Page 50 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 20

Ulla Dahlen is from a small town in Finland. Her educa�onal background inclu-
des an MA in Counseling (Columbia Interna�onal University, SC) and a PhD in
Counselor Educa�on and Supervision (Regent University, VA). While she lived
and studied in the United States for over seven years, she worked and did cli-
nical counseling internships at Chris�an Counseling Centers, at a local Church
as well as a one year internship at a city hospital. Currently Ulla lives in Finland
with her husband David. There she teaches counseling courses at Iso Kirja Col-
lege and offers counseling workshops for local churches. In addi�on, Ulla and
David serve part-�me with a Mission Organiza�on, Fida Interna�onal. Ulla‘s
responsibili�es include member care for missionaries as well as teaching, trai-
ning and consulta�on, mainly in various countries in Asia.
Ulla Dahlen
(Finland) Former contribu�ons:
h�ps://emcapp.ignis.de/14/#p=181
h�ps://emcapp.ignis.de/13/#p=72
h�ps://emcapp.ignis.de/12/#p=50

Comment to

„Faith: Through, In and To an “Other“

Marie and Lowell Hoffman approach a signifi- As Marie and Lowell Hoffman outline, safe,
cant, �mely topic in their ar�cle about deve- consistent rela�onships are the key in the de-
lopment of trust and of faith through, in and to velopment of faith and trust. In their treat-
an “Other.” In a world, surrounded by turmoil ment of integrated psychotherapy, Mark Mc-
on every side, in a world where trust in people Minn and Clark Campbell (2007) echo that, pla-
is sha�ered and faith in God is ques�oned, cing the rela�onal aspect at the core of human
they discuss safe re beings, created in the image of God. Capacity
la�onships as the true north on the path of de- to think ra�onally as well as find meaning in life
veloping a growing trust in people, and faith in are shaped by rela�onships, and hence find
God. their context in the rela�onship with God and
The authors parallel the roles of a mother or others. Therapy must be built on and rest
primary caregiver and a therapist as modeling throughout its process on the rela�onal focus
trust though being a�uned to needs, and thus of developing trust, and through that, in Chris-
nurturing the slowly developing alliance. A �an therapy, developing client’s faith.
consistent mother and therapis ndividual’s This ar�cle has several major contribu�ons.
cogni�ve frame of func�on, in the context of First, the way Marie and Lowell Hoffman inte-
trust and faith. How does thinking play a part grate psychology and counseling prac�ce to-
in development of faith through, in and to an gether with Biblical principles and Chris�an
“Other”? While the cogni�ve perspec�ve was faith is both insigh�ul and prac�cal. Their inte-
beyond the scope and topic of this ar�cle, it gra�on is like a beau�fully woven fabric which
would be interes�ng for future purposes to see presents Scripture, psychological theory, and
the meaning of thinking pa�erns integrated in- client work in harmony. Secondly, while it is
to the valuable theme of rela�onships and evident that they have vast knowledge on the
faith, addressed in this ar�cle. subject ma�er, they approach the topic with

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