Prayer and Counseling

            Prayer starts in the mind of the believer, and is a way for us to know that God cares about us; it is an intimate conversation with God.  Some people struggle with prayer and believing that God really cares about them.  For the counselor, if prayer is not personal and if we don’t experience the reality of it in our lives, then we will not be able to transfer it to our client (Liberty University, 2012).  Anytime counselors are going to use prayer as a part of the counseling session, they must be careful to not interfere with the client’s ability to have the empowerment of self-direction.  They must also be careful to not draw them in to a level of prayer that may not be appropriate for the client’s level of spiritual development (Liberty University, n.d.). 

            In the case involving Mary, I would use prayer before the counseling session begins to ask God to direct me during the counseling session.  I understand that I will not be able to fulfill all of my clients’ needs, therefore I will need the intervention of the Holy Spirit to step in and fill those needs.  Mary states she is a believer in God and she reads her Bible daily.  She feels a disconnection from God because of the many traumas she has suffered at the hands of her father.  In addition to the prayer before the counseling session, I would use periods of silence during the session as an opportunity to ask God to empower Mary and help her move beyond these events.  I would ask her to consider engaging in meditation and prayer as a form of homework to help her recognize the compulsive thoughts she may be having and as a means of relaxation.

Counseling is fluid and the counseling relationship is important to help Mary move through the process of telling her story and learning the application of biblical and psychological truth.  As Mary begins to build confidence, and depending on her participation in the sessions and outside prayer, I would consider asking her if she would like to include prayer as a part of her counseling sessions.  If she agrees, we could use prayer as a means of establishing a healthier view of God and His ability to transform her.  Using this method, I would need to be cautious of professional boundaries and ensure that Mary is focusing on God rather than me.

If you or someone you know are suffering from addiction and you are ready to seek help, contact Coastal Wellness Counseling now for a free consultation.

References

Liberty University (2012). Prayer and the Christian counselor [Video file]. Retrieved from https://download.liberty.edu/courses/pnhjf.mp4

Liberty University (n.d.). Prayer and Christian counseling [Presentation].  Retrieved from https://learn.liberty.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-12135690-dt-content-rid-96658530_1/courses/COUN506_D58_201620/Master/COUN506_LUO_8WK_DEV_ImportedContent_20141218015707/iSpring%20Presentations/Module%2006/Mod%2006%20-%20Prayer%20and%20Christian%20Counseling%20%28LMS%29/res/index.html