiritual formation. Finding the proper blend of elements can be challenging even for a seasoned therapist.
In this paper, I discussed my personal theory regarding the integration of Christianity and psychology, as it relates to my beliefs, and how the summation of these two components will be reflected in my future counseling practice. I considered several factors that were critical to my personal counseling theory. First, I considered the human personality, such as, individual differences, motivations, and human development. Each person is unique; however, both Christianity and psychology have discovered common threads that are woven throughout the human race, and I believe that information is imperative to the counseling process. Next,
For health care providers to deliver the best holistic care that patients deserve, a thorough spiritual assessment must be included during their care. With more research showing a relationship between supporting a patient’s spirituality with their health and ability to cope with illness, it is now a requirement of organizations to include a spiritual assessment to maintain accreditation with The Joint Commission. The minimum required of a spiritual assessment by The Joint Commission is to determine the patient’s religion and
Religion and spirituality are the source for many people when it comes to dealing with distressing issues in everyday life, so it’s no surprise that social work is an occupation whose roots have a strong religious background. However, despite this background, social work changed to have a more a scientific base for treating clients and has rejected integrating R/S into courses and practice. To address this issue, in Nigel Elliott’s article “Faith, Ethics, and Social Work: Framework for an Introductory lecture,” he describes his teaching session in which he establishes the importance of integrating R/S into practice and how crucial it is to have a better understanding of this when working with clients.
The primary goal of Dr. Crabb is to give the new counselor an effective way to ministry to their clients in an easy step by step method. Dr. Crabb focuses his method on the client building their relationship with Christ to develop healing and wholeness in the view of what Christ created them to be. His focus is totally on the client’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The counselor’s role is to assist the client in growing in identifying their own problems and solutions based in light of God’s great mercy