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In 2018, there are still
those individuals who believe the same applies and, even as
a professional counselor, I can understand why black
families do not feel comfortable reaching out for mental
health counseling for reasons of: 1– There are not many
counselors of color in their area, 2 – Their Insurance does
not cover mental health or they chose not to put it in their
plan, 3 – The stigma is still broad in the sense that going
to counseling means you are crazy and 4 – Lack of
information and resources in black communities about the
importance of mental health counseling in how it affects so
much of one’s physical, biological and sociological
livelihood.
So, is it possible to
integrate spirituality and religion into counseling? And if
so by whom?
I was raised
Christian and of course my mother put the fear of God in me,
something I now very much appreciate and have replicated in
my own children. While in graduate school earning my
master’s degree in counseling, I took an elective course
titled, Integrating spirituality and religion into
counseling. I found it to be a very interesting and
a very necessary course and wondered why it was an elective
because spirituality and religion is a huge part of our
human existence.
When an individual
attends her/his first session, an assessment is completed to
acquire information and background history, such as
strengths, weaknesses, past traumas, family dynamics, etc.
and within the questions we ask, “do you have a specific
faith, religion or spirituality in which you practice or in
which you hold beliefs?”
These questions give
the counselor a better understanding of the client’s belief
system, as well as the client’s background in general and
can be used as part of the client’s treatment planning and
goal setting. For example, I met a client in crisis for the
first time one afternoon with the appointment being put on
my schedule due to her usual counselor being absent. Her
fiancé passed away the night before at the age of 36.
I quickly read her
original assessment, asked her a few questions such as
support and safety to rule out suicide or suicidal thoughts
and then asked her, “Do you believe in God, are you
Christian?” As she answered my questions through her tears
and emotional upset, she said she believed in God, but she
could not come to terms as to why God would take her fiancé
away from her as their wedding was only weeks away.
My job as a
counselor is certainly not to question God. We were in a
hospital setting and walked down to the small chapel and sat
silently for at least an hour. She began telling me happy
stories of the times they had together and how much she
cared for him. Unbeknownst to her I was praying rapidly on
the inside for God to please relieve this young woman’s pain
and give me the knowledge and ability at that moment to
remove her from her crisis.
Later I met a
grandmother of a young girl client about the age of 12 whom
did not like attending her weekly counseling session and
would often scream, holler and lock herself in the
restroom. On this particular day, security was called and I
asked the grandmother to come into my office, since for both
her and her granddaughters screaming was not a solution. As
we sat in my office, I asked the grandmother if she herself
had ever considered counseling and she yelled in a very loud
and adamant voice, “Jesus is my counselor!” Who was I to
argue. I just hoped in her counseling sessions with Jesus
that she would find help and assistance in working through
the issues in which her granddaughter held.
There are many
different types of counseling. Some require certifications
and licensures and others require experience and knowledge
but mostly all the above. As ethically required, all
licensed professional counselors must respect client’s
rights to believe in which ever faith or religion they
choose. If a client answers that she has no faith and does
not believe in God I do not talk about my own beliefs and we
work on her other strengths.
There are other
counselors who specialize in Christian Counseling and/or
incorporate it within how they practice. So, if an
individual wants to find a counselor who specializes in this
area, he would ask for a referral to a Christian counselor
who also utilizes secular psychology. Biblical counselors
do not believe or utilize secular psychology. Psychotherapy
is needs-based such as the need for love and self-esteem and
if these needs are not met, the belief is that people will
be miserable immoral, and overall unhappy.
Biblical counseling shows
the importance that one’s true satisfaction and happiness
will only be found in a relationship with God and the
pursuit within. Unfortunately, secular psychology is based
on man and his ideas such as Sigmund Freud and his theory of
the Id, Ego and Superego.
Take a mental health
moment and think about what type of counselor would work
best for you. This is your life and your happiness. You
have every right to be happy and counseled to your choice.
I personally believe that both secular and a Christian based
counseling treatment plan would work best. I trust my own
psychotherapist who is a wonderful individual and has
advised me well on many issues I have come across in my
life…. But I will always remember the words of my late
mother as she would tell me “trust no one but God, he has
all the answers, will never let you down but most
importantly never forget he’s in charge.” If something does
not go the way you planned, it’s probably because that’s
your plan not God’s plan.
Psalm 145: 18-19 The
Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him
in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he
hears their cry and saves them.
Bernadette Graham is a Licensed Professional Counselor,
National Certified Counselor and Certified Grief Recovery
Specialist. You may contact her for questions or resources
at graham.bernadette@gmail.com
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