Therapy and faith – including Christianity – are not always blended well in the counseling room. One reason is that the statistics show counseling to be one of the fields with the least professed faith. Second, even when the therapist claims a religious tradition, many counselor training programs don’t include any preparation for integrating psychology and faith in the counseling room.
Therapists have Little Faith
Statistically speaking, it is true that fewer therapists have faith than most Americans. As I’ve noted in my comments about my counseling services and approach, research shows that a vast majority of Americans – about 90% – believe in God compared with only about half of psychologists and psychiatrists. Further, 72% of the general population described religious faith as the most important influence in their lives as compared with only 33% of clinical psychologists. These findings were consistent with previous research.
So, what does this mean to you if you are thinking about starting therapy? Well, research has shown that the outcome of therapy is better when the client’s religious beliefs and practices are incorporated into the therapeutic process. The therapist and client don’t have to see things exactly the same way. But the therapist needs enough understanding of your faith tradition to integrate your faith perspective in the counseling room.
Therapist Training
So, why the disparity in religious faith between clinicians and the rest of America? The reasons are many. But one significant contributing factor is the training process for therapists and counselors. One survey of psychology text books showed that although religion plays a prominent role in most peoples’ lives, faith issues are largely ignored in most psychology text books (Kirkpatrick, L., & Spilka, B., 1989). Further, a “values-neutral” approach is cultivated throughout the training of many clinicians, teaching them to be hands-off with such a value-laden area as religious belief. And what of those who are doing the teaching and training? A 1994 survey of academics found that half of psychology professors claimed no religious preferences, placing them among the least religious academics.
What Does it Mean?
First, as noted above, you should be aware of your therapist’s religious orientation and, even more importantly, the counselor’s ability and willingness to integrate your faith perspective into the therapeutic process. Most are not trained to do that. Look for someone who is. This factor will have an impact on the outcome of your therapy.
Second, don’t be afraid as a consumer of psychotherapy services to bring your faith into the counseling room. Doing so will help ensure the best possible outcome for your therapy. If your therapist reacts negatively or you feel that your faith values are discounted, it may be time to consider looking for a new therapist.
Third, if you bring your faith values into the room, don’t expect the therapist to share those exact perspectives. The issue is not an exact match in perspective; rather the goal is for the therapist to be able to integrate your faith perspectives into the counseling process.
Photo by h. koppdelaney used under Creative Commons License