Moral and Spiritual Aspects of Counseling: Recent Developments in the West

<p><em>This paper aims at exploring the moral and spiritual dimension of counseling. Since professional counseling has developed in the West, cultural peculiarities and individualistic orientation of the Occident permeate the profession. Recently a surge of interest in spirituality and religion has been noted with some focused treatment on a new approach of counseling. The new approach suggests that spirituality in life is central to the individual, family, and community. Therapists are increasingly examining the relationship between spirituality and general psychological wellness. Both secular and religious professionals are recognizing the paradigm shift from illness to wellness and individualism to collectivism. Counseling has grown out of the premise that therapists need to be value-free. The emerging perspective of an integrated outlook of counseling with religion and spirituality has resulted in a fundamental conflict with the prevailing value system of the profession. Counselors still wish to avoid the role of a moralist. The controversy is also related to the desired assertiveness of a therapist in attaching a moral and spiritual dimension while advocating certain values. Psychotherapy, as a moralistic enterprise, requires modification in its training programmes. Therapists need to reorient themselves as scientists with a profound moral or spiritual commitment. Clients need and demand this reorientation. This profession has the claim of responding to the needs of its clientele and it cannot ignore the emerging thrust in its practice.</em>