Religion, Spirituality, and Counseling: Can they Coexist?

While I may not post my weekly course discussions here, some I find could be of benefit to others. This is one such instance. Religion and sexuality are two "hot button" issues for me, and when they come up in my coursework, I don't hold back. I attempt to educate, tactfully of course, my classmates on how they are narrow minded and really need to open their eyes to the world around them. Sadly, when I do such things, very few interact with or engage in conversations. I feel bad for their future clients, as so many have stated that "I would have a problem working with a client who does not believe in Christ," and "I would not want to work with gay clients because my religion considers it to be wrong." Seriously? According to the Code of Ethics, counselors are reminded not to discriminate based on age, gender, religion, or sexual preference. I guess that means more clients for me in the future. Oh, and don't get me started on the fact that many of my classmates have stated that they "believe in miracles." Fuck. I should apologize for my views, as they may alienate some, but the views of many alienate me.

Differing Spiritual Views

            With an estimated 85-90% of people within the United States identifying as religious (Zuckerman, 2009), it is important for counselors to possess the ability to understand the views of another person. While many within the counseling field are aware that there are a variety of religions and have stated that they will be willing and able to work with clients of differing religious faiths, very few have mentioned the inclusion of atheism and non-spirituality as it pertains to the multicultural issues of counseling. Just as the ability to provide counseling as a Christian to a Muslim believer, it too is important that counselors are willing to provide counseling to an atheist as well. However, such oversight is not solely on the shoulders of the counselors, as very little literature has focused on addressing how a counselor can approach a client who identifies as non-religious (D’Andrea & Sprenger, 2007).

Working with Clients Who Are “Different”

            Being within the minority on the realm of religion, I have had many opportunities to work with clients who have had different belief systems from myself. Through my varied education in a variety of religions, I am able to speak with clients on a number of topics, some of which revolve around religion. Being aware of my personal beliefs, including the fact that not everyone will share them, allows me to be comfortable in a state of cognitive dissonance, as I can separate my personal beliefs from those of my clients, neither being right or wrong, just different.

            Through developing an understanding of a variety of religions, it can assist counselors in understanding the way their clients view their lives, complete with the influence religion has in their lives, as well as the way it helps to shape their beliefs, goals, and values. If the topic of religion comes up during a counseling session, providing assistance does not depend on who happens to have the best belief system, but rather how the client’s personal views on religion can influence their lives, for better or worse. It is the job of the counselor to help the client to be successful as they define it, not how the counselor defines success.

            If religion does come up during a session and a client asks about my personal beliefs, I am aware that many individuals have negative views of atheists, many associating atheism as being morally corrupt, with an estimated 54% of Americans having an unfavorable view of atheists and even giving them a lower priority on a kidney waiting list when compared to Christian patients (Zuckerman, 2009). If I was directly asked, I would not hide my personal views from the client, knowing that they may choose to be referred to a different counselor whose views align more with the views of the clients.

References

D'Andrea, L. M., & Sprenger, J. (2007). Atheism and nonspirituality as diversity issues in counseling. Counseling and Values, 51(2), 149-158.

Zuckerman, P. (2009). Atheism, secularity, and well-being: How the findings of social science counter negative stereotypes and assumptions. Sociology Compass 3(6), 949-971.