Value-Based Counseling
Counseling is not a form of indoctrination or coerciveness. Directly attempting to influence a client to adopt the therapist’s values, attitudes, and behavior or imposing values inconsistent with counseling goals is not respectful of the rights and agency of the client and is considered unethical. Therapists need to be aware of their own values, core beliefs, and assumptions and the ways in which they enter therapy. Values influence every phase of therapy. Clients are encouraged to determine what is important in their lives, and the behaviors and patterns inconsistent with their closely held values.
Spirituality and Counseling
Historically the field of psychotherapy has tended to avoid religious and spiritual aspects of the client’s life. To do so seems counterproductive to the healing process and inconsistent with the desire of clients. A study found that most clients indicated a preference for discussing spiritual and religious issues in therapy. Healthy spiritual or religious functioning has been consistently associated with positive mental health outcomes. Encouraging a client to tap into the spiritual side of him or herself for comfort, forgiveness, strength, and direction can facilitate and accelerate the growth and healing process. For many clients, working through family-of-origin religious rigidity issues, frees the individual to develop a closer relationship with God.
Clerical Involvement & Training
The Leavitt Institute works with bishops, priests, rabbis, and ministers to address the mental and emotional needs of their members or congregants in a spiritually sensitive therapeutic environment. Mental health training in such areas as pornography, abuse, and depression is available to clergy through our clerical outreach program.
