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. b
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
b b b b b 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
b b b b b b 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: b
