A phenomenological exploration of the experience of active Christians working as psychotherapists in secular environments
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- Title
- A phenomenological exploration of the experience of active Christians working as psychotherapists in secular environments
- Creator
- Julija Ivanova
- Date
- 2013
- Abstract
- A considerable number of studies, especially in recent decades, have shown evidence to support integration of religion and spirituality into mainstream counselling and psychotherapy. Most of these studies have been done with the view of addressing clients religious and spiritual concerns in psychotherapy. Very little research has been done from the therapists perspective on integration of psychotherapy practice with their own religious or spiritual belief. This research project aims to fill this gap. In this study, five participants who identified themselves as active Christians were interviewed about their experience of working in secular psychotherapeutic settings. Material from the interviews was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Several themes have emerged as a result of this enquiry. These included: participants experiences of the relationship between their faith and their identity as a therapist; experiences of the relationship between their faith and psychotherapeutic theory, experiences of their faith as a useful resource in psychotherapy practice; unhelpful attitudes in the secular psychotherapeutic community and the tension between psychotherapeutic and faith communities. Research findings suggest that many Christian practitioners see their faith and spirituality as an important and valuable aspect of their identity as a therapist, which has influence on both their theoretical understanding and their practice. Spiritually inclined practitioners may find it difficult, if not impossible to address issues related to religion or spirituality in secular training and supervision if they feel that their spiritual beliefs or their clients spiritual beliefs would be pathologised, dismissed, or judged by their supervisors or secular colleagues. Clinical implications of the findings and recommendations for further research have also been considered."
- Subject
- Psychotherapy--Religious aspects|Religion and psychology||
- Psychotherapy and Counselling
- Extent
- 97 pages : illustrations
- Format
- Publisher
- Regent's University London
- degree
- MA in Psychotherapy and Counselling
- Language
- English
- Date Issued
- 2013
- Type
- Thesis & Dissertation
- Rights Holder
- Regent's University London & Julija Ivanova
- Item sets
- Theses or Dissertation