SPIRITUALLY INCLUSIVE MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING IN ROCHESTER, NY
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SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE/SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
Spiritual Diriection
A spiritual director functions as a guide by pointing out where she sees the Spirit moving in your life. A spiritual guide will not fix, advise or change you. Spiritual direction/guidance is not therapy. If you need spiritually informed therapy we also offer spiritual/ pastoral counseling with licensed mental health practioners who can incorporate your spiritual resources and religious beliefs into the counseling sessions on request. (See more details in next section.)
Spiritual Guide:
Licensed Therapists who are trained in pastoral counseling :
A SPIRITUAL/PASTORAL COUNSELING SESSION:
- Always explores ways that spiritual resources can guide a person in healing or addressing life issues
- Never involves proselytizing. Can include prayer. Always psychologically grounded.
- Always supports the client’s own values and belief system whether that is Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, earth-centered traditions, New Age practices, religious humanism or a spiritual, but non-religious perspective.
- Sometimes focuses on other issues, and incorporates spirituality to aid in treatment and healing.
- Is always safe, affirming and non-judgmental. Sometimes focuses on spiritual themes and issues in a person’s life.
- Is incorporated into the treatment plan if a client chooses.
Our Approach:
Our therapists are trained in a wide variety of therapeutic modalities and use the most appropriate method to fit your needs and goals.
Our Services Are:
- Culturally sensitive for people of various racial and cultural groups.
- Spiritually sensitive for people from a wide variety of religious and spiritual traditions.
- Affirming of diverse gender identifies and sexual orientation.
- Culturally sensitive for people who are deaf and hard of hearing including use of American Sign Language.
Concerns People Often See Us For:
- Issues of life meaning
- Living up to personal values
- Living up to community values
- Spiritual distress
- Religious or spiritual wounds
- Spiritual dimensions of current life struggles
- Clergy Struggles
- Church or congregation conflict
- Pre-Marital Counseling
- Spiritual Direction
- Clergy couple issues
