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.


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