Psychologist in Northcliff:
Spiritual Counseling

Therapy to Empower You

About Spiritual or Pastoral Counseling

At any time, you can face uncertainties, crises and transitions in your life that threaten your emotional and spiritual well-being. Caught off-guard by these situations you may not know how to cope on your own. When you turn to a psychologist for help you might not have any preferences about his/her philosophy or methods in helping you.

You may, however, have a clear preference to receive support and help with these situations within a spiritual context.

In a Gallup poll, 66% of the people surveyed said they preferred a mental health counsellor who represented spiritual values and beliefs. Almost 81% said they would like their own values and beliefs to be integrated into the counselling process.

But the crucial question is: Can you find spiritual help and psychotherapy at the same time? Most religious leaders have little training to provide in-depth and extensive spiritually based therapy. And most psychotherapists have little training or desire to discuss in-depth spiritual matters during sessions with patients. According to research, the answer to the above crucial question is a resounding yes. If this is your question too, you can find this type of help in Christian or pastoral counselling. Dr. Parker is both a registered clinical psychologist as well as an ordained pastor under the IFCC churches.

Let us take a closer look at Pastoral counselling.

Pastoral counseling:

• provides psychologically sound therapy that weaves in the religious and spiritual dimension;
• it is both psychologically informed and spiritually grounded;
• it brings together the full resources, theoretical knowledge, and clinical methods of psychotherapy with pastoral theological method and practice;
• it provides a holistic approach to psychotherapy that honors and integrates the spiritual dimension of each patient’s life and experience; and
• it either addresses psychospiritual issues in addition to the traditional spectrum of psychotherapeutic services, or it integrates faith and spirituality in the therapeutic process;
• and it utilizes religious resources such as prayer, Scriptural text reading, guidance by the Holy Spirit, etc. as part of the process of healing.

The central theme in pastoral counseling is an awareness of the spiritual dimension in human wholeness. Crises and transitions are addressed in terms such as faith, meaning, purpose and direction, as well as in psychotherapeutic terms.

Despite the added benefits of a spiritually-based mental health approach, many people do not take advantage of pastoral counselling. One reason is that some people fear that they would be pressed in a certain spiritual direction. However, pastoral counsellors don’t give advice or force their religious views on others. Instead they help people to explore and make their own decisions – also in light of their personal faith and spirituality.

When and if you prefer the pastoral or Christian approach psychotherapy, the following guidelines for this practice might help:

• This approach is founded on the Christian Bible as the Word of God.
• The Presence of the Holy Spirit is acknowledged in the session.
• The leading of the Holy Spirit through listening prayer is followed within sessions to direct and impart revelation and knowledge.
• The scope of this pastoral or Christian psycho-therapeutic approach strongly aligns itself with principles as laid out in the Biblical text.
• Spiritual journaling and Holy Spirit lead artwork can also be included.
• Christian mentoring and individual as well as group mentoring and supervision is given to clients, pastors and other counsellors.
• A Christian approach to deep healing of a person’s spirit, soul and body is employed to help the internal restoration of the soul so as to become who God originally made him or her to be.
• A fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit and a developed ability to hear the Voice of the Lord directing one’s life is an essential part of this healing journey.
• Deliverance is offered as secondary part of healing.
• Healing of relationships, whether within a couple, family or just between people is also aided through the Cross and His forgiveness, but also includes Biblical wisdom as to how to manage one’s boundaries, needs, emotions and communication in a godly way.

But it still remains your personal choice.