INTEGRATION 2
1.
What does it mean to be human? One could say it is DNA, our genus and species, even
God-given. We could go back to the beginning, where we believe that God created the heavens
and the earth or where others believe a collision created earth and amazingly cells morphed into
many animals and finally into human form. Biblically, to be human is to be the fleshly image of
God. God created man un a unique way, unlike how he created the earth, stars or even animals.
All of those he spoke into existence, but man he took time to form. God formed man of dust,
breathed into him the breath of life, “and man became a living soul.” (King James Version, 1611,
Genesis 2:7) To be human is to be as God envisioned himself. To be human is to be uniquely
created with a soul that guides our hearts and minds. It is to be born in sin with the opportunity
for forgiveness. It is to be humane, caring for the living as we all are gifts from God. It is to be
Christ-centered.
As one considers the construct of the Imago Dei, it is seen as multidimensional and able
to impact the biological, psychological, sociological and spiritual lives of individuals. (Hall &
Fujikawa, 2013 p. 277) This worldview influences the biological life of the individual by helping
them to understand that were uniquely created by God. Throughout the Old and New Testaments
of the Bible one can read where God knew us and formed us in our mothers’ wombs as in
Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:16, Isaiah 49:1, Romans 8:29, and Galatians 1:15 are some verses that
confirm that God created and allowed us to be born with purpose in His image. God does not
make mistakes in our formation; we were chosen to exist. In the psychological life this
worldview confirms that we were designed to think differently, to navigate differently, to process
the world differently as we see through God’s eyes. Rizzuto asserts that “the God-image is a
special kind of transitional object – that is, one that continues to develop throughout each
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consecutive psychological stage as part of the process of maintaining one’s sense of self.” (Hall
& Fujikawa, 2013, p. 279) Sociologically the worldview can even be alienating as one seeks to
find people who are like-minded. As thoughts on religion and spirituality have evolved or
morphed into such confusion, they remain an untouched topic. For many of us, there are people
who we choose not to associate with because of their strong opinions of God and those who
serve him. Spiritually this worldview has been beneficial to the other parts of life. There is a faith
that can be relied on when the other areas seem to be in disarray. There is an understanding that
“I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (King James Version, 1611, Psalm 139:14) Because this
is known, the image of God and the reflection of God can be seen in the spirituality of our
humanness. As a human, God created us with a spirit and a soul that is filled with emotion, this is
how God saw himself. As reflections of him, individuals can see the image of God through their
willingness to follow the right and righteous things to do.
2.
I believe just as Ecclesiastes 3:1, ”To everything there is a season, and a time to every
purpose under the heaven.” (King James Version, 1611) The nature of the counseling session
would determine if I chose to integrate prayer and scripture. Knowing the details of the clients is
important as it is not counselors’ job to convert a client, but to do the job they are sent to do.
There is a difference in Christian counseling and having a counselor who is a Christian. Many
times, by listening to the client you can gauge their view of religion. There is a fine line when it
relates to integrating as you would not want to offend or overwhelm the client. In a role as
Pastoral counselor, the client would likely be someone who understands that their feedback has a
high probability of being based on scripture. Scripture should not be used when it is out of
context, lacking foundational understanding and interpretation. If a person is not interested,
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prayer and scripture should not be forced as a control mechanism. If the prayer and scripture is
not part of the care plan, then it should not be introduced against the patients’ desires. Entwistle
(2015) provides an intelligent “working definition,” “The integration of psychology and
Christianity is a multi-faceted attempt to discern the underlying truths about the nature and
functioning of human beings from the unique vantage points of psychology (in its various sub-
disciplines, utilizing diverse methodologies) and Christianity (in theology, faith, and practice).”
(p. 260) As a pastoral counselor, we recognize that prayer can bring calm to tense or high anxiety
interactions, so it should be used when necessary. “Prayer is used with some but not all
counseling clients, depending on the theoretical orientation of the counselor and the diagnosis of
the client.” (McMinn, 2011, p.81) Prayer has its place and purpose, it does not have to be openly
stated for God to hear it. If a client is opposed, I would pray in my spirit.
