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Writing about religion and听spirituality with a counselling听audience can feel a bit like听鈥榝ools rush in where angels听fear to tread鈥�¹, but mindful of my own听continuing need for counsel around these听topics, I think it is especially important that听we counsellors and psychotherapists hold听open a space where our clients can explore听these issues if they so wish.

I am often听asked, 鈥榳hat do you mean by 鈥渞eligion鈥� and听by 鈥渟pirituality鈥�?鈥� My preferred answer is:听what do these words mean to you and to听your clients? This does not usually seem听to satisfy my questioners, so my next听response is to draw on common dictionary听definitions, which often talk of religion as听the framework 鈥� buildings, pastors, books,听beliefs 鈥� under which people gather, whilst听reserving spirituality for the individual鈥檚听own beliefs and experiences (also usefully听discussed in Harborne, 2008²).

Many people do seem to resonate with听this distinction between religion and听spirituality. However, it does not always听meet with universal acceptance. So I听notice that even the words we use to talk听about these issues are under challenge and听often the subject of passionate dispute.听These words 鈥� 鈥榮pirituality鈥� and 鈥榬eligion鈥� 鈥撎齬eally matter to many people. I think the听polarisation and controversies around听religious beliefs in recent years have听increased the amount that they matter.听In the therapeutic context it is useful to听think about spirituality in terms of:

(a)听experiences that people have which they听refer to as 鈥榮piritual鈥�;
(b) the beliefs that they听have in relation to their spirituality;
(c) the听value system, explicit or implicit, they听have in relation to their spirituality; and
(d) where this all fits in (or does not fit in)听with organised religion.

We can usefully expand this notion of spirituality and听spiritual experiences within a therapeutic context, and听say that:

• It is rooted in human experiencing rather than听abstract theology.听
• It is embodied.听
• It involves linking with other people and the universe听at large.听
• It involves non-ordinary consciousness.听
• Active engagement with spirituality tends to make听people more altruistic, less materialistic and more听environmentally aware.听
• It deals with the meaning that people make of their lives.听
• It faces suffering and its causes.听
• It relates to God/goddesses/ultimate reality.听
• It often uses the word 鈥榮oul鈥� or 鈥榟igher self鈥�.听
• It uses techniques such as prayer, meditation,听contemplation, mindfulness, yoga and t鈥檃i chi³.

Who we are

As therapists I would suggest that our personal听understandings and experiences of who we are, and what we think, are part of our being in the room with our clients;听whether we share this information with them or not. I听imagine that many readers of Thresholds would take the听viewpoint that our counselling work with clients is in some听way an expression of our faith in practice. This does not听mean that we impose our faith or even talk about our faith听and spirituality with our clients. However, it is part of who听we are; part of our being in the room. And, I would maintain听that this does communicate itself in some way to our clients.

I would maintain that the religious viewpoint of the therapist听does impact on her clients. Any one therapist may be:

1. Religious: although we may carry our religious faith and听belonging lightly, it will however impact on the values that听underpin our work with clients. I imagine many within听APSCC would fall into this group. For those who think听鈥榮o what?鈥� Peter Gubi鈥檚 research^4,5 into the use of prayer听in counselling might give some pause for thought. He听surveyed just over half of 香港六合彩精准资料 accredited practitioners听and 43 per cent (247) replied. Fifty-nine per cent of his听respondents had used prayer covertly with clients and听12 per cent had used it overtly with Christian clients.听Only 24 per cent of those who used prayer had ever听discussed it in supervision.
2. Spiritual but not religious: this is quite a common position听for people within Britain today 鈥� what Davie⁶ calls听鈥榖elieving but not belonging鈥�. This is also a very common听position for counsellor trainees to have, in my experience.听I notice how often the word 鈥榮oul鈥� is used among this听group, and the popularity of religious practices such as听mindfulness, yoga and meditation, which are often used听outside of a religious context.
3. Not spiritual: some people do not get it and do not want听it and wonder what the fuss is about! I have recently had听the pleasure of reading a book chapter by Dave Mearns in听which he insists that he is a nihilistic atheist who never听uses the word 鈥榮pirituality鈥� to describe the experience of听meeting a client at relational depth⁷. What I found听intriguing was that I could relate deeply and indeed听spiritually to what Mearns says even though he does听not use the language of spirituality. This cured me of the听belief that something is necessarily lost when we only听use secular language. However, my personal preference听is to use spiritual and religious language.
4. Anti religious (a subset of 3): this grouping has been听strengthened by recent polarisation of opinions for and听against religion, reflected in the writings of the natural听scientist Dawkins⁸, the journalist Hitchens⁹ and the听philosopher De Botton¹⁰. People in this group will听sometimes carry hurt and anger in relation to their听experiences of organised religion.

