• encouraging clients to collaborate with their larger religious and spiritual commu- nity?


• demonstrating awareness of religious/ spiritual customs - including bereavement customs?


• demonstrating an awareness of the em- powering beliefs of various religious and spiritual perspectives and trying to connect clients to those?


• demonstrating awareness of the dimen- sions of power connected to spirituality and religion and how to be culturally sensitive when these are discussed?


• demonstrating receptivity to religious and spiritual diversity in therapy?


• demonstrating respect for behaviour or dress associated with religiously based cus- toms?


• demonstrating patience and encourage- ment when client’s dilemmas are related to a crisis of conscience involving spiritual or religious perspectives or positions?


• demonstrating non-judgemental attitudes to the language clients use to convey reli- gious or spiritual beliefs?


• creating spiritually sensitive genograms that show constraining spiritual/religious


issues? • considering my own spiritual/religious symbols and office decor as self-disclosure in the therapeutic relationship?


• considering the impact of spiritual and religious beliefs about LGBTTQ identities, re- productive rights, abortion and other moral/ legal/human rights debates?


• considering ethical dilemmas such as the dual relationship of counselling a member of one’s own faith group?


• remaining non-judgemental when clients do not connect with a spiritual belief?


• remaining non-judgemental when clients do not believe in God?


• referring to or consulting with counsellors able to provide a better standard of care in relation to religion and spirituality using a collaborative approach?


What training should therapists have in rela- tion to spirituality and religion in therapy? As therapists we need to continue to learn and improve competence and the standard of care we provide for clients. For further information, see Richard and Bergin who outline five potential ethical pitfalls thera- pists might encounter when they integrate religion and spirituality into therapy. The authors offer checklists of ethical recom- mendations.


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