The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Counseling

While the 20th century has simultaneously brought about a growth in counseling and a reemergence of secularism, counseling in the 21st century has focused its attention on interventions that are sensitive to multicultural facets in clients’ lives. As professionals increasingly embrace multicultural competency in counseling and therapy, religion and spirituality arguably stand out as cultural and personal factors that are a salient part of framing one’s experiences, beliefs, values, behavior, and illness patterns. Despite the growing understanding of the pervasiveness and importance of spirituality and religion, most psychologists have little training in dealing with religious and spiritual issues. This article assesses how counselors can effectively and ethically incorporate spirituality and religion into counseling to promote client well-being.