The increasing concern in incorporating spirituality into mental health is a step forward to an ever growing and diverse field. However, since spirituality is believed not to be scientific, it has contributed to the gap that continues to be present in clinical trainings as an “effort to prove that psychology should be taken seriously as a rigorous, empirical, and respected discipline” (Plante, 2009). Two survey report studies related to spirituality and therapeutic treatment discovered that “92.2 % of the family therapy students they surveyed reported that they had not received any training focused on how to integrate spirituality into clinical practice” (Prest et al., 1999). Moreover, “76 % of the clinical members of the American Association
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Some clinicians feel inept and are reluctant to approach spiritual issues because many are not equipped to handle disclosure or family seeking a connection to validate their views that is based on their spiritual beliefs and customs. Another potential barrier clinicians may face is related to the First Amendment regarding separation of church and state. Yet, lines get blurred due to the client and community served. For many communities, religion is the center of their everyday lives and any clinicians who fail to acknowledge their clients’ needs does a disservice to them. In a marriage and family therapeutic setting, according to Bowen’s theory views, family is an emotional unit. Therefore, marriage and family therapists must see their clients as units who have “physical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions. Ignoring any of these aspects of humanity may leave patients feeling incomplete and may even interfere with healing” (Koenig et al, 2001). In addition, clients who express their spiritual beliefs can be a powerful force to help them heal. Another, possible adverse consequences of integrating spirituality into marriage and family therapy include transference, counter-transference, and miscommunication, which can interfere with the therapeutic relationship and these elements have a reciprocal effect on the therapist also. It can lead to frustration, confusion, or shame to anger in the client, family. These are some ethical considerations that can make the client served feel rejected and also the therapist may inadvertently become complicit in the client’s unhealthy behaviors and
Some clinicians feel inept and are reluctant to approach spiritual issues because many are not equipped to handle disclosure or family seeking a connection to validate their views that is based on their spiritual beliefs and customs. Another potential barrier clinicians may face is related to the First Amendment regarding separation of church and state. Yet, lines get blurred due to the client and community served. For many communities, religion is the center of their everyday lives and any clinicians who fail to acknowledge their clients’ needs does a disservice to them. In a marriage and family therapeutic setting, according to Bowen’s theory views, family is an emotional unit. Therefore, marriage and family therapists must see their clients as units who have “physical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions. Ignoring any of these aspects of humanity may leave patients feeling incomplete and may even interfere with healing” (Koenig et al, 2001). In addition, clients who express their spiritual beliefs can be a powerful force to help them heal. Another, possible adverse consequences of integrating spirituality into marriage and family therapy include transference, counter-transference, and miscommunication, which can interfere with the therapeutic relationship and these elements have a reciprocal effect on the therapist also. It can lead to frustration, confusion, or shame to anger in the client, family. These are some ethical considerations that can make the client served feel rejected and also the therapist may inadvertently become complicit in the client’s unhealthy behaviors and