Introduction to Counseling: Integration of Faith, Professional Identity, and Clinical Practice
Introduction to Counseling: Integration of Faith, Professional Identity, and Clinical Practice provides a comprehensive introduction to the profession and faith integration.
The publication helps students understand how to be and think like an ethically responsible Counselor who is also a Christian and sought an education, which included a Christian worldview.
Introduction to Counseling: Integration of Faith, Professional Identity, and Clinical Practice:
- is not focused on training Christian counselors. Rather, it is focused on training future Professional Counselors who want to understand how to be true to their faith without imposing values on clients.
- explains what it means to be a professional counselor, the roles and functions included in being a professional counselor, as well as the historical antecedents, current trends, and future outlook of the profession.
- describes how the counseling role is complementary and distinct from other professionals, what students uniquely bring to the counseling profession, and an understanding of how to integrate their identity as a Christian into the profession.
- is designed to address CACREP standards related to Professional Identity.
- Is divided into four main categories of foundational information about professional identity: Who We Are and What We Do, Spiritual and Ethical Cornerstones, Counseling in Practice, and Looking to the Future.
Introduction to Counseling: Integration of Faith, Professional Identity, and Clinical Practice
Chapter 4: Counseling: Integrating a Christian Worldview
After reading this chapter, you will understand more about:
The differences among various Christian counseling roles
How credentialing, work setting and ethics can affect the Christian Counselor
As a Christian and a counselor, working with those who have differing beliefs/values
Integrating faith through counseling conversations and putting clients’ needs first
The following CACREP standards are addressed in this chapter:
Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice:
The multiple professional roles and functions of counselors across specialized practice areas (CACREP, 2024, Standard 3.A.2.)
The role and process of the professional counselor advocating on behalf of and with individuals receiving counseling services to address systemic, institutional, architectural, attitudinal, disability, and social barriers that impede access, equity, and success (CACREP, 2024, Standard 3.A.4.)
Social and Cultural Identities and Experiences:
The influence of heritage, cultural identities, attitudes, values, beliefs, understandings, within-group differences, and acculturative experiences on individuals’ worldviews (CACREP, 2024, Standard 3.B.2.)
The role of religion and spirituality in clients’ and counselors’ psychological functioning (CACREP, 2024, Standard 3.B.11.)