I would hope that, whatever the therapist鈥檚 view on听spirituality and religion, the client would get the therapy they听need; but we know from Chris Jenkins鈥� research¹¹ that this is听not always the case: 鈥榃hen I was ill, I certainly learned very听quickly to keep the spiritual side of myself separate from the听rest of myself whenever I met with any of the 鈥減rofessionals鈥濃�櫶�(counselling client cited in Jenkins 2006¹²).

This challenge around the impact of the therapist鈥檚 apparent听religious beliefs on their clients was brought home to me听very forcefully three or four years ago when, one day, with听my own therapist, I noticed that she was wearing a Christian听cross. I thought to myself, 鈥極h my God, what on earth does听she think of me? Is she a Christian, and if so, what kind of听Christian is she?鈥� I feared her condemnation. I had taken her听to be vaguely New Age in her spiritual outlook and seemingly听accepting of my spirituality and faith, but what if I had got it听wrong about her? During the week between sessions I said to听myself, 鈥楥ome on William, you鈥檙e a specialist on therapy and听spirituality; surely you of all people could address such a听spiritual issue with your therapist?鈥� So I did and asked her听about why she was wearing the cross. She replied that it was听worn as a fashion item and not as an expression of belief!听My relief was immense but it had taken me some courage听to raise this issue. How hard, then, might it be for a client听to raise questions around spirituality. I held back on telling听her she needed to explore this in supervision!

Challenges

There are three broad challenges that may arise when听working with clients around spirituality and spiritual issues听and religion:

1. Client presenting issues relating to their spirituality and/or听religious faith;听
2. Experiences within the counselling session that either听client or therapist or both regard as spiritual;听
3. When working with a client鈥檚 spirituality leads to spiritual听or religious issues arising for the therapist.

It is possible that more than one of the above factors may听be active and possibly problematic for the therapist. I have听always felt that working with clients has the potential to听change me, hopefully for the better. And that by being听witness to, and reflecting on, my clients鈥� struggles, it changes听who I am over time. Considering each of these three听challenges in terms of the counsellor鈥檚 experience, meaning-making听and values, we get the table shown below:

Table 1: Challenges

I will now briefly consider each column of challenges in turn.听

Client issues around spirituality and religion

Clients鈥� descriptions and discussion of their spiritual听experiences and beliefs can be challenging and disturbing.听We need to be able to help our clients explore their doubts听and concerns. We may or may not have similar issues听ourselves. For example, it can be very painful for a client听whose spouse is no longer willing to share their religious听faith. There can be deep-rooted religious and psychological听issues involved, including: 鈥榳ill my partner go to heaven?鈥櫶齀t might be easy, all too easy, to reject the concern of such a听client, but it may well be very real to her.

I quite often find that people have cruel attitudes to听themselves that are in sharp contradiction to their听religious faith. For example, Buddhists who feel unworthy听of compassion or Christians who feel themselves to be听unforgiven.

It can prove difficult working with clients who believe they听are under a spiritual attack. This can be very tricky. It usually听helps to find out what their religious framework is and to听locate the necessary work within that frame, with referral听if necessary. Indeed, the question of referral may arise:

1. When we feel the therapeutic work they need to do is听beyond our expertise or we feel 鈥榦ut of our depth鈥�;听
2. When we feel they need to work with someone from听their own faith tradition;听
3. When we feel a referral for a mental health assessment听is necessary, hopefully with their consent.

Spirituality in sessions

Brian Thorne, in describing his notion of tenderness within听the therapeutic encounter, writes:

鈥業t seems as if for a space, however brief, two human beings听are fully alive because they have given themselves and each听other permission to be fully alive. At such a moment I have听no hesitation in saying that my client and I are caught up in听a stream of love. Within this stream there comes an听effortless or intuitive understanding and what is听astonishing is how complex this understanding can be鈥�¹³.

There is a lot to be unpicked here, which is beyond the scope听of this article (further explored in pages 63-64 of Spiritual听Issues in Therapy). However, it seems clear to me that听Thorne is describing a spiritual experience seemingly听shared by both therapist and client.

In being open to spirituality and spiritual experiences in听therapy sessions there are some very real boundary issues听to consider:

1. Potential loss of boundaries for client. How do we make听and keep it safe for our clients?听
2. Potential loss of boundaries between client and therapist.听I had a client once¹⁴ who spoke of his fear of the 鈥榮piritual听intimacy鈥� that existed between us. This was an expression听of a boundary issue for him and also for me. It raised the听question for me of whether our therapeutic work together听had shifted from being therapy to being spiritual direction听and what this 鈥榮piritual intimacy鈥� he was referring to was?听Part of resolving this matter was inviting him to clarify听what this intimacy and the nature of our relationship had听then become.听
3. Sometimes either therapist or client may feel they听experience God or other presences in the room. This听can get very real and very challenging. It demands a听real honesty to engage in such work and a willingness听to stay with the unknown and the uncertain.听
4. Where does therapy end and spirituality or religion听begin? Or rather, when does a therapeutic encounter听begin to feel more like spiritual direction or听accompaniment, and who decides? Clearly this听question needs exploring in the moment with the听client but also subsequently within supervision.

