When Faith Hurts: Clients’ Experience of the Therapeutic Relationship and a Counselor's way of Being on the Resolution of Religious and Spiritual Struggles

Abstract

Unaddressed religious and spiritual struggles can lead to poor mental health, making identifying the pathways individuals take towards growth of great importance. This hermeneutical phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of individuals who sought counseling to address their religious and spiritual struggles, focusing on how the therapeutic relationship and the counselor's way of being influenced growth pathways, as these factors are most predictive of positive outcome. The researcher highlights key findings and elaborates on clinical implications.

Keywords

Religious and spiritual struggle growth pathways way of being therapeutic relationship

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