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Running head: SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT IN COUNSELOR PAPER
Spiritual Discernment in Counseling Paper
Liberty University
Spiritual Discernment in Counseling Paper
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Running head: SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT IN COUNSELOR PAPER
When entering the counseling profession counselors must apply certain decision-making
skills to maintain competent for themselves and their clients. Each counselor will be introduced
to individuals with an array of unique backgrounds and values. The counselor will have to gain
the skills that their values should not affect their counseling style. When that counselor's style is
found. The counselor must adapt to that of the client's lifestyle for competent counseling. As part
of the code of ethics for counselors, the counselor must be aware of their values and belief
system and avoid imposing those beliefs on to the client. With Christian counselor's spiritual
discernment comes into place since it underlines the decision-making process that Christians can
potentially use to help as a guide to make decisions that are in comparison to God's plan. Horton
(2009) states, "The vast majority of Christian students are quite open to God's direction in their
lives but often confused about how to discern what precisely God would have them do. Thus, a
major responsibility for those who work with these students is to equip them to think through key
principles for spiritual discernment and decision making."
Personal Position
After completing the survey at the end of Horton's (2009) article, I found that five areas
were very important to me when making decisions. One of the first factors was the use of
common sense. To me common sense is something that is generally just a natural response based
on the upbringings of the person. I feel like I have a natural sense of common sense which is
based on what is seen as right or wrong in God's eyes. For me when I think about common sense,
I think of having the ability to see all the consequences in things that individuals do. According
to Taylor (2018), "Common sense is a form of practical decision-making and the ability to
imagine the consequences of something you do. It stops us making irrational mistakes and makes
it easier to make choices on what to do. We aren't born with common sense; we develop it over
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Running head: SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT IN COUNSELOR PAPER
time.' It's the sort of thing that when I was growing up my grandparents taught me that you had
to learn through experiences to gain common sense to certain situations, but with some things I
was taught that it was just not acceptable to do. Taylor (2018) states. "Some people find it harder
to think through the consequences of their actions and need to learn common sense. And for
some highly intelligent people they never will learn the common-sense way, but they then go on
to make important discoveries to change the world such as Einstein and Elon Musk."
The next factor that I related to that was very important was considering the
circumstances (looking for doors/ windows of opportunity). In a sense I feel like this part of my
decision making refers my ability to be open minded to all factors when it comes to certain
situations. In some cases, some things may look a certain way on the outside, but I tend to dig
deeper to get the overall concept of what is generally going on. I am extremely fortunate that I
have this skill because individuals tend to judge the book by its cover. As a counselor I want to
be able to be optimistic with the goals of each client. We will be able to build a certain
relationship since the client will see that I am not the enemy but rather an ally.
Up next is considering personal desires and interest I found very important based on the
survey. When it comes to a career, I feel that the individual's desires and interest is the upmost
importance. No one want to complete a career that they have no interest in. When a person is
passionate about something it tends to bring the best out of them in the long run. When a person
is interested in something, they are willing to learn more about that career because it gives them
the idea of having the purpose for that career. If I was to use myself as an example, I feel
passionate about counseling. I was saved by a counselor almost five years ago. Their wisdom and
knowledge paved the way for me to become the person I am today. From that point on I knew I
had the desire to give that same energy back into the community. This leads me to my last two
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Running head: SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT IN COUNSELOR PAPER
factor that which are considering personal strengths, talents, gifts and abilities and recognizing
and responding to the needs of others. With a career your strengths can pave the way on how
daily tasks are accomplished. According to Doyle (2019), "Your skills shape not only your
professional trajectory, but your private life as well. Overall, employers look for job candidates
with strong personal skills because they positively contribute to the office culture and are reliable
in a variety of ways."
Based on the factors presented above I am more likely to follow is the Pragmatic
Christian Wisdom Emphasis. According to Horton (2009), “Another group within the wisdom
school of thought prioritizes the use of wise counsel and common sense as well as the
responsible use of their strengths, talents, and abilities, but these Christians place less of a
priority on the Scriptures. The Bible informs the decision-making process, but its specific
instructions and commandments are counterbalanced by other factors." I feel like I am more
drawn to placing less priority on Scriptures because they can mean different outcomes for
different people. According to Horton (2009), "While the Bible serves as our guidebook,
Christians still need to realize that all interpretations have a subjective element. Moreover, the
Bible itself contains multiple exhortations to make room for the Holy Spirit to be at work in our
lives (e.g., Galatians 5:16-18)". We all have our way of thinking and I don't want to place that
perception between myself and the client. We will not think the same, but we must maintain that
bond of communication and I do not want to lose that. Horton (2019) states, "Those with a
pragmatic Christian emphasis, like their biblical wisdom counterparts, seek to follow God's
general will as opposed to a particular plan for their lives. Most within this camp do not believe
that God has a detailed plan for each individual."
