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Using Prayer and Scripture in
Counseling
Integration of Spiritualty and Counseling (Liberty
University)
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This case study struck me as complicated as I read it. Before I begin my counseling
session, I want my client to understand and believe that as her counselor, I have
her best interests in mind. I want her to know that I am here to assist her and guide
her through her difficulties in a healthy and effective manner. She has been
through a lot, which is bound to have left her with some scarring and trauma. My
client has come to my agency because she has not abandoned her faith; she is
simply confused about it at the moment. In Christian counseling, the power of
prayer and scripture is regarded as effective and productive. As a Christian
counselor, I will pray for my client and guide her back to feeling at ease with her
faith. According to Neff and McMinn (2020), knowing which prayer or scriptural
approach to use during a counseling session is critical for achieving a healthy and
productive outcome.
As a counselor, it is my responsibility to acknowledge that God is also present in
the session and that all healing comes from him; I am merely here to assist him in
his work (Hawkins and Clinton, 2015). I will not force my client to begin praying
because she is currently uncomfortable with her faith. I'll have to be patient with
my client and wait a few sessions before incorporating more of her faith and God
into our sessions. Outside of the sessions, I may offer silent prayers for my patient.
At this point, quoting scriptures may not be the best option . It would be beneficial
to emulate biblical principles such as humility, courage, virtue, and wisdom. Taking
things slowly and at my client's pace, while offering hope and assuring her that she
is loved and valued by others and God, is helpful in obtaining a healthy outcome for
my client.
Integrating psychology and Christian theology will be easy for me with my client.
She has a Christian upbringing and has stated that she is coming to the agency
because we have a Christian worldview. When my client is comfortable with me and
ready to proceed, I will begin implementing Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). It
focuses on people's thoughts rather than their actions (American Psychological
Association, 2009). My first two responses are related to me implementing CBT
because it will change my client's thoughts, which will affect how she feels and
what she does. Her difficulties have caused her to question existence and faith, but
she is aware that she requires healing from the pain of her abortion. CBT will assist
her in exploring her feelings of shame and guilt, her perception of God, and the
events that led to her abortion and suicide attempts. My client will eventually
recognize that her view of God and faith have been harmed by her difficulties and
trauma, but she will also discover that she is capable of healing from it. She is
trapped between her fear of resuming her faith and the shame she has brought to
it. As she works through her feelings of guilt and shame in my session, she will be
more open to incorporating scriptures and prayer practices in the future. “I can do all
things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
References:
Neff, A. M. & McMinn, M. R. (2020). Embody integration: A fresh look at Christianity
in the therapy room. Intervarsity Press
Hawkins, R., & Clinton, T. (2015). The new Christian counselor. Harvest House
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Publishers. American Psychological Association. (2009). Different approaches to
psychotherapy. American
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Psychological Association. Retrieved from
https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/approaches
Official king James Bible online. King James Bible Online., from
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/
Reply:
Caitlin, thank you for your insight! I liked how you were culturally competent at first.
You mentioned the client's culture to provide context for why you will be conducting
your client's sessions in a specific manner. Cultural competence is important for
counselors because it encourages the acknowledgment and acceptance of cultural
beliefs. As our cultural competence grows, we begin to show a greater appreciation
for our clients' journeys (CDC, 2021).
Based on what the client has told us, I agree that incorporating prayer into the
sessions is premature. Due to her difficulties, she will need time to rediscover her
faith and reconnect with God. Group therapy was an excellent suggestion
because it will allow the client to discuss her experiences with others who have
been in a similar situation to her. She will realize she is not alone and that she,
too, can overcome this challenge!
References:
NPIN. (2021). Cultural competence in health and human services. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://npin.cdc.gov/pages/cultural-
competence
Savannah, I appreciate your insight. You presented a number of excellent options
for how you will conduct sessions with the client. When you said that incorporating
prayer into the sessions would be inappropriate, I agreed. With all of the difficulties
she has faced, the client feels lost in her faith at this time. As counselors, we will
need her to become acquainted with herself and her faith before attempting to
implement any prayer. If we start praying too soon in her healing process, we may
end up doing more harm than good. According to Neff and McMinn (2020), knowing
which prayer or scriptural approach to use during a counseling session is critical for
achieving a healthy and productive outcome, as is knowing when to implement
early prayer.
