Abstract
Spirituality is a multicultural issue and is not given its proper importance in mental health counseling. Spirituality is central to the meaning of humanness and may be a key aspect of what defines the meaning found in interpersonal connections. Through the counselor-client relationship, which like relationships outside of the counseling office is ideally founded in mutual respect, safe levels of vulnerability, and trust, clients learn to navigate relationships outside of the therapeutic environment. Because for human beings, connection to significant and meaningful relationships with our families and our peers play such an important role for happiness and quality of life, and because spirituality can be seen as little more than deep and meaningful connection, spirituality is likely more than a multicultural issue, merely deserving of recognition by the profession as an important aspect of certain clients’ lives. Spirituality is an innate human need, and through the work done in counseling, where the most accurate definition of spirituality may be connection to meaningful relationships, the greatest goal may be helping clients connect/reconnect with themselves and significant others. As a key aspect of client happiness and well-being, the counseling field has neglected the importance of spirituality in client lives and might best serve patients by increasing spirituality in nearly every case.
Date of Award
5-1-2016
Document Type
Capstone Paper
Department
Counselor Education
Recommended Citation
Welacha, Matthew, "Spirituality in Mental Health Counseling" (2016). Counselor Education Capstones. 38.
https://openriver.winona.edu/counseloreducationcapstones/38
Unique Identifier
wsucedcap0000038
Rights
Educational use only. All copyright protections apply.
