Therapist's Notebook for Integrating Spirituality in Counseling, Vol. 1: Homework, Handouts, and Activities for Use in Psychotherapy

by Karen B. Helmeke (Editor), Catherine Ford Sori (Editor)

Learn to initiate the integration of your clients’ spirituality as an effective practical intervention. A client’s spiritual and religious beliefs can be an effective springboard for productive therapy. How can a therapist sensitively prepare for the task? The Therapist’s Notebook for Integrating Spirituality in Counseling is the first volume of a comprehensive two-volume resource that provides practical interventions from a wide range of backgrounds and theoretical perspectives. This volume helps prepare clinicians to undertake and initiate the integration of spirituality in therapy with clients and provides easy-to-follow examples. The book provides a helpful starting point to address a broad range of topics and problems. The chapters of The Therapist’s Notebook for Integrating Spirituality in Counseling are grouped into five Therapist Preparation and Professional Development; Assessment of Spirituality; Integrating Spirituality in Couples Therapy; Specific Techniques and/or Topics Used in Integrating Spirituality; and Use of Scripture, Prayer, and Other Spiritual Practices. Designed to be clinician-friendly, each chapter also includes sections on resources where counselors can learn more about the topic or technique used in the chapter―as well as suggested books, articles, chapters, videos, and Web sites to recommend to clients. Each chapter utilizes similar formatting to remain clear and easy-to-follow that includes objectives, rationale for use, instructions, brief vignette, suggestions for follow-up, contraindications, references, professional readings and resources, and bibliotherapy sources for the client. The first volume of The Therapist’s Notebook for Integrating Spirituality in Counseling helps set a solid foundation and provides comprehensive instruction The Therapist’s Notebook for Integrating Spirituality in Counseling is a stimulating, creative resource appropriate for any clinician or counselor, from novices to experienced mental health professionals. This first volume is perfect for pastoral counselors, clergy, social workers, marriage and family therapists, counselors, psychologists, Christian counselors, educators who teach professional issues, ethics, counseling, and multicultural issues, and students.

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 2006

Reviews

[Autumn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title of this text would more appropriately be: Integrating Christianity in Counseling. There are several hypothetical nods to Hindus/Buddhists but they are only theoretical. A word of warning to those wanting to explore this text, that I am not a Christian nor am I a spiritual counsellor. My intent in reading this book was to expand my language around using meditation and contemplation for distress tolerance and fulfilling potentialities and possibilities with art.

The theoretical approach is very attachment-oriented, including exploration of beliefs and experiences with a(Christian) God as an atachment figure. Does the client orient themself toward a collaborative, deferring, or self-directing attachment with God? This does not fit with my worldview, and I would not be in a position to use this type of language with my clients. I also found difficulty with whole articles in the text, especially the sections on couples and families. One of the articles included: "WWJD: Using a couple's faith to fall back in love." No thank you.

Why not one star? The book is well organized, each chapter including an objective and rationale, including handouts with some interesting thought pieces for clients. I also really appreciate the Maher article "Impact of Abuse on Internalized God Images," as she uses inclusive language such as "Divine" and includes some very powerful guided imagery scripts which leave space for the client to develop her or his own image of the nature of spirituality.

I am aware that as of yet this book has no reviews, and I would be interested in reading a review from someone who is either a spiritual counselling practitioner or plays a role in Christian leadership. If this person is you, please feel free to get my attention when you write the review! I would love to have a discussion about this, and how others find this information useful for their practice.