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. c
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
c c c c c c c c c c 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
c c c c c c c c c 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: c
