Gordon (2018) explores the use of intellectual humility for better integration of
spirituality and counseling as it allows the therapist to provide a more honest,
appropriate, and comprehensive treatment to the client. Spirituality is an essential
part of personhood and influences one’s understanding of self, his expectations of
how people and society operate, and the clash between the former and the latter
that has created problems to which he is seeking resolution for in therapy.
c c c c c c c c c c c c c Surprisingly, many therapists lack or have limited professional training
on the basics of spirituality (Gordon, 2018). These therapists tend to avoid
incorporating the counselee’s spiritual view during therapy sessions as to not
betray their own ignorance. Invoking intellectual humility will lead the therapist to
broaden his knowledge. He will come to recognize when to refer his client to a
more suitable clinician. Intellectual humility is important for spiritually minded
counselors too.
c c c c c c c c c c c c c Therapists need intellectual humility to remain open-minded in order to
test currently held assumptions and to maintain relational connection especially
when spirituality of the therapist and client greatly differ. An arrogant counselor
stops listening to his client because he either assumes he understands his client's
view through projection of his own spirituality or he dismisses the validity of the
client’s perspective in preference for his beliefs (Gordon, 2018). When the
counselor owns his limitations, it leads to thoughtful questioning. This invites the
client to open up, build rapport, own his problem, and create his solution.
Article Response
c c c c c c c c c c c c c Entwistle (2015) says to foster intellectual humility, “we need to
recognize the limits of our intellectual abilities and our knowledge base. We need
to admit that our own biases and fallibility can skew our conclusions” (p. 100). I
find Gordon’s (2018) paper not only insightful but practical as it details some
ways a therapist can critically assess and strengthen intellectual humility. To
apply this to my counseling, I will pay close attention to detect defensiveness or
feelings of insecurity as these are indicators that the client’s view on spirituality
opposes my beliefs. I will strengthen my intellectual humility by probing the client
to elaborate, using open ended questions rather than trying to move off the topic
with “yes-no” questions. I will analyze the reasoning behind the client’s thought
process under his spiritual assumptions to test for logical consistency within his
worldview framework. This truly puts me in his shoes and allows me to connect
with him without imposing my own beliefs.
References
Entwistle, D. N. (2015). Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: An
introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of
integration (3rd ed.). Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Gordon, E. C. (2018). Intellectual humility, spirituality, and counseling. Journal of
Psychology and Theology, 46(4), 279-291.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0091647118807185