My viewpoint of how healing happens is a mixture. I believe that God can heal, I also
believe that God has given wisdom and knowledge to practitioners of medicine to aid in healing.
I also believe in divine healing as much as I believe in psychosomatic illness. I am a praying
person, but I also have understanding that there are times when medical professionals are
required. If a person breaks a bone, yes you can pray but take them to a doctor to see how
extensive the break is and to see what the prognosis and plan of care are to ensure it heals
properly. I believe God wants us to be intelligent and make wise decisions, I also believe that we
should be discerning to understand the difference between physical sickness and a physical
sickness brought on by a spiritual entity. In Proverbs 23:7 it states, “As a man thinketh in his
heart, so is he.” A person can think they have an illness to the point that their mind will allow
them to believe it and their body begins to show symptoms and signs of the illness, however
there is nothing that can be found through testing. I have received divine healing on more than
INTEGRATION 5
one occasion. I have been diagnosed with conditions proven with testing and images and when I
returned to the doctors for more rounds of testing the issue has been completely healed or
resolved as if there was never a problem.
Healing happens first in the mind, with the caveat that how God chooses to heal and how
we perceive healing may be different. God uses medical professionals to assist in our healing,
just as he uses clergy to pray over the sick and they recover. (New King James Version, James
5:14)
3.
My personal view of integrating psychology and theology as a credible approach for
pastoral counseling is based on the premise that I have witnessed and experienced both concepts.
As in the article by Currier et.al. (2018) “spiritual history should be considered when creating a
plan of care for the integration of their faith.” For many who believe in a higher power, their
belief is of considerable importance to their total wellness. Pastoral counseling has the unique
ability to factor in the spiritual with the natural and make it relevant for the person. It can provide
clarity for scriptures used out of context in terms of healing. As people trust their pastor, they can
be influenced to pursue other medical assistance they may require. Understanding science and
theology and the principle that “all truth comes from God,” allows me to embrace the two as they
work in tandem. (Entwistle, 2015) The goal of the pastoral counselor is to engage with those who
come and to assist them with their area of concern and offer biblically and psychologically sound
resolutions. The person may want to confess or need help understanding why they don’t feel God
as they used to. In these cases, it is the mission to give them space to express themselves with
active listening and to help them overcome their area of concern.
INTEGRATION 6
What differentiates my integration theory is the experience from both perspectives.
While undergoing therapy for different reasons, there were times where I needed to hear a
Christian response and it was not there. There were times during pastoral counseling that I
needed a psychological response, and it was not there. I believe there must be a balance and
understanding of the dynamics of the individual. If a person is highly spiritual, work from that
angle to integrate and allow them to come to certain realizations. Give honest responses so that
the person gets a clear and concise set of options to consider. I most closely aligned with the
Allies model as it “recognizes God’s sovereignty.” It asserts that our allegiance is not to either
science but to God alone. The tenets affirm that we can utilize both psychology and theology
with “full recognition of their limitations.” “It is important to highlight that this is not just an
intellectual exercise: psychology and theology are not just about abstract beliefs – they are also
about how we live.” (Entwistle, 2015) While there may be areas of conflict on whether the two
can be integrated, there is proof that it can be beneficial when used from the right perspective,
with the people who need both. I believe that ensuring the needs of the counselee come first, as
we work together, utilizing the tools that are available through theology and psychology to come
to a resolution and aid in their recovery.
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References
Currier, J.M., Pearce, M.J., Carroll, T.D., & Koenig, H.G. (2018). Military veterans’ preferences
for incorporating spirituality in psychotherapy or counseling.IProfessional Psychology:
Research and Practice, 49, 39–47.
Entwistle, D.N. (2015). Integrative approaches to psychology and christianity. Eugene, Oregon:
Cascade Books.
Hall, T. W., & Fujikawa, A. M. (2013). God image and the sacred. (pp. 277-292). American
Psychological Association.Ihttps://doi.org/10.1037/14045-015
McMinn, M.R. (2011). Psychology, theology, and spirituality in christian counseling. Carol
Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishing
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