Meeting the Holistic Needs of Students: A Proposal for Spiritual and Religious Competencies for School Counselors

Abstract

Authors discuss the importance of school counselors addressing spiritual and religious issues in ethically meeting the developmental and cultural needs of K-12 students. Domains of spiritual and religious competence for professional counselors, published by the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC, 2009), are examined in relation to their relevance for professional school counselors. The authors introduce expert-reviewed Spiritual and Religious Competencies for School Counselors to supplement the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) School Counselor Competencies (ASCA, 2012). Implications for practice are presented along with strategies for integrating the competencies into a comprehensive school counseling program.