Exploring Expert Counselors Spiritual Development and How It

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Exploring Expert Counselors Spiritual Development and How It EXPLORING EXPERT COUNSELORS SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND HOW IT CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR COUNSELING WORK A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Education of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Donna Jean Owens Menigat June 2007 This dissertation entitled EXPLORING EXPERT COUNSELORS SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND HOW IT CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR COUNSELING WORK by DONNA JEAN OWENS MENIGAT has been approved for the Department of Counseling and Higher Education and the College of Education by Tom E. Davis Professor of Counseling and Higher Education Renée A. Middleton Dean, College of Education Abstract MENIGAT, DONNA JEAN OWENS, Ph.D., June 2007, Counselor Education EXPLORING EXPERT COUNSELORS SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND HOW IT CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR THERAPY (287 pp.) Director of Dissertation: Tom E. Davis This qualitative research study explored expert counselors’ spiritual development and how it contributed to their counseling work. During a five week period, twelve expert counselors were interviewed in a variety of locations around the state of Ohio. Transcripts of the interviews, along with demographic data, vitas, researcher’s case notes, additional information obtained through follow-up phone calls and e-mails were used to glean information for themes in their discourse. Each participant mentioned a spiritual core or connection as an important component of their spirituality. Relationships were highly valued. Finding meaning in life’s joys and sorrows or assisting clients and others towards discovering meaning was another element mentioned by all. The expert counselor participants had a strong faith base with all of them believing in a God, higher power or connection and committed to their own spiritual traditions. Eleven pray and meditate regularly. Nine spoke of their spiritual core or inner guide contributing to their desire to make right choices for their life. Five individuals believed all of their life was spiritually oriented and the remaining group averaged more than ten hours weekly on their spiritual practices. The majority of the participants consistently address spirituality in their counseling work. Seven participants regularly assessed their clients at the intake session for spiritual values and beliefs. Two others waited until their client disclosed a spiritual interest and then attended to the issue. This study’s results provide support for the concept of spiritual core and connection providing a lens or way to make meaning of life events, inspiration to create a purposeful life which brings holistic health, satisfying relationships and opportunities to be in flow or in sync with that spiritual energy. A discussion of the data collection and analysis is presented. Implications, limitations and conclusions are incorporated. Approved: Tom E. Davis Professor of Counseling and Higher Education Acknowledgments First and foremost, thanks be to God who opened the door, showing me the prospect of this journey and sustained me along the way. What a blessing it has been to meet all of the people who came into my life in recent years. I thank my husband Fred, who encouraged me from the earliest years of our relationship to fulfill my life dream of completing a PhD. I was 27 when I took my first college class and have continued my education throughout my life. Fred has been a steadfast supporter, especially through all the recent life challenges. I’m grateful for your presence in my life. I love you. To my parents Donald Owens and Jean Fitzgerald Owens, both of whom gave me their names, I thank for the solid foundation they gave my life. They taught us to value God, our country and education. Although they have been in heaven for ten years, I still feel their presence. My dear sisters, Kaye, Mae, Doris and Diane have been a great support, especially during Sisters’ Weekend and family gatherings, when we can share stories and laugh. Thanks to each of you, and to the whole family circle of Don and Jean descendents. My youngest children, Frederick Owens and Lindsay Jean, were both in school for their Bachelors Degrees during the time I worked on this doctorate and we shared common experiences. May you always continue to learn and grow throughout your lives. To my advisor, Dr. Tom Davis, thank you for offering the opportunity to return to Ohio University to complete this degree. You have been a fine mentor and I appreciate your support. Grateful thanks goes also to my committee composed of Dr. Dianne Gut, for her incredible powers of editing, to Dr. George Johanson, for methodology guidance and his sense of humor and to Dr. Yegan Pillay, for bringing an understanding of spirituality research. Dr. Mel Witmer, Dr. Tom Sweeney, and Dr. Jane Myers were a part of my Masters Program at Ohio University in the late eighties. I had the pleasure of re- connecting with them during my doctoral program. Their work on holistic health and wellness, with spirituality always at the core, has been an inspiration. Heartfelt thanks for all the kind support and mentoring throughout the years. My dissertation support group, Jodi Jones and Mary Jane Preece, met regularly for lunch where we shared updates on our lives and writing progress. Thank you, friends. This pattern of getting together every few weeks provided a framework that encouraged continual building of the dissertation. Be sustained in your efforts and I look forward to celebrating with you when you graduate. Many others in the Ohio University extended family of doc students provided encouragement and support along the way, too, such as Dr. Kerry Sebera, Dr. Jake Protivnak and Dr. Herbi Wartinger. You are each appreciated. My spiritual direction peer group, Kay McGlinchey, Sharry Hoch, Sue Leitch, Bill Eckstein, and Cheryl Simpson, along with my spiritual director, Sister Louis Mary Passeri, and my small church community, prayed and helped sustain me spiritually over the recent years. To my friends and extended family, thank you for the numerous ways you have touched my life with the gift of laughter, your relationship and through sharing your own stories. To the participants of this study, thank you for sharing your lives with me. It was an honor to meet you and hear your stories. You truly exemplify expert counselors. To each and every person who prayed for me during the recent sixteen months of breast cancer treatment and throughout the process of this doctoral program, may God bless your lives abundantly. Thank you. 8 Table of Contents Page Abstract............................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... 5 List of Tables .................................................................................................................... 12 Chapter One ...................................................................................................................... 13 Overview....................................................................................................................... 13 Topic ......................................................................................................................... 13 Need to Address Spirituality Issues in Counseling................................................... 14 Counseling and Spirituality....................................................................................... 15 Spirituality and Health .............................................................................................. 18 Counselor Training ................................................................................................... 19 Spiritual Development .............................................................................................. 21 Statement of the Problem.......................................................................................... 24 Significance of the Study.......................................................................................... 25 Limitations ................................................................................................................ 25 Conclusions............................................................................................................... 27 Definition of Terms................................................................................................... 28 Chapter Two...................................................................................................................... 30 Literature Review.......................................................................................................... 30 Counseling and Spirituality........................................................................................... 32 Historical Patterns..................................................................................................... 32 Current Counseling Views of Spirituality................................................................. 34 Counselor Spiritual Development............................................................................. 37 Counselor Training ....................................................................................................... 39 Spirituality Summit................................................................................................... 43 Ethics........................................................................................................................
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