Page 186 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

The Work and Thinking of David Benner

Then And Now a single perspective on anything. I might, there-
fore, talk about the importance of cultivating a
Response from David G. view of persons that is solidly grounded in the

Benner best available psychological scholarship as it is
interpreted from within a framework of Christi-
an understandings of the nature of persons and
I am deeply honoured to have been able to be their fundamental existential relationship to the
part of this issue of The EMCAPP Journal and transcendent source of their being. I would also
see the way in which my work has been recei- emphasize the importance of understanding the
ved so hospitably in Europe. Reading things I depths and riches of this Christian perspective
wrote in several cases more than 30 years ago by placing it not only within the widest possible
and have not re-read since was like meeting an ecumenical context but also within the larger
old acquaintance – someone vaguely familiar framework of the perennial wisdom tradition
but strikingly different from me as I now expe- of which Christianity forms a part.
rience myself. I welcome the tension associated I realize that this would probably not be a sa-
with this encounter as I am convinced that eve- tisfactory alternative to a “Biblical view” of
rything in our lives belongs and forms an impor- persons for someone seeking to offer Christi-
tant part of who we are and who we are called in an counseling or psychotherapy. However, it
our uniqueness to become. But I also welcome reflects the direction my own clinical practice
Werner May’s comments in his opening essay has taken since about the time I was writing the
when he indicated his appreciation for what my book from which this article was drawn. I have
work has meant to him regardless of the period described my approach as spiritually sensitive
of my life from which it was drawn. psychotherapy. Because it flowed so fully and
Rereading the excerpt from my book, Psycho- seamlessly from the wholistic psychospiritual
logy and Religion, on Christian counseling and view of persons that I describe in this article
psychotherapy was the most interesting part of perhaps it is worth briefly describing.
this encounter. As I listened to myself argue for
the importance of things like sin and repentance Spiritually Sensitive Psychotherapy
it suggested the importance of me beginning Spiritually sensitive therapy starts with the as-
with a confession. Although I seem to have had sumption that to be human is to be a spiritual
lots of ideas about what makes therapy Christi- being – created with longings to find our place
an I confess that in 40 years of clinical practice of ultimate belonging in relation to the Trans-
I have never called myself a Christian counselor cendent One in whom we live, move and have
or psychotherapist. Nor was I ever a pastoral our being. This means that spirituality does not
counselor – this despite the fact that I wrote a have to be added in to the therapeutic process.
book entitled Strategic Pastoral Counseling and It is already present. Because the inner world
have long been interested in the relationships of of persons contains no separate psychological
the various forms of soul care to each other. I and spiritual compartments all problems in li-
am very happy to discover that others someti- ving – whether they have their primary roots
mes find the things I have had to say on these in our physiology or our psychology – are psy-
topics helpful but I rest a bit easier after con- chospiritual. All the therapist must do is learn
fessing the limits of my personal experience in to be attentive to these spiritual dynamics that
explicitly Christian or pastoral counseling. form part of the psychological problems being
There are some parts of the article on Christi- explored.
an counseling and psychotherapy that I would Spiritually sensitive therapy is not religious pro-
write differently if I were asked to do so today. I selytization, doctrinal instruction, religious for-
am uncomfortable with my language of a “Bibli- mation, or spiritual direction. It does not pri-
cal view” of persons, and with the list of Biblical marily involve religious or explicitly spiritual
themes that I identified as most important. Thir- dialogue, nor is it reducible to certain spiritual
ty years later I am more impressed with the fact techniques. It involves offering therapy from a
that the Bible is far from a single book offering spiritually ecumenical perspective, seeking to
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