Spiritual themes in social work counselling: Facilitating the search for meaning

Abstract

Six Tasmanian social workers who acknowledged dealing explicitly with their client's spiritual concerns were interviewed in order to elicit conceptual linkages between the secular and the spiritual in their work. Interviews followed a semi-structured ‘in-depth’ protocol, with thematic analysis of transcripts and follow-up dialogue both informing and responding to analysis. Interviewees loosely conceived of spirituality as the search for meaning and purpose in life, invoking absolute ethical values which intrinsically arise from an intangible, internalised plane of existence. Drawing on their experience as one-on-one counsellors using primarily verbal intervention strategies, they identified both parallels and differences between spiritually aware practice and a more typical secular or materialist social work stance. A common core of humanist values, also embodied in the professional Code of Ethics, was seen as compelling grounds for re-emphasising spiritual practice content to provide genuine ‘whole person’ care.

Key Words:

• practice theory
• social work counselling
• spirituality