Integrating Spirituality and Religion into Counseling: A Guide to Competent Practice

In this book, experts in the field consider how spiritual and religious issues can be successfully incorporated into counseling in a manner consistent with client beliefs and practices. Designed as an introductory text for counselors-in-training and clinicians, it describes the knowledge base and skills necessary to effectively engage clients in an exploration of their spiritual and religious lives to further the therapeutic process. Through an examination of the 2009 ASERVIC Competencies for Addressing Spiritual and Religious Issues in Counseling and the use of proven tools and techniques, this book will guide you in providing ethical services to clients presenting with these deeply sensitive and personal issues.

After an introduction to spirituality and religion and to the development and revision of the ASERVIC Competencies, Section II examines the six major categories of the new competencies-Culture and Worldview, Counselor Self-Awareness, Human and Spiritual Development, Communication, Assessment, and Diagnosis and Treatment Planning-with a detailed discussion of each competency, strategies for clinical application, and a case illustration. Section III further links theory to clinical practice with new application chapters on mindfulness, ritual, 12-step spirituality, prayer, and feminine spirituality.