Page 188 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

The Work and Thinking of David Benner

be attentive to both psychological and spiritual that feels good but which blocks effective the-
dynamics, utilizing the presenting problem as rapy. And finally, when appropriate, and with
a focus for help as well as an opportunity for informed consent, spiritually sensitive therapy
psychospiritual growth, and seeking to nurture may utilize relevant spiritual interventions that
a response of spirit to Spirit. possess demonstrated clinical efficacy with si-
milar problems and people.
Four goals guide spiritually sensitive therapy: This describes the overall framework of the the-
1. To help the client attend to their spiritual rapy I have provided and taught for many years.
longings and become aware of how they I do not offer it as a critique of Christian coun-
have been responding, or may wish to re- seling or psychotherapy but as an alternate way
spond, to them of providing a spiritual approach to therapy.
2. If desired, to help the client explore the im- . . .
pact of their religious and spiritual back-
ground on functioning In closing I want to offer my gratitude to those
3. If desired, to help the client explore the im- who have responded to my work in this issue.
pact of psychological problems on their spi- I am appreciative of Mike Sheldon’s comments
ritual functioning on the excerpt included from my book, Soul-
4. While doing all this, to do everything else ful Spirituality, and to Wolfram Soldan for his
that any other well trained psychotherapist thoughtful interaction with the selection from
would do. Care of Souls. One of things he mentioned de-
serves special attention – the importance of a
The process of spiritually sensitive therapy starts clearer understanding of listening within the-
by building a spiritually open and safe thera- rapeutic dialogue. I appreciated his reference
peutic alliance. This includes informed consent, to listening to “our human and heavenly part-
avoiding disclosure of details of personal spiri- ners in communication.” Spiritual directors so-
tuality until asked and restraint even when it is metimes speak of listening with one ear to the
appropriate to answer such questions, commu- directee (client) and one ear to the Spirit. The
nicating an openness to spiritual concerns and point seems to be the same and is important.
an absence of a coercive agenda, dealing with But it is also important that we think carefully
religious differences that exist in a respectful about how a therapist actually does this in the
manner, and referring the client to someone midst of all the other things to which we need
else whenever you are unable to do any of the- to attend – our own thoughts, our associations
se things. It encourages the therapist to begin to our thoughts as well as to the unconscious
with a broadly ecumenical spiritual perspective elements of our interaction, the words and
(as opposed to a narrower denominational one) non-verbal communications of the client, and
and to express willingness to discuss anything the movement of the Spirit of God within our
that the client considers relevant and drawn spirit. Therapeutic listening is not, therefore a
from the spiritual or religious dimension of his simple matter. I judge it to be the hardest and
or her life. yet at the same time most important part of the
As these things are addressed it is important therapist’s contribution to psychotherapeutic
to watch for the bias of only seeing the best in process. From my point of view there has not
one’s own tradition and the worst in others. It been enough attention to this topic and I appre-
is also important to watch for the presence of ciate Wolfram highlighting it.
the Spirit both within sessions and in the life of Finally, I also want to thank Werner May for
the client, always remaining particularly atten- his excellent work in pulling this issue together,
tive to what Rudolf Otto described as numinous and to the European Movement for Christian
experiences. While it is appropriate at times to Anthropology, Psychology and Psychotherapy.
adopt a more explicitly Christian perspective it The dialogue you, who are part of this move-
is important to be slow to align in a more ex- ment are having is impressive and important
plicitly denominational way. The reason for this and I wish you well in it. It has been my great
caution is the danger of a collusive mis-alliance honour to be a part of it.
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