It’s not uncommon to hear people say that previous counseling experiences made them feel like they had to leave their faith at the office door or in the Zoom waiting room. While it’s true that counseling can still be helpful without any mention of faith or spirituality, I believe in the value of creating a therapeutic environment where a client feels comfortable expressing their beliefs and exploring how faith can strengthen the psychological healing process.

In my practice, I use the term “pastoral counseling” to describe counseling that welcomes a client’s expression of faith. However, one could also describe pastoral counseling as “spiritually-integrated counseling” or even “counseling that helps an individual draw on the strengths of their religious tradition or spiritual practices.”

The point is that pastoral counseling isn’t tied to one faith, one denomination, or one set of spiritual practices. Rather, it is counseling that welcomes integration no matter what a client’s religious or spiritual beliefs may be.

During the counseling intake process, I discuss with clients their preference for pastoral or non-pastoral counseling. For clients who would like more information about pastoral counseling, the intake process is also a great time to ask questions.