CHRISTIAN CLIENTS PREFERENCES REGARDING PRAYER AS A COUNSELING INTERVENTION Young 1
CHRISTIAN CLIENTS PREFERENCES REGARDING PRAYER AS A COUNSELING INTERVENTION
JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW 1
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Within this article, it shows the effects of utilizing prayer to assist their clients' troubled
needs. Because prayer has not usually been incorporated in Psychology or Psychotherapy, this
research also travels through the minds of the Christian therapists' and their client's on the best
CHRISTIAN CLIENTS PREFERENCES REGARDING PRAYER AS A COUNSELING INTERVENTION Young 2
way to respectively incorporate prayer into many different counseling interventions. The study
showed that a great percentage of clients had strong expectations for including various types of
prayer in counseling. This study has increased the importance of spirituality to mental health
practitioners and has been progressively perceived as being essential by numerous secular
advisors and counselors.
In recent times spiritual issues have been deemed worthy of discussing and researching
the negative and positive effects of mental health fields. Studies have proven mental health and
spirituality have been linked to many different clients that are going through the process of
psychotherapy. Also, the usefulness of prayer in counseling can be supported and opposed by
two various types of research. Finney and Malony, (1985B) objected to the value of prayer in
counseling by evaluating nine different people on the improvement in psychotherapy through
contemplative or meditative prayer; this resulted in a weak response from clients. On that other
hand Connerley, (2003) conducted a double-blind study of intercessory prayer adjunct to
psychotherapy with depressed clients; this resulted in a positive outcome for cognitive
symptoms of depression and an adverse effect on somatic behavioral symptoms.
It is described in this article that was firmly building the spirituality of mental health
clients has had both positive and negative consequences, but it is in my opinion that this idea of
incorporating prayer into counseling interventions is a great one, simply because of my
profound religious beliefs. It is also proven within this article that most clients have a high
expectation for wanting prayer as well as prayer interventions from their Christian and even
secular counselors. As someone that believes in God, it would indeed be important to know that
my counselor or advisor is on the same spiritual page as I am. It gives me the confidence in
knowing that I can discuss my mental issues as well as my spiritual issues with him or her.
Proverbs 9:9- "Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man,
and he will increase in learning."
CHRISTIAN CLIENTS PREFERENCES REGARDING PRAYER AS A COUNSELING INTERVENTION Young 3
The current article focuses on the connection of spiritual interventions, especially
petitioning to God. When trying to decide what I wanted my second master's degree in I found
that human services and counseling would best fit me. In this article, it speaks to me about the
many situations that I may encounter throughout my journey in counseling people. One of the
topics, in particular, was Therapists introducing the subject of prayer. It is described that many
clients want to talk about religious things but does not because they do not know the religious
beliefs of their counselors. Hecker and Killmer, (2002) stated that clients prefer counselors to
bring up the subject of spirituality, without them bringing it up first gives the impression that it
is not okay to talk about their daily spiritual lives.
It will be necessary for me as a Christian man to incorporate praying with my client as
well as different essential prayer interventions. It is my belief that God is responsible for
spiritual guidance and renewal; by teaching these clients about many different spiritual tools to
deal with their mental health issues will improve their overall results. Because 80% of the U.S.
population believes in God and the power of prayer it is evident that there is a need to
incorporate spiritual interventions including prayer more frequently in counseling (Gallop,
2007&Princeton Survey Research Assoc., 2003). God does not renew our spirits just to say that
we are his children, but he designs us so that we may sow good seeds into others and bring
them closer to him. Since reading this article, I find it necessary to incorporate these different
lessons in my teachings within my community; this includes schools, private sessions, and even
my church.
Spiritual uplifting is significant in all aspects of life whether God is the head of our lives
or not. For example, I am working as a guidance counselor at a school and a child comes to me
with a personal issue that is going on in her home. She is being sexually abused by her father
and has become very depressed, missed numerous days of school and as a result has fallen
behind in her school work. As a counselor, I would first get a full understanding of the situation,
CHRISTIAN CLIENTS PREFERENCES REGARDING PRAYER AS A COUNSELING INTERVENTION Young 4
console her and let her know that I am her for her and will guide her in the right direction to
healing. Secondly, I would find out her expectations for this situation; is she willing to forgo the
tragedy that will happen during this process, such as having her father arrested. Lastly, but
certainly not least, I would introduce the topic of prayer to her by advising her that I am very
religion oriented. I would provide her with different exercise of prayer and explain how it can
change her spiritually. It was one of the things in the article that clients would like for counselors
to bring up first; knowing that they can talk about their spirituality throughout their sessions.
Timothy 3:1617- "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent,
equipped for every good work."
In conclusion, there can be many limitations to this study, but overall it is proven through
the high expectations of clients; it is essential for spiritual healing as well as mental healing to
be involved in most counseling sessions. This article was very insightful on the aspects of the
relationship of counseling and spirituality and prayer. As I take this journey in becoming a
counselor, I will make sure that I am sowing good seeds into my clients, so they are spiritually
uplifted. Praying with them and for them will become a part of my counseling methods to result
in positivity. Spirituality and counseling assist many issues in countless peoples' lives. The
counseling profession cannot merely ignore the presence of spirituality in counseling
intervention. I do understand that all treatments do not work for all people because everyone
doesn't have a strong belief in religious so counselors using prayer as a method may not be the
best treatment. However, integrating Christian practices into counseling intervention,
counselors need to be aware of all the ethical guidelines and an open mind to the client one is
assisting. Prayer, as with any treatment, should be used with attentiveness to ensure that the
client receives the best rehabilitation service possible.
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References
Weld, Chet; Eriksen, Karen (2007). Christian clients' preferences regarding prayer as a
counseling intervention. Journal of Psychology and Theology, Vol 35(4), 328-341. Holy Bible
(NIV)
CHRISTIAN CLIENTS PREFERENCES REGARDING PRAYER AS A COUNSELING INTERVENTION Young 6
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