Prayer in Counselling and Psychotherapy: Exploring a Hidden Meaningful Dimension (Practical Theology Series): Exploring a Hidden Meaningful Dimension (Practical Theology Series)

"AFTER spending years putting religion on the couch by centring the human experience within the narrow confines of the sexually driven psyche, Sigmund Freud briefly conceded in 1921 that religious believers have always enjoyed "a powerful protection against the danger of neuroses". The founder of psychoanalysis is well known to have questioned the "illusion" of faith and spirituality; and his theories, strengthened by an emerging secularism in European thought, have traditionally been viewed in direct opposition to those of William James and the American spirit of pragmatism. By acknow-ledging the power of faith, Freud recognised what James saw: faith works. Nevertheless, 20th-century psychology was underpinned by the pursuit of scientific reductionism: we are the sum of our parts.

Although most psychological therapies today understand that the essence of change rests primarily on the empirical processes of the client, they often ignore, or indeed actively avoid, any talk of religion or faith. I have often heard colleagues make it known that faith or politics invite unnecessary complications, and are therefore to be avoided at all costs during the therapeutic process. Journeys of self-discovery or inner awareness are frequently the signifiers used when speaking, not only about counselling and psychotherapy, but also about religion. And the increasing popularity of the community-based Twelve Step programme, which essentially asks participants to give themselves up to God or a "higher power" through prayer and reflection, presents the unavoidable question: Has the time come for us to discuss religion and faith in the therapy room?


Peter Madsen Gubi has devoted himself to this question for a number of years, and the results do not fail to please. Prayer in Counselling and Psychotherapy controversially explores the place of prayer within therapeutic processes, for the clients as well as the therapists. Although Christian in its perspective, the book none the less offers insights for working with all religious faiths. It also examines the ethical dilemmas faced when incorporating prayer in the work. Using case studies of counsellors who use prayer, Gubi demonstrates how prayer can influence practice, and how it can be safely integrated into practice. He rightly reminds us that the use of prayer does not exempt practitioners from ethical frameworks that protect the interests of the client. Attention is duly given to when not to use prayer. This book should be required reading for all pastoral and faith-based counsellors.

Dr Jacobson is Education and Training Officer at Dr Thaddeus Birchard and Associates in London, and has a practice in Glasgow."
~ Written on 2008-06-07

"This book comes as a result of over ten years research into how counsellors of faith utilise their faith and the implications of this in counselling and psychotherapy. The author explores the possible benefits and potential problems of using prayer in a counselling setting. The ethical use of prayer, how prayer influences practice and how prayer is integrated into counselling practice.

He begins by setting the scene, looking at the growth of the profession toward maturity, where now there is a greater openness to exploring `unorthodox practices' such as working with spirituality and prayer.

Following this the author explores possible benefits and problems of praying with clients. Examining the research on prayer in a wider context, looking at research carried out by a number of researchers into the relationship between psychological well being, health and the effectiveness of prayer. The author appraises the research papers giving space for the conclusions of the researchers even if many of the reviews of these are inconclusive.

His exploration of the ethical use of prayer, whether that be at the clients request or the counsellors' suggestion, is thorough and there is a breadth of issues which are thoughtfully brought to the reader's consideration.

The following 2 chapters explore the influence of prayer and how prayer can be integrated into practice. The author shares the data from his own research, sensitively giving voice to how others integrate prayer into their own practice and how this has impacted on them as counsellors and therapists.

The author concludes by briefly considering issues for good practice when using prayer in counselling. He does not give a methodology for integrating prayer into counselling practice; rather this book encourages consideration of and reflection on the ethical use of prayer, our motivations for praying and what and how we might pray.

This book is well written and encourages thorough consideration of the use of prayer in counselling. There is a great deal to be considered and thought through which this book highlights. It will be of value to all who integrate prayer into their counselling or are exploring the relationship between spirituality and counselling and working with their client's belief systems.
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~ Written on 2008-04-02

"Peter Gubi's book, the fruit of both his own extensive research and a detailed study of the available literature, explores in depth the way prayer is, and could be, used in counselling and psychotherapy.
I found the whole book stimulated thought and reflection. It also - a major plus in a work such as this- invited conversation. This book would provide excellent material for a group of counsellors to share and reflect on.
The review of the literature relating to the context, the benefits of prayer and the potential problems, especially ethically was both exhaustive and, to be honest, at times exhausting. The issues were addressed seriously and also unapologetically. More than once we were reminded that ethical objections raised against the use of prayer could be raised against any intervention in counselling. The section looking at specific ways prayer could be used within a counselling session and the difficulties with them (especially p. 73ff) is particularly valuable, helping practitioner's look at ways of ethically owning their own practice and the choices they make in this area.
Chapter five and six lay out the rich results of Gubi's doctoral research, using a qualitative methodology to explore how prayer is being used by `mainstream' UK counsellors. I will just quote one vignette, on the motivation for counselling:

`We're both two human beings in the service of their inner self...the whole thing is the service of something higher and deeper...service of joy, compassion, wisdom.'

Counsellors describe praying when stuck in a session, when clients are despairing, in ritual and endings among many other settings. Gubi ends with a summary of the ground covered and a moving personal reflection on how he himself still struggles to integrate prayer in his own counselling :

`What stops me from integrating prayer in my own practice is `me'. To do so means that I have to question some cherished beliefs and assumptions that have been instilled in me from my training as a counsellor. I have discovered how difficult and frightening it is to be open to another's spirituality at times, even when I have a strong spirituality of my own.'

That remains a challenge for all practitioner's, whatever position they take on prayer in counselling, and Gubi's book is a fine guide to anyone ready to seriously explore these issues.

Chris Jenkins, Psychotherapist.
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~ Written on 2008-03-31