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Running head: SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT IN COUNSELOR PAPER
Past and Present Influences
When I think of my experience, I can see a lot of comparison to the approach I was most
drawn to which is Pragmatic Christian Wisdom Emphasis. In my life I was raised mostly by my
grandmother since my mother was still a teen. I just learned to have a certain level of respect for
all human beings no matter their background. I just became open minded to different
backgrounds and perspectives of life. I tend to leave Scripture out of my work simply because of
my battle I have with interpretation. About five years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer and
was still in my 20's so I went through a lot of internal struggles trying to piece together why
something so deadly would be placed upon me. I spend countless nights wondering what I did as
a person to deserve such an illness. In my present time, I am starting to use that experience as a
test that was placed upon me that I passed. With being ill I found a newfound vision on strength
and considering all the options that may be out there for me and anyone else. It is one of those
situations when one door closes another door opens. I was approached by a counselor when I
was going through my illness when I wanted to give up. That counselor showed me what
strength was which led me to desire to help others. According to Tang (2003), "Helping
individuals adapt to changing environments is a major strength of career development practice.
Additional strengths are a solid theoretical framework, effective assessment tools and
technology, and a clear professional identity."
Practical Application
When dealing with a client who has different decision-making style can cause some
potential influence on how I address the client. The client has addressed the fact that she is
struggling with God's will when pertaining to which major, she should pick. I have a decision-
making approach of Pragmatic Christian Wisdom Emphasis. According to Miller (2017),
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Running head: SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT IN COUNSELOR PAPER
"Imposing your values on clients means that you attempt to exert direct influence over their
beliefs, feelings, judgments, attitudes and behaviors. This can occur if you're completely unaware
of your attitudes, beliefs and feelings or if you hold strong prejudices against specific groups of
people.". I could not be aware of certain needs for the client from Scripture since I tend to not
include Scripture in my sessions. Even though I know that the client is struggling with God's
will, I could be oblivious to the fact that the client needs this guidance from Scripture.
Miller (2017) states, "At times, sharing your clients' values can be useful to the treatment
process, since they want to feel accepted and understood. But you also don't need to share your
clients' values to convey this message. When your values conflict with those of your clients,
maintain as neutral an attitude as possible,". To maintain the balance between myself and the
client I will strive to maintain neutral conversations. I will continue by become more self-aware
of my internal thoughts and opinions. By doing so I can be more accurate about imposing what I
think is the correct way of completing certain tasks when it come to an individual’s career.
According to Miller (2017), " Self-awareness is perhaps one of the best tools you can use to
avoid imposing your values on clients. This involves taking a comprehensive inventory of your
feelings, values, attitudes and behaviors and noticing your reactions to your clients' statements or
actions, especially those that provoke a strong or negative feeling.”
Conclusion
Each counselor will be introduced to individuals with an array of unique backgrounds
and values. The counselor will have to gain the skills that their values should not affect their
counseling style. After completing the survey at the end of Horton's (2009) article, I found that
five areas were very important to me when making decisions, which were the use of common
sense, considering the circumstances (looking for doors/ windows of opportunity), considering
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Running head: SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT IN COUNSELOR PAPER
personal desires and interest, considering personal strengths, talents, gifts and abilities and
recognizing and responding to the needs of others. Based on the factors presented above I am
more likely to follow is the Pragmatic Christian Wisdom Emphasis. I feel like I am more drawn
to placing less priority on Scriptures because they can mean different outcomes for different
people. With my personal experience, I can see a lot of comparison to the approach I was most
drawn to which is Pragmatic Christian Wisdom Emphasis. In my life I was raised majority by my
grandmother with a teen mom. I just learned to have a certain level of respect for all human
beings no matter their background, from my childhood upbringing. When dealing with a client
who has different decision-making style can cause some potential influence on how I address the
client. The client has addressed the fact that she is struggling with God’s will when pertaining to
which major, she should pick. I have a decision-making approach of Pragmatic Christian
Wisdom Emphasis. My approach is to remain neutral while also continuing to meet the needs of
the client.
References:
Doyle, A. (2019). Important Personal Skills That Employers Value.
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Running head: SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT IN COUNSELOR PAPER
Retrieved September 08, 2020, from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/personal-skills-
list-2063763
Horton, D. (2009). DISCERNING SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT:
ASSESSING CURRENT APPROACHES FOR UNDERSTANDING GOD’S WILL.
Retrieved 2020, from https://learn.liberty.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-42121425-dt-content-rid-
499961954_1/courses/COUC522_B51_202040/Article_Discerning_Spiritual_Discernme
nt_Assessing_Current_Approaches_for_Understanding_Gods_Will.pdf
McAndrew, L. M., Martin, J. L., Friedlander, M., Shaffer, K., Breland, J., Slotkin, S.,
& Leventhal, H. (2018). The Common Sense of Counseling Psychology: Introducing the
Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation. Counselling psychology quarterly, 31(4),
497–512. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515070.2017.1336076
Miller, A. (2017, November 21). How Not to Impose Your Values on Clients.
Retrieved September 08, 2020, from https://work.chron.com/not-impose-values-clients-
21470.html
Tang, M. (2003), Career Counseling in the Future: Constructing, Collaborating, Advocating.
The Career Development Quarterly, 52: 61-69. doi:10.1002/j.2161-0045. 2003.tb00628.
Taylor, D. (2019, November 12). The importance of common sense.
Retrieved September 08, 2020, from https://www.amazingpeople.co.uk/importance-
common-sense/
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