Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Christian Counseling: What’s Unique?

What Interventions do Christian Counselors Use?



This is the final post in my series of findings from a 2014 survey. In this post I include list of interventions and the frequency they are used by Christian counselors.

This list of interventions includes spiritual practices some Christians use or request when in need. In some cases, we expanded a common practice like prayer so we could obtain more detail. We included prayer types that might only be used by Pentecostals and Charismatics because little is known what that small segment of the counselor population might use.

Spiritual practice
Common
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Most
1 Refer to Bible
74.4
6.80
18.80
46.00
17.20
11.20
2 Invite God’s presence
65.67
21.89
12.45
21.89
15.88
27.90
3 Pray about issues
55.42
18.47
26.10
28.51
13.65
13.25
4 Share testimony
58.06
14.92
27.02
41.94
10.48
5.65
5 Spiritual imagery
54.22
16.47
29.32
36.95
13.65
3.61







6 Pray for healing
42.17
26.91
30.92
27.31
8.03
6.83
7 Pray with hands on client
16.94
63.71
23.79
9.68
1.61
5.65
8 Anoint clients oil
3.21
90.76
6.02
2.41
0.40
0.40
9 Pray in tongues
2.01
94.78
3.21
1.61
0.40
0.00
10 Pray for deliverance
5.65
82.26
12.10
3.63
1.61
0.40
11 Prayed to saint
2.80
96.40
0.80
1.20
0.80
0.80


The spiritual practices in rows 1 – 5 are in common use as defined by at least 50% of Christian clinicians using a practice at least sometimes. As expected, references to the Bible and prayer were the most frequent spiritual practices employed by Christian clinicians in a session. Prayer for healing was by no means rare at 42% engaging in this type of prayer at least sometimes. Considering the responses for more than sometimes, it is possible for clients to visit most clinicians in our sample and not experience any of the spiritual practices in this list. 

Practices generally considered unique to Pentecostal or Charismatic spirituality were rare (e.g., praying in tongues, praying for deliverance). Approximately 19% of responses were from clinicians who self-identified with Pentecostal or Charismatic Christianity.





This group of interventions includes those that are more formalized than those in the previous list. Some like Christian PREP and SYMBIS provide clinicians with specific guidance.

You can find a recent review of Evidenced-Based Practices for Christian Counseling and Psychotherapy in a recent book I reviewed. The review is a free download.

Treatment
Common
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Most
44.40
49.14
6.47
18.97
16.81
8.62
2 Contemplative prayer
35.47
50.00
14.53
22.65
10.26
2.56
3 Pray deliverance
34.33
43.35
22.32
21.46
9.44
3.43
4 Centering prayer
28.21
56.41
15.38
19.66
6.84
1.71
5 Inner healing prayer
23.08
59.40
17.52
15.81
4.27
2.99
20.94
67.66
11.54
12.82
6.41
1.71
18.38
75.32
5.98
10.68
5.98
1.71
15.38
75.64
8.97
9.83
4.70
0.85
3.42
91.91
4.70
0.43
2.14
0.85

The column labeled common identifies how common an intervention is based on reports that clinicians use it is at least sometimes. Close to half use Christian CBT. About one-third use contemplative prayer and prayers for deliverance from a condition. Other identified interventions are not in common use. The data do not indicate how common use might be for a specific problem. For example, clinicians would not be expected to use a forgiveness intervention unless it was relevant to the client’s presenting problem.


 Related Posts


Part 3 Assessment of Spirituality




Read More
Here's a link to the research presentation. You will find more details about the sample and some statistical analysis.


What do Christian Counselors Recommend?

Christian Spirituality: What to do Between Sessions




People are used to getting recommendations when they seek treatment. Physicians, nurses, and therapists offer materials to improve health and well-being outside the office setting. Counselors and Psychotherapists vary in what they recommend to their clients.

In this post I summarize another finding from our 2014 survey of Christian counselors and psychotherapists. My quest has been to identify what might be unique about Christian counseling and psychotherapy. My colleague, Chris Arnzen and I listed several possible items then provided a space for clinicians to add other items they recommend for their clients.

In the table, I identified common practices by adding together the percentages for recommended activities rated Sometimes + Often + Most of the time. So, as you can see, the most frequent recommendation is some type of Christian Literature.

Interventions: What do Christian clinicians recommended clients do between sessions (homework)?

Recommendation
Common
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Most
1 Read Christian literature
78.57
7.14
14.29
42.86
29.41
6.30
2 Pray about issues
76.05
10.92
13.03
36.13
26.47
13.45
3 Daily meditation
65.97
18.07
15.97
39.92
15.13
10.92
4 Read Bible
63.45
13.87
22.69
47.06
10.50
5.88
5 Attend church
62.61
17.65
19.75
36.55
15.97
10.08
6 Spiritual journal
52.10
24.37
23.53
36.97
11.34
3.78







7 Keep prayer journal
43.70
28.99
27.31
33.61
6.72
3.36
38.98
42.80
18.22
26.69
8.05
4.24
9 Seminar / workshop
35.71
32.77
31.51
29.83
3.78
32.77
10 Christian videos
21.85
47.48
30.67
18.49
1.68
1.68
11 Theophostic prayer
11.89
74.89
13.22
10.13
0.88
0.88

Table note.

Common is defined by a practice used at least sometimes by 50% or more of the respondents. The list is ordered by percentage of use. The number responding was 238 for all items except centering prayer (236) and theophostic prayer (227). I included links for the two prayer types in case you have not heard of them.

Resources
You will find many resources on the web. Here’s a collection from the Methodists in the UK




Related Posts


Part 3 Assessment of Spirituality