2006

Effective counseling addresses the body, mind, and spirit. The field of counseling has been slow in recognizing the need to address spiritual and religious concerns. There is now widespread interest in the role of spirituality in both assessment and treatment. Evidence for this interest is found in the many books and articles written on spiritual and religious values in counseling. Counselors ask just about every imaginable question about a client’s life, yet often do not inquire about the influence and meaning of spirituality and religion in an individual’s life. If a counselor does not raise the issue of how spirituality influences clients, then clients might assume that such matters are not relevant for counseling.