Page 161 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

The Work and Thinking of David Benner

red in pastoral counseling and in psychothera- The specialist model has been argued by Patti-
py, but rather to encourage both groups to view son (1966), who suggests that different roles are
problems within the matrix of psychospiritual appropriate for the unique tasks of the thera-
unity and to respond accordingly. pist and minister. The role of the minister, who
The alternativist position is attractive to many works as a definer of social and moral values
because it seems to combine something of the and behavior, is best served by a close social-
simplicity of the reductionist model with a emotional relationship with the parishioner.
more adequate understanding of psychological In contrast, the task of changing personality
processes. Its major weakness lies in its difficul- argues for the therapist to remove himself from
ty in explaining what often appear to be diffe- a direct involvement in the patient’s social value
ring levels of psychological and spiritual health system and maintain more personal and emo-
within a person. If psychospiritual processes are tional distance.
as unified as argued, the parallels in psycholo- The problem with this position is that the di-
gical and spiritual functioning should be even stinction which it makes between the goals of
more pronounced than those often seen. therapists and ministers may be exaggerated.
The dualist position is perhaps the most popu- Perhaps personality change and changes in so-
lar in contemporary Christian therapy. Tour- cial values and behavior are not as discrete as
nier (1963) has been a very influential repre- presented. However, if the goals are as represen-
sentative of this position. Minirth (1977) is ted, Pattison‘s conclusion as to the role that best
perhaps an even better representative, arguing supports each set of goals appears helpful.
that Christian therapy must be responsive to the Goals
unique problems of body, soul, and spirit. The What goals should then guide Christian thera-
first step is therefore the differential diagnosis py? Ward (1977) suggests that the ultimate goal
of the problems of each sphere. Each type of of Christian therapy must always be to assist
problem is then treated by appropriate and uni- the client in becoming more like Jesus Christ.
que methods. Advocates of this position view it Arbuckle (1975) claims that the desire of the
as a psychology of the whole person in that the Christian to convert and to change others to
therapist is prepared to respond to both spiritu- his own personal faith appears to be contradic-
al and psychological problems. Critics view it as tory to general counseling philosophy, which
more a total treatment approach than a whole- values client self-determination. But are these
person approach in that the person is not view- incompatible? First, we must realize that the-
ed as a whole but rather as the sum of a number rapy is never value free and that all therapists
of different parts. either implicitly or explicitly communicate
A related criticism questions the possibility of their values and personal religion. Therefore,
differential diagnosis and treatment of spiri- the question is not whether the therapist has
tual and psychological problems. When is de- certain personal values or goals but how these
pression a psychological problem and when is influence the therapy process. A therapist who
it a spiritual problem? Perhaps more difficult to uses the therapy relationship to force his or her
resolve are the technical questions associated beliefs on another person is obviously behaving
with the different tasks required for work with in an unprofessional manner. Christ clearly had
explicitly religious issues versus nonreligious the goal of bringing people into relationship
issues. For example, Pattison (1966) asks when with the Father, but his relating to individuals
the therapist should treat religious questions as was never characterized by coercion. He clearly
grist for the therapeutic mill and when he or was willing to allow people their right of self-
she should enter into either a Socratic dialogue determination.
or perhaps an explicit instructional role. Also, This suggests that while the Christian thera-
what are the effects of such movement between pist will have the ultimate spiritual welfare and
roles on transference and countertransference? growth of the client as a part of his concern and
These questions do not as yet seem adequately goals, he will be willing to work with less ul-
answered. timate concerns if this is most therapeutically

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