Photo taken by: Erica Contreras
Caption: See you later LU
Although we didn’t get to talk much about spiritual
strategies in class, it is great to see it in our textbook. As Christian counselors there are a few
things very important for us to remember. One of the most important I believe
we must recognize is that, spirituality does not mean the same things for
everyone, and being a Christian can mean something different to other then what
it means to me. As counselors we must never make an assumption that we
understand what the clients feel is spiritual but instead we must get to know
them first and find out what it means to them. Also there will be times were
our clients will want nothing to do with our faith, in that case I believe we
can still have strong relationship with clients who are very different then us.
Although we may not be able to talk to them about God or pray with them, it
does not mean we can’t pray for them or show them God’s light through our
actions.
As we enter into the field, even if at the time being it’s
just through practicums, it is important for us to remember to be
professionals. I think it is important to us as counselors and as Christians
for many reasons. I try to remember that as a Christian I represent God’s
kingdom wherever I go. If I encounter someone who does not know Jesus but knows
that I follow him and does not see any professionalism from me I will have
represented him in a negative way. This is one of the reasons why it is
important for us to set a good example and remain professional.
As we get close to the end of this class it exciting to see
the growth that has occurred in my classmates and in myself. It is great to see
the different ways that we’ve learned how to implement the techniques written
out in the text and see how they work when you use them in a counseling
session. The most exciting thing for me however is that the ending of this
class, simply marks the beginning. The road that is ahead of us is long but I’m
looking forward to it!
Hello Erica,
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying reading your blog and there are several items I would like to address. First, I thought it was great that our blogs had some similarities in the arena of spirituality and our 505 class did not have too many things to say on the topic. With the exception of the devotions, there was no talk of implementing Christian, pastoral, or spirituality in the counseling session. I believe this is due to the ACA code of ethics section A. Professional counselors--even at a Christian Institution--are being prepped to adhere to ACA code of ethics and local standards. Second, you yourself are saying the thee clients' views of faith and spirituality may not necessarily be the same as your understanding. Though I believe we can all learn from one another and learn to appreciate their perspective in the vicinity of faith and spirituality, there are absolute truths. Furthermore, truth is not relative as the the world would have one believe. Third, I agree with you that as counselors, we need to remain professional and emotionally present with our clients. Our lives do indeed communicate our beliefs and our relationships to God. Just remember Erica, not all the burden falls on you. Jesus was the prime example of truth, love, faith, grace, and justice; however, even the God of creation was/is rejected and ultimately God's holy spirit is who changes the lost! Finally, I am glad and agree with you that professional, Christian counselors can not always pray with the client, but we can pray for them! I believe both praying with and for someone is a powerful tool and way to show externally you care for the client and they can trust you. Thanks for all your thoughts.
Dear Erica,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post about spirituality in counseling. I agree with your desire to establish what spirituality means to your client. It is a good thing to discuss prior to entering a counseling relationship so that one can fully understand where a client is coming from or the desired goals he or she wishes to accomplish. You mentioned that even if your client does not believe exactly what you do, that you still have the opportunity to pray for them. In my post, I talked about how we can show the love of Christ to them and how that can help change the client. I agree with your perspective on a Christian counselor’s responsibility to show the love of Christ to one’s client. I too am looking forward to the journey ahead of me. I know that it will be long, but I am excited to learn along the way. Great post and good luck in your journey!
Camille
Erica,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post and I agree with you that as Christians in the counseling field it is important to maintain professionalism. Like you said, spirituality has a different meaning for each person, but it is our job as counselors to be respectful. There will be times when we will come across clients who are not of the same faith, but like you stated, our actions can profess our faith, not only our words. So it is important that as Christians we exhibit behavior that expresses God's love through us for our client, regardless of the faith of the client.