Clinician Case Study Religion

The presenting client, Melissa, is a single 32-year-old non-denominational Christian. She attends a small Christian church in her rural town. Recently she has been under pressure for not being married, as being married and raising a family are something she wants, and strongly emphasized in her culture and religion. She has been wondering why “God has waited so long to bring a partner into her life, why He has not answered her prayers.” Although she lives in a small town and attends a small church, there are many available men both in her town and in nearby towns; most of these men are Christian, as she desires. However, it seems that those in whom she is interested are not interested in her, and those interested in her, she is not interested …show more content…
Each clinician will have his or her own way of defining his or her own religion and spirituality. However, it is vital that he or she does not then impose their definition on individuals, couples, and families since it would no longer be about their presenting problem, but how they fit into the clinician’s view of religion and the family. This is problematic because the family, couple, or individual will not feel heard or cared for by the clinician and may cease attending therapy sessions. A clinician can integrate his or her perceived notions of religion and the family into therapy by being aware of them as they conduct themselves. The most important and key aspect to integrating religion into the sessions is to negotiate with the family, couple or individual if they want religion to play a part in the sessions or if they would rather focus on the presenting problem. If they decide to incorporate it, the client, not the clinician, determine the way it is done and at what …show more content…
From a postmodern, poststructuralist perspective, diagnosis and labels are not important to the therapy process. Spirituality, if the client wants to bring it forth, becomes integrated because it may play a crucial role in how the client gains and maintains his or her recovery. Healthy and unhealthy religion, spirituality. From this clinician and therapist’s perspective, there is not one correct way to incorporate religion and spirituality into a person and/or family’s system on their way to health. Although a clinician may go into therapy believing his or her own values are correct, they are what is correct for their specific way of being and should not be imposed upon clients in his or her office. Transference and countertransference. Potential transference and countertransference can occur if the therapist or clinician begins to side with one member of the family, even if the clinician sides with his or her individual client’s parents. This should be checked at the door before and after session so to keep the neutral stance client(s) come to therapy