Prayer in Counseling
Prayer in Counseling
Prayer is communicating, worshiping, and sincerely seeking God 's face, knowing that He hears us, loves us and will always respond. Prayer is a big part of many of people’s lives these days. People use prayers everywhere and everything they do so using prayer in counseling is only natural. The counseling field cannot get away from praying in their sessions. But counselors have to be careful how they use prayer in treatment because they need to not instill their own viewpoints or principles upon their clients. Hence, it is argued that there has been some controversy about using prayer in counseling such as improper use of prayer and requires cautious thoughtfulness of ethical concerns. This is important because if prayer is used in counseling, it should be executed with extreme care. Research shows about 30% of Christian counselors pray with their clients during a session and only 7% of secular counselors do the same. Christian counselors and secular counselors use prayer techniques in counseling because it give a boost to client welfare; personal, emotional and spiritual growth. Christian counselors should get in the habit of using the good book, or the scriptures and they should recommend praying with their clients. It should be clear that the counselor is using the truths of God 's word as an inspiration to assist clients back to spiritual and emotional health. But counselors may make the choice to not use the prayer technique because of their lack of experience with prayer, because the counselor observes a different faith from the client, because the counselor conveys a preconception against prayer. When a secular counselor comes across a Christian client or a Christian counselor meets a secular client, self-examination on the part of the counselor is an ethical responsibility.
Christian counselors may not have the same spiritual beliefs as the clients, but a mutual bond may be reached in discussing matters of Christianity. In cases
Prayer is communicating, worshiping, and sincerely seeking God 's face, knowing that He hears us, loves us and will always respond. Prayer is a big part of many of people’s lives these days. People use prayers everywhere and everything they do so using prayer in counseling is only natural. The counseling field cannot get away from praying in their sessions. But counselors have to be careful how they use prayer in treatment because they need to not instill their own viewpoints or principles upon their clients. Hence, it is argued that there has been some controversy about using prayer in counseling such as improper use of prayer and requires cautious thoughtfulness of ethical concerns. This is important because if prayer is used in counseling, it should be executed with extreme care. Research shows about 30% of Christian counselors pray with their clients during a session and only 7% of secular counselors do the same. Christian counselors and secular counselors use prayer techniques in counseling because it give a boost to client welfare; personal, emotional and spiritual growth. Christian counselors should get in the habit of using the good book, or the scriptures and they should recommend praying with their clients. It should be clear that the counselor is using the truths of God 's word as an inspiration to assist clients back to spiritual and emotional health. But counselors may make the choice to not use the prayer technique because of their lack of experience with prayer, because the counselor observes a different faith from the client, because the counselor conveys a preconception against prayer. When a secular counselor comes across a Christian client or a Christian counselor meets a secular client, self-examination on the part of the counselor is an ethical responsibility.
Christian counselors may not have the same spiritual beliefs as the clients, but a mutual bond may be reached in discussing matters of Christianity. In cases
References: Weld, C. & Eriksen, K. (2007). The ethics of prayer in counseling. Counseling & Values, 51, 125-138.