Integrating Client Religious Beliefs in Counseling: Evolving Theory, Research, Education, and Practice

Historically, counseling theory, research, education, and practice have only peripherally included religious considerations of clients. Although there was a predominantly science-based approach to the profession, recent decades and changing cultural perspectives have brought new insight to the importance of integrating religion and spirituality in counseling. In this article, the authors discuss changes in counseling theory, research, education, and practice that have expanded to include religious and spiritual beliefs, practices, and faith communities of clients.