Table of Contents
The Therapist’s Spiritual Lens
Science Meets Spirituality
Psychedelic Therapy and Indigenous Wisdom
Spirituality as a Therapeutic Tool
Integrating Beliefs into the Therapy Session
Ethics and Authenticity in Spiritual Dialogue
As a spiritual person on a path of self knowledge my beliefs are part of who I am. Even if I never discuss this with a client, I am looking through this lens, to some extent, which will influence how I am meeting the client in front of me.
With so many advances in quantum field work, space time, and more and more scientists coming to believe that consciousness is fundamental, it is bringing science and spirituality closer together. I truly believe that we are consciously having an earthly experience.
In many psychedelic studies, it was reported that the spiritual aspect of the journey was the main healing component. Indigenous tribes that have used plant medicines for hundreds of years see the medicine as opening up one’s spiritual awakening, and this is considered the healing.
Where can spirituality be helpful?
As a therapist my purpose is to help relieve suffering. Everyone will come to their healing and the ability to change in different ways. Spiritual tools, for some, can be one of the tools.
Much suffering is the over identification with the material self. We take everything that happens very personally. If, on the other hand, you can start to understand that you are conscious of awareness itself, and that you are the witness to your earthly character, you can gain some relief.
You are the one who is aware of your thoughts, feelings and the events of your life. This understanding gives you a much greater perspective. This is why people meditate. This is why you hear the concept of ‘no self’. It is peaceful to let go of your character and its repetitive stories, even for the briefest of moments. And this is why there is so much talk about the present moment. If we can let go of our thoughts about the past and the future, even for a moment, we might experience the very often lovely right now.
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I had a chance to talk with one of our resident therapists about how to bring one’s spiritual beliefs into a therapy session. The following is a paraphrasing of her questions and my answers.
Anna: How do you introduce spirituality into your sessions?
Megan: As a therapist I don’t ever intend to bring the topic of spiritual beliefs, or certainly mine, into a session in order to teach, sway or influence. Let’s say, I don’t bring it in as a topic. Let’s remember the idea of using ourselves and all that makes up our experience as a tool in therapy. It’s not so much what we say, but who we are. Whether the topic ever arises, it’s there in the room because it’s a part of me. I attempt, always, to be my authentic self in sessions.
Anna: If a client relays that they have spiritual beliefs, can it be valuable to use this in the session work?
Megan: When I gain knowledge that my client shares some or many of my beliefs, it can be another huge area in which to find meaning, and look at suffering. Knowing my client’s beliefs will influence what I share. It can be a shared language.
Anna: What are the benefits of discussing spirituality with your client?
Megan: I don’t generally have ‘big discussions’ about spirituality with my clients, preferring instead to stay curious about their own ideas. But given that many of my clients do believe in something ‘greater than themselves’, we can use this as a tool. One tool in this case that can be very reassuring is the idea of dis-identifying from one’s constant ups and downs. If one can have a ‘knowing’ that they are the witness to the drama, then the drama loses a bit of it’s intensity.
Anna: So you are not always ‘neutral’ in sessions about your beliefs?
As I said, the vast majority of time I am holding space and validating the client’s experience. If I’m thinking that they are in fear, I try to hold the position of love within me. But I cannot ask a client to drop their fear, because this will only serve to separate us. Love joins, and fear separates. The best way to influence someone is by your being, not by your doing.
Anna: You say that you think most clients want you to hold a ‘larger view’ for them. What does this mean?
Megan: I believe that we all, at different times in our lives, want someone who can see farther than we can. This might be a mentor, an author, a therapist? Everyone needs help at different times. When I hold the larger view, what I mean is that I can sense what the healed version of that person is, when they are not able to.
Anna: Are there ethical responsibilities regarding spirituality that I should be aware of when working with a client?
Megan: We don’t come in with our agenda, be it spiritual or otherwise. So our ethical obligation is to meet the client where they are. If, over time, the client reveals spiritual beliefs you can start to bring this into session when appropriate.
I had a chance to talk with one of our resident therapists about how to bring one’s spiritual beliefs into a therapy session. The following is a paraphrasing of her questions and my answers.
Anna: How do you introduce spirituality into your sessions?
Megan: As a therapist I don’t ever intend to bring the topic of spiritual beliefs, or certainly mine, into a session in order to teach, sway or influence. Let’s say, I don’t bring it in as a topic. Let’s remember the idea of using ourselves and all that makes up our experience as a tool in therapy. It’s not so much what we say, but who we are. Whether the topic ever arises, it’s there in the room because it’s a part of me. I attempt, always, to be my authentic self in sessions.
Anna: If a client relays that they have spiritual beliefs, can it be valuable to use this in the session work?
Megan: When I gain knowledge that my client shares some or many of my beliefs, it can be another huge area in which to find meaning, and look at suffering. Knowing my client’s beliefs will influence what I share. It can be a shared language.
Anna: What are the benefits of discussing spirituality with your client?
Megan: I don’t generally have ‘big discussions’ about spirituality with my clients, preferring instead to stay curious about their own ideas. But given that many of my clients do believe in something ‘greater than themselves’, we can use this as a tool. One tool in this case that can be very reassuring is the idea of dis-identifying from one’s constant ups and downs. If one can have a ‘knowing’ that they are the witness to the drama, then the drama loses a bit of it’s intensity.
Anna: So you are not always ‘neutral’ in sessions about your beliefs?
As I said, the vast majority of time I am holding space and validating the client’s experience. If I’m thinking that they are in fear, I try to hold the position of love within me. But I cannot ask a client to drop their fear, because this will only serve to separate us. Love joins, and fear separates. The best way to influence someone is by your being, not by your doing.
Anna: You say that you think most clients want you to hold a ‘larger view’ for them. What does this mean?
Megan: I believe that we all, at different times in our lives, want someone who can see farther than we can. This might be a mentor, an author, a therapist? Everyone needs help at different times. When I hold the larger view, what I mean is that I can sense what the healed version of that person is, when they are not able to.
Anna: Are there ethical responsibilities regarding spirituality that I should be aware of when working with a client?
Megan: We don’t come in with our agenda, be it spiritual or otherwise. So our ethical obligation is to meet the client where they are. If, over time, the client reveals spiritual beliefs you can start to bring this into session when appropriate.
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Join our mailing list
Want more content like this?
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Want more content like this?
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