Client perspectives on spirituality in the therapeutic relationship.

Abstract

There has been increasing interest in the integration of spirituality into psychotherapy in the last 10 years, yet we have very little in-depth information about clients' perspectives on spirituality in the counseling relationship to help guide this integration. Using a narrative methodology to explore the counseling experiences of 12 spiritually-committed clients in detail, this study suggests that clients who may not identify as traditionally religious may still view the entire process of psychotherapy through a spiritual lens. Furthermore, their spirituality may guide their interpretation of therapy, their expectations of the therapist, and their choice to engage in or terminate treatment in complex ways. By exploring the experiences of this growing breed of spiritually-committed clients, the results shed new light on the dimensions that deserve consideration as we think about how to respond to a client's spiritual needs in psychotherapy.