Spirituality And Culture

 The American Counseling Association (ACA) recognizes a person’s cultural identity, spirituality, and religion or lack thereof, is central to how a person views the world. Thus, it has a great influence on a person’s daily functioning. Therefore you must understand where spirituality and culture fit into a client’s life and how spirituality and culture impacts a person’s perspective of the world. You also must consider how spirituality and culture influence a person’s behavior and belief systems which can ultimately impact the development or perpetuation of vicarious trauma. As a counselor, counselor educator, and supervisor you must be comfortable as well as competent in addressing spirituality and cultural issues related to the treatment and prevention of vicarious trauma.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post a brief description of your definition of spirituality. Then, explain how you would approach spirituality and culture in the treatment of vicarious trauma with future supervisees and clients/and or students. Explain how your views on spirituality might impact the counseling process. Finally, describe one skill counselors need to be spiritually and culturally competent when treating clients with vicarious trauma and why. Be specific and use examples to illustrate your points.

Learning Resources

Readings

• Course Text: Secondary traumatic stress: Self-care issues for clinicians, researchers, and educators
  • Chapter 9, “Trauma-Based Psychiatry for Primary Care”
• Course Text: Quitangon, G. & Evces, M. (2015). Vicarious Trauma and Disaster Mental Health: Understanding Risks and Promoting Resilience. New York: Routlege
  • Chapter 13
• Article: Chan, C., Ng, S., Ho, R., & Chow, A., (2006). East meets west: Applying Eastern spirituality in clinical practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 15(7), 822 – 832.
• Article: Farley, Y. (2007). Making the connection: Spirituality, trauma and resiliency. Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work, 26(1), 1–15.
• Article: Peres, J., Moreida-Almeida, A., Nasello, A., & Koenig, H. (2007). Spirituality and resilience in trauma victims. Journal of Religious Health, 46(3), 343 – 350.
• Article: Tehrani, N. (2007). The cost of caring- The impact of secondary trauma on assumptions, values, and beliefs. Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 20(4), 325–339.
• Article: Trippany, R., Wilcoxon, S., & Satcher, J. (2003). Factors influencing vicarious traumatization for therapists of survivors of sexual victimization. Journal of Trauma Practice, 2(1), 47–60.
• Article: Vis, J. & Boynton, H. (2008). Spirituality and transcendent meaning: Possibilities for enhancing post traumatic growth. Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, 27(1/2), 69 – 86.

Optional Resources

• Article: Spirituality: A white paper issued by the Association of Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling. Retrieved from:http://www. aservic.org then click on > Resources > White Paper on Spirituality.
• Spiritual Competencies: Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling. (2009). Competencies for Addressing Spiritual and Religious Issues in Counseling. Retrieved January 29, 2013, from: http://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/competencies/competencies-for-addressing-spiritual-and-religious-issues-in-counseling.pdf?sfvrsn=2