A Scoping Review of Ethical Considerations in Spiritual/Religious Counseling and Psychotherapy

Four overarching themes from this scoping review were identified, namely: (a) clients' right for autonomy and self-determination; (b) cultural sensitivity; (c) practitioner competency issues; and (d) recommended guidelines for ethical practice. These themes were aligned with the moral principles that guide professional ethical practice. A competency-based model was designed based on findings to enhance counselor/clinician competencies by enhancing sensitivity to spiritual and religious sentiments, which allows greater responsiveness to the clients' needs, values and preferences.

Spiritual and Sexual Identity: Exploring Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients' Perspectives of Counseling

Although religious and spiritual issues have emerged as areas of focus in counseling, very few scholars have explored the meaning and experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients who addressed their sexual and religious/spiritual identities in counseling. Using consensual qualitative research (CQR; Hill, 2012), the current study explores the perspectives of 12 LGB persons who sought counseling that involved religious/spiritual concerns. Four themes in participant interviews are identified, including (a) self-acceptance, (b) goals of counseling, (c) identification with counselor, and (d) counseling environment and relationship. Implications of findings for the counseling field are discussed.