The Ethics Curriculum
Spiritual Issues in Clinical Practice (Ethics 5) *
To what degree are we open to discussing spiritual and/or religious issues? This program is dedicated to presenting the latest thoughts on spirituality from some of the leading experts on this topic.
Program Description
The most hidden subject in therapy is not sex or money; it’s faith, religion, and spirituality. The spiritual direction of the therapy/counseling process is highly influenced by the therapist’s basic perspective. The issue for each of us to consider is this: To what degree are we open to discussing spiritual and/or religious issues? At a minimum, we need to be open to hearing spiritual content. More and more, our clients want to discuss this part of their lives and draw on their spirituality as a resource and part of their recovery. Many want to do this with a therapist or counselor who shares their sentiments, if not their faith tradition. If we want to have access to this part of our clients’ worlds, we have to be open to spirituality in ourselves. While the mental health world is coming to (and perhaps has already reached) a collision between the scientific/empirical approach and the spiritual, we must continue to abide by our professional mantra: start where the client is.
Learning Objectives
This program provides clinicians with the opportunity to:
Recognize the difference between “rules” and “virtue” ethics.
Deepen their sensitivity to character and virtue, in addition to understanding ethical codes.
Clarify issues of self-disclosure regarding one’s own spirituality.
Critically reflect on one’s own performance as ethical clinicians.
Appreciate the importance of training and competence when using spirituality.
Learn how to evaluate one’s own spiritual and ethical beliefs.
Interviews
Ethical Codes and Violations - Frederic Reamer, Ph.D. website
Dr. Reamer discusses the one feature common to all codes of ethics: the client’s right to self-determination. He also covers the use of self in ethical practice and adjudication/legal issues, arising out of the misuse of spirituality in clinical practice.
Ethics and Character - Dennis Haynes, Ph.D.
Dr. Haynes points out most mental health workers make their ethical decisions based on the policies and procedures of their agency, rather than on their own inner sense of what is right and virtuous.
Handling Ethical Issues - Terry Brumley Northcut, Ph.D.
Dr. Northcut discusses the importance of training and competence in incorporating spirituality into one’s practice.
Spirituality Sensitive Practice - Ed Canda, Ph.D.
Dr. Canda defines “spirituality sensitive practice” and emphasizes how it’s impossible and undesirable to separate spirituality from clinical practice.
“These programs are excellent. Barbara Alexander is very well-read and asks excellent questions.”
... Ona H.
MSW