No claim is made to cure any medical condition. Complementary health assistance must be with medical doctor's permission and following the client consulting a medical doctor.

Faith Issues and Therapy

Faith is an integral part of our lives and of who we are. Why is it therefore so hard to talk about it or discuss it?

The probable answer is that everyone has an agenda, everyone has their own faith, even if that faith is to "not have a faith". If you talk to most people of a religious persuasion, they will want to convert you, even if they are too subtle to come out and say so straight away! Others, because they are insecure in their own faith, pour scorn on the issue because it is frankly too uncomfortable for them to talk about.

Choosing a faith counsellor

Faith related counselling is possible without using it as a platform for conversion. It is important when seeking a source of such counselling to really examine the views and agenda of the counsellor you are considering. You really need to know where the counsellor is coming from, and I would argue this is a time where self-disclosure in a controlled way is essential by the therapist.

Methods of addressing faith issues

The process of exploring faith issues can be approached in two different ways, depending on the client (always the client, never the therapist!).

1. The client is curious about one or two different faiths and therefore begins by exploring those, while trying not to get too "sucked in" straight away.

2. The client seeks out a counsellor capable and willing to explore aspects of faith and then allow the client to seek out which faith matches his or her own discoveries.

The dangers with the first method are obvious. The client may get sucked into a "welcoming" (probably genuine from the group's point of view) church or group. In the attempt to welcome and retain the person the group will either deliberately or unwillingly move to shut off any other influences of a faith nature, portraying their way as the right one.

Problems to look out for

The client may never get to explore other faiths, or conversely "run away" from that faith completely and lose out on a learning experience for fear of being trapped.

The difficulty with the second method, is as we have already said, the difficulty in finding such a person.

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For the second method the counsellor or therapist the client needs to seek has to be fairly knowledgeable on a range of faith issues, be a trained therapist since this is an issues relating to personal issues or problems, be non-biased towards any one faith, preferably have a network of contacts to further information sharing for the client ......

Not a person therefore that you tend to find around that often!

This is often an area where therapists need to ensure that their own personal issues are dealt with! If they, their families or their ancestors have been persecuted by another faith, that must NOT be reflected in the counselling they give the client. If they feel they have found "their way" in faith, they must not assume that this is the right way for the client too! The therapist must be non-threatened by the client's right to explore for themselves, even if this means the client choosing a faith which secretly the therapist does not like. This is above all NOT an opportunity for conversion by the therapist, doing so is a breech of the clients trust and is unethical. ONLY if the client clearly requests counselling on one particular faith should a biased service be provided. There is always the possibility that the example set by the therapist as a faithful servant of a faith will inspire the client to examine that faith. But even then care should be taken that the therapist is not abusing the status of their position.

At the end of the day it is not in the interests of the client to be sucked into a faith, even if the intentions of the "leader" are on the surface good ones. Everyone has a right to self-determination in faith as in all things. I hope that most therapists would rather meet a well adjusted and happy "brand y" faith person rather than a disillusioned and unhappy "your brand" faith!

So where should the client look?

This is not easy, with faith being frequently a topic not talked about. If they are ringing around a list of therapists - ASK about the faith issue and explain the situation. If such issues are covered in an advert or description - ask further and ensure it is the service you need. Take time to find a therapist you will help you in the right way, and of course always be mindful of the usual issues of safety, qualification, insurance and registration.

Personally I am dedicated to to peaceful co-existence of different faiths and mutual respect between them. I have therefore studies a number and continue to broaden my knowledge. As an ordained minister of a number of multi faith ministries, I am dedicated to the concept that most if not all faiths are worshipping the same creator, and that the differences between faiths are mainly cultural. If you respect another person's right to a culture, then you must also except the right to worship differently. I am therefore well equipped to offer counselling and assist exploration to a client in need, while truthfully saying that I am open minded to the result. I have no bias since I believe all faiths are linked. My agenda if you will is to open people's eyes to non-discrimination in faith. This is the personal belief that I would naturally have to be open about!

I use faith only where appropriate in counselling and psychotherapy, although it surfaces more frequently in healing work. I never try to convert a client since I believe that to be completely unethical.

For those people who need pastoral of faith counselling, I am able to draw on models from a wide range of faiths. I have worked with a number of faiths including Paganism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Druidism. 

 Church Ordination information (away from main therapy practice and life coaching section) HERE

 

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