"When you adopt the viewpoint that there is
nothing that exists that is not part of you, that there is
no one who exists who is not part of you, that any judgment
you make is self-judgment, that any criticism you level is
self-criticism, you will wisely extend to yourself an
unconditional love that will be the light of the world."
Harry Palmer
When people speak of healing, they are usually referring
to healing the illnesses of the physical or mental body. If they are
physically ill, they go to a doctor whether it is a doctor of
traditional medicine or alternative healing. Some religious
organizations even turn to prayer to heal the physical body. If a person
is experiencing emotional issues, he or she goes to a psychologist or
counselor for help. A trusted friend may also serve this function. How
does spiritual counselor fit into this model?
The spiritual counselor will encounter clients who are
experiencing physical, emotional, and mental issues, but the counselor
will generally work with clients who are in the midst of a crisis of
faith. People may be in a transition between stages of faith, or they
may be troubled by existential issues such as lack of meaning or loss of
passion for life. They may also feel stagnant and have a desire to grow
and develop into greater awareness and connection with the world and
with the spiritual. The spiritual counselor needs to be aware of
physical, mental, and emotional, as well as spiritual processes, because
most individuals will have unfinished business from the past that must
be cleaned up before spiritual development and maturity can occur.
Issues may or may not include a consideration of
religion but will most likely involve God or the Divine. Issues will
present themselves through problems with the physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual body. Crises of faith affect many areas of life,
including family, relationships, career, religion, money, personal
growth, and social affiliation, because faith is about how we see our
world. The spiritual counselor must be knowledgeable about traditional
therapeutic counseling methods as well as non-traditional transcendent
or transpersonal methods. Prayer, as we define it, offers an excellent
way to foster greater personal health and growth, but we will also
include some additional healing methods that can be added to the
counselor’s repertoire. Prayer methods are included in Appendix F, and
other healing methods are included in Appendix G.