For many classes, we get assigned to find a topic we are interested in and then review a journal we find. This is one example of Adolescents, grieving, and spirituality.
Objective Information Summary
This is a journal review of Spirituality and loss: Approaches for counseling grieving adolescents. This article looked at the grieving process, specifically for adolescences, and approaches through counseling. Grieving is an important process for adolescents after a loss, which helps individuals adapt and cope. The death of a loved one is not normal outside of typically developing adolescents and the event can be traumatic. Understanding the developmental framework of an adolescent can help a counselor understand the emotional reactions and behaviors of the grieving individual. Support and nurturance are general requirements after a loss that can help an individual cope with grief.
After the death or loss of a loved one, individuals may turn to religion for support. Death might also be a time when individuals distance themselves from religion. Becoming aware of the client’s religious or spiritual beliefs can be a way for counselors to help the client make meaning from death. Discussing religion and spirituality shows respect for the clients’ beliefs and it can be a way to understand sources of comfort and discomfort.
In the case of Cora, a 16-year-old, her mother died in a car accident and she became angry and distanced herself from her faith. Through rituals, bibliotherapy, art, and journaling, Cora was able to make meaning of the loss through exploring spiritually and cope with the death of her mother.
Subjective Reflection
One interesting aspect of this article was the case study with Cora a 16-year-old girl who tragically lost her mother in a car accident. She became angry and resented God and she also struggled to cope with her m other’s death. Her spiritual concerns were connected to her mother’s death and through exploration, she was able to make meaning of her mother’s death and work through her spiritual struggle.
Another important part of this article was the connection with spirituality to grieving and loss; in America many reports being religious.
83% of Americans report being religious of some sort and of adolescents 13 to 18 years old, 85% had a belief in God, 80% prayed, and 40% went to a weekly service.
“Counselors need to become knowledgeable about clients’ religious or spiritual beliefs about death because such beliefs may serve as vehicles through which clients make meaning out of and cope with loss” (Muselman & Wiggins, 2012).
The three major activities individuals need to go through to make meaning from death is to find reasons for what happened, to grow from the loss, and go through a change that reconstructs themselves in response to the loss.
A potential conflict could be the differences in religion. Having my own personal beliefs might not be the same as a client.
The potential bias I might hold for certain religions or spiritualties.
Another issue that might be putting my beliefs on my client might be susceptible.
Putting aside my own personal beliefs to be fully understanding of a religion that might not be what I necessarily believe but learning and understanding for my client’s growth.
Counseling and art therapy can be a value-free environment but if religion or spirituality is part of the clients’ life, if they are willing, implement it and use it as a tool.
Religion does not have to be the center of counseling or art therapy, it should be person-centered and it depends solely on the individual.
Religion sometimes isn’t just a religion, it’s a lifestyle choice and it might be hard to separate yourself from what your core beliefs and values are.
I think using religion could be helpful for a client to get through something like what the case study had. Cora was struggling through a challenging time and growing through religion helped her move on from her mother’s death and keep her core faith.
Learning about other background is important in counseling, having the capability to understand diverse cultures is something we must do constantly. Understanding someone’s religion or spirituality is equally important and can be a way to help clients.
I feel your own personal view shouldn’t really be discussed. You can be yourself without imposing your views on someone. With religion, I think the clinician’s religion shouldn’t be mentioned even if it’s similar to the clients.
I am a Christian and think there is power in my own religion, there are personal growth and healing. I have a support system that makes me whole. I would love everyone to have something similar but understand not everyone is on board and don’t want to push my beliefs on anyone.
I have learned spirituality can be in counseling with clients and learning about what someone believes can play important roles in therapy.
I thought this article was insightful and brought to light something I believed might be not really discussed because of the differences in religion and not wanting to impose your own beliefs on a client; but, if religion is already apart of someone’s life, why wouldn’t you use it within counseling, not to sway beliefs but to grow and understand them more personally.
Reference
Muselman, D. M., & Wiggins, M. I. (2012). Spirituality and loss: Approaches for counseling grieving adolescents. Counseling and Values, 57, 229-240.
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