What Is Spiritual Counseling? Using Spirituality in Therapy
More than 19 percent of adults in the United States underwent some form of mental health treatment in 2019. Of those, 15 percent take medication to help with the issues, and nearly 10 percent meet with a counselor or mental health professional for care.
So it should be of no surprise that many of these people not only use clinical service but also rely on spiritual counseling.
Religion and spirituality in counseling have been closely related for hundreds of years.
Holistic spiritual counseling and spiritual trauma counseling may seem like new terms, but people have been turning to higher powers to deal with issues forever.
In the following article, we’ll take a closer look at spiritual counseling and how it could potentially help you.
Traditional Therapy
If you are weighing the need to seek professional mental health services, you should have already made an appointment.
People can suffer for years with issues like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse years before seeking help.
Unfortunately, these issues culminate in a severe trauma before the person in need seeks help. It is only after they have experienced the trauma that they look for help.
Traditional therapy revolves around seeing a mental health professional and talking through your problem. In these sessions, you’ll discover the root cause of your issues and take on an action-oriented approach to coping.
Spiritual Counseling Basics
While many people associate spirituality with religion, that is not necessarily the case. In many cases, you don’t need to believe in a traditional religion to submit to a higher power.
It’s OK to believe in a world bigger than yourself without having to attend Mass every Sunday.
So, what is spiritual counseling?
Spiritual counseling or therapy consists of three types of psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” as it is sometimes called.
These include hypnosis, meditation, and extending questioning.
A spiritual therapist can help lead you through the process of exploring your meaning for living. They can also help increase your peace of mind and happiness. A spiritual counselor can help you achieve inner peace through guided meditation. Also, they can lead explorations through ancient methods like exploring the ten heavenly stems.
How to Choose
When deciding on a spiritual therapist, you should consider a few crucial factors. Among these are certification, experience, and professional references.
Look to see if there is a certification or licensing process for your type of counselor. If there is, you may want to choose a spiritual therapist with the utmost certification.
Also, look at how long the therapist has been offering services. In this line of work, people who are not legitimate don’t last long, so look for a proven track record of success.
Seek out professional references. A successful therapist should have no problem producing a reference for satisfied clients. When you speak to the reference, you’ll also get a sense of the therapist’s type of work and if you are a good fit for their process.
Do You Need Help?
If you have feelings of deep unhappiness, you should not wait to seek spiritual counseling or a traditional therapist.
Your mental health is as important as your physical health, and you need to make sure that both are cared for to live a full and happy life.
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