Article's premise
The article, A Working Model for the Integration of Spirituality in Counseling,
written by Miles Matise, focuses on the importance of allowing the integration
of a client’s spirituality into the counseling process. In addition, the author
provides a spiritual awareness guide, SAG, to help the counselor
conceptualize the client's issues within their spiritual context as well as a
spiritual decision tree. The counselor can best create a prognosis and
treatment plan specialized to the client's spiritual needs with the information
provided with their spirituality. d
Research questions
The main research question of the article revolves around the thought: can
spirituality benefit the need of the client, and how so? The author makes
the distinction that counselors must view the client as a whole, their
spirituality included. Additionally, the idea that spirituality should be
considered during topics of loss, grief, and crisis is of the essence in the
client's well-being. The research question goes further by including the idea
of training for counselors on how to deal with their client's spirituality in the
healing process regardless of their personal beliefs. The author writes that
by neglecting the client's spirituality, the client "may become overly censored
and not experience the full effectiveness of counseling” (Matise, 2017). The
author also uses the spiritual decision tree to decide whether counselors
should integrate spirituality into the counseling process and focus on a
spiritual strategy.
Findings and conclusions
d d d The study concluded in the idea that "the question of whether
or religion and spirituality should be addressed in the therapeutic process is
no longer an issue" (Matise, 2017). In other words, the study supports the
idea that spirituality is essential to be considered and integrated into the
counseling process to achieve their goal in healing. It is also essential that
counselors become familiar and comfortable with their feelings when dealing
with clients who prioritize their spirituality. Entwistle supports the idea by
reminding us that "licensed professionals exist to meet the client's needs”
(Entwistle, 2015, p.297). As a result, counselors must receive the appropriate
training to avoid separation from client and counselor. Finally, Matise
concludes the study by addressing the fact that the combination of the
spiritual decision tree and the spiritual awareness guide "the counselor can
more accurately meet the client at the stage of their spiritual development
and help to provide a cognitive psycho-spiritual framework to assist the client
through their experience" (Matise, 2017). In summary, a client's spirituality is
of essence to be integrated into the counseling process.
Reaction/response
d d d After reading the study, I can say that the result sincerely
supports my idea that spirituality should be integrated into the counseling
process. I believe that spirituality is the core of every human and, therefore,
needs to be addressed to those who come seeking guidance. On the other
hand, I agree that counselors need to receive the training to deal with these
clients. Counselors should become aware and possess the knowledge of how
to deal with spirituality. Similarly, it is up to the counselor to decide whether
they want to continue to help the client or refer them to someone who is
better qualified at dealing with their spirituality. In summary, the counselor
must look at the client within their fullness in order for them to achieve
breakthrough and freedom from their situation and mental health problems.
Reference
Entwistle, D. N. (2015). In Integrative approaches to psychology AND
CHRISTIANITY: An introduction to Worldview ISSUES, philosophical
foundations, and models of integration (pp. 165–267). essay, Cascade Books.
Miles Matise, Jeffery Ratcliff & Flavia Mosci (2018) A Working Model for the
Integration of Spirituality in Counseling, Journal of Spirituality in Mental
Health, 20:1, 27-50, DOI: d