Therapist鈥檚 own spirituality and religious beliefs

My work as a therapist has changed me and my life in so听many ways. It feels that witnessing my clients鈥� life struggles听has made me ever more aware of my own issues that need听addressing. This has included the need to look after myself听at a deep level including spiritual practices that keep me on听an even keel.

My clients over the years have thrown up a whole host of听spiritual and religious issues that I have had to wrestle with,听within and outside of supervision. Some examples:

1. Why them? In other words, why did such horrible things听happen to this client and how does my faith stay intact?听I feel it is important for me not to duck this issue but to听give it the time it deserves, (largely) outside of the session.听
2. How do I deal with the sense of others present in the听therapy room? I certainly feel 鈥榟elped鈥� at times, especially听in difficult moments in my clients鈥� therapy processes.听I am intrigued by the images and words that can turn听up at just the right moment when working deeply with听clients. Sometimes, when working with bereavement,听the deceased will appear very present to both myself听and the client.听
3. My therapy and academic work cause me to be aware of听my regular need for spiritual solitude and contemplation.

Conclusion

It is quite common to talk in therapy of being on a journey听as a client or therapist, and I find this a useful metaphor听for my spirituality, ie being on a spiritual or faith journey.听A related idea I often use is that of 鈥榰nfolding鈥�: that there听are friendly processes wanting to happen, to unfold, and听counselling and what we might call 鈥榮piritual friendship鈥櫶齝an facilitate such unfolding.

However, I have no need for my clients to be on a spiritual听path or have a religious faith; that is up to them. I don鈥檛 need听my clients to share my understanding of what spirituality听is. In any case I am open to learning from them and from听the experience of us working together. There can be great听joy in working with someone who does not share the same听faith as me, or even has no faith at all. My own spiritual听journeying continues, and Jonathan Wyatt makes sense听to me when he urges us to have awareness of our own faith听position in the moment: 鈥榃hen I am clear about my faith听and comfortable with it 鈥� whatever it looks like 鈥� then that听is good. I know what I think. I know what I believe and听I know what I do not believe. I know what my values are,听or I know that I don鈥檛 know. Then, when I am like that,听I can listen to clients鈥�¹⁵.

Dr William West is a Reader in Counselling听Studies at the University of Manchester听where he is most noted for his interest in听counselling and spirituality and for his听work with doctorate and PhD students.听His most recent book is Exploring听Counselling, Spirituality and Healing (Palgrave 2011).听William is a keen cyclist, amateur poet and beginner听piano player.

References

1. Pope A. An essay on criticism; 1709.听http://www.poetryfoundation.org/learning/essay/237826
2. Harborne L. Working with issues of spirituality, faith or religion.听香港六合彩精准资料 Information Sheet G13. Lutterworth: British Association听for Counselling and Psychotherapy; 2008.
3. West W (ed). Exploring therapy, spirituality and healing.听Basingstoke: Palgrave; 2011.
4. Gubi P. Practice behind closed doors: challenging the taboo of听prayer in mainstream counselling culture. Journal of Critical听Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy; 2002; 2(2):97-104.
5. Gubi P. Integrating prayer in counselling. In West W (ed). Exploring听therapy, spirituality and healing. Basingstoke: Palgrave; 2011.
6. Davie G. Religion in Britain since 1945. Oxford: Blackwell; 1994.
7. Mearns D. On faith and nihilism: a considerable relationship. In听Leonardi J (ed). The human being fully alive: writings in celebration听of Brian Thorne. Ross-on-Wye: PCCS Books; 2010.
8. Dawkins R. The God Delusion. London: Black Swan; 2007.
9. Hitchens C. God is not great: how religion poisons everything.听New York: Hachette Book Group; 2007.
10. De Botton A. Religion for atheists: a non-believer鈥檚 guide to the uses听of religion. London: Hamish Hamilton; 2012.
11. Jenkins C. When clients鈥� spirituality is denied in therapy. In West W听(ed). Exploring therapy, spirituality and healing. Basingstoke:听Palgrave; 2011.
12. Jenkins C. A Voice denied: clients鈥� experience of the exclusion of听spirituality in counselling and psychotherapy. PhD Thesis.听University of Manchester; 2006.
13. Thorne B. Person-centred counselling: therapeutic and spiritual听dimensions. London: Whurr; 1991.
14. West W. Spiritual issues in therapy: relating experience to practice.听Basingstoke: Palgrave; 2004.
15. Wyatt J. 鈥楥onfronting the almighty God鈥�? A study of how听psychodynamic counsellors respond to clients鈥� expressions of听religious faith. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research. 2002;听2(3):177-184.

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