Christian Therapists' and Clients' Perceptions of Religious Psychotherapy in Private and Agency Settings

Abstract

This study investigates the work of seven mental health professionals with 27 adult clients using data from 92 sessions. Therapists were in private practice or agencies. Therapists and clients (a) identified presenting problems, (b) rated improvement in therapy since its onset, and (c) estimated severity of problems both (retrospectively) at the onset of therapy and(later) at the beginning of the study. Each week, therapists and clients reported on the use or non-use of 20 spiritual guidance techniques and rated the helpfulness of the session. Therapists saw a range of problems, most often involving marriage and family and personal-emotional concerns. Agency and private therapists saw people with different types of problems. Therapists also reported using spiritual guidance techniques at different frequencies. Therapists used spiritual guidance techniques differently with clients of differing religious intensity. Clients and therapists are cautioned that Christian therapists may differ substantially in use of spiritual guidance techniques, expertise, and therapy outcome; consequently, Christian counseling should not be treated as a unitary phenomenon.

Psychotherapy with rural religious fundamentalist clients

“…Conservative Christian clients often terminate therapy prematurely when working with secular therapists. The risk of early or premature termination rises if the alliance has not been firmly established prior to addressing difficult religious beliefs (Worthington et al, 1988). Initially, it may also be helpful to focus more on behaviors connected to an identified problematic belief.…”

A Dialogical Model for Engaging Spirituality in Therapy

“…Worthington et al (1988) observed that the number of spiritual guidance techniques employed does not influence client perceptions of counseling or therapy as much as the decision as to when, how, and, which techniques are employed (p. 292). This highlights that clients for whom spirituality is important will welcome the use of spiritual interventions if these are used in a manner that is sensitive to the client's situation, and by implication in a manner that is consistent with the client's understanding of the purpose or function of the spiritual intervention.…”

The Ethics of Prayer in Counseling

“…Surveys of both secular and Christian mental health professionals have begun to establish the degree of acceptance and frequency of use of prayer as an intervention (Ball & Goodyear, 1991;Carlson et al, 2002;Shafranske & Malony, 1990;Sorenson & Hales, 2002;Wade & Worthington, 2003;Worthington, Dupont, Berry, & Duncan, 1988). Research indicates that 78% of counselors in Christian agencies and 100% in Christian private practices believe it is appropriate to pray with or for a client (Wade & Worthington, 2003).…”