25 Sep 2021 at 21:08
Manage discussion entry
Article Summary
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.
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.
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
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
