Enriching Awareness and Practice in the Pastoral and Reflective Supervision of Clergy increases and enriches the awareness, knowledge, and skills of pastoral and reflective supervisors who work with clergy in a pastoral/reflective supervision context. The content is also applicable to supervisors within a Clinical Ministerial Education context, and to all clergy who want to develop their awareness of, and skills in, interpersonal dynamics. This book explores themes such as theological reflection in pastoral/reflective supervision, the place of prayer in pastoral/reflective supervision, working with stuckness in pastoral/reflective supervision, understanding trauma in pastoral/reflective supervision, working with shame in pastoral/reflective supervision, developing an awareness of culture and diversity in pastoral/reflective supervision, the importance of self-care in pastoral/reflective supervision, and understanding context in pastoral/reflective supervision.

The authors have brought together important research into little-explored topics that are applicable to the field of counselling and psychotherapy. Each contributor has undertaken qualitative research into their chosen topic, and this book disseminates that research in a highly accessible manner. The aim of the volume is to inform counsellors and psychotherapists, and those in allied professions who support and care for people, towards developing a greater awareness of issues they may encounter. These include sexuality after breast cancer in young, single women; the impact of pregnancy loss on women who delayed childbirth and remain childless; adult reflections on being an only child; processing parental rejection through personal development; the nature of school-based counselling; the impact of emotional labour on secondary school teachers; and the impact of inappropriately referred clients on counselling trainees in placement.

The contributors, who each work with spiritual issues, either explicitly as spiritual directors or accompaniers, or as an implicit part of their therapeutic work, offer a psychologically-informed approach to Spiritual Accompaniment and Direction, and to working with others on a spiritual level more generally. They explore what it means to be attuned to the spiritual process of another, discuss what makes an effective relationship in Spiritual Accompaniment and counselling, and consider how best to work with spiritual crisis, spiritual abuse, and pain. The unconscious process informing the work, forgiveness, changing spiritual needs over the life-span, and models of supervision that can inform the practice of Spiritual Accompaniment are also explored. A case study is presented, providing psychological and theological insights into the accompaniment process. Grounded in work with the spiritual dimension of others and aspiring to improve encounters at a spiritual level, this concise book has important implications for the practice of counsellors, psychotherapists, and spiritual accompaniers and directors.

Peter Gubi's book, the fruit of both his own extensive research and a detailed study of the available literature, explores in depth the way prayer is, and could be, used in counselling and psychotherapy. This book would provide excellent material for a group of counsellors to share and reflect on. Gubi's book is a fine guide to anyone ready to seriously explore these issues.' - Thresholds '... [A] challenge to all therapists to examine their own presuppositions and prejudices and to discover, in so doing, an enhanced flexibility without losing their integrity. It is not recommended reading for those settled in their ways or unwilling to acknowledge their own spiritual yearnings or their lack of courage in the face of another's spirituality. Prayer can be a tough discipline and Peter Gubi demonstrates that its incorporation into the work of the therapist requires no little courage and a willingness to explore afresh what constitutes ethical behaviour as opposed to following the rule book.' - from the foreword by Brian Thorne, Professor Emeritus, University of East Anglia, and Honorary Lay Canon, Norwich Cathedral Within mainstream counselling and psychotherapy there is growing interest in the spiritual dimension of counselling. Prayer is at the centre of most spirituality and prayer is important to many people's psychological well-being. Peter Madsen Gubi argues that philosophically, all counselling can be regarded as prayer, particularly when working at relational depth; that prayer plays an important part in maintaining many mainstream counsellors' well-being and, with caution and considered ethical awareness, prayer can be integrated ethically into counselling when working with people of faith. The use of prayer in counselling is not the antithesis of counselling as some have argued, but can be identified with many accepted therapeutic practices. Grounded in his doctoral research among mainstream counsellors whose work includes prayer, this book encourages counselling and psychotherapy practitioners, and those with an interest in the welfare of others, to consider carefully the ethical place of prayer in counselling.

This new edited collection explores the intersection of spiritual direction and counselling/psychotherapy, and the relationship between the two. Citing the influencing effect prayer and counselling have had on each other, the contributors offer insight into the similarities and differences of spiritual direction and counselling, and of what the disciplines have to learn from each other. Advocating the importance of addressing the spiritual dimension of care in areas such as mental health and social care, this book promotes a synthesis of pastoral guidance and psychological counselling. The chapters offer insight to the healing role spirituality and prayer can play when counselling for trauma, sexual abuse or loss of a loved one. Whether discussing training counsellors to be spiritually literate, or exploring how spiritual accompaniers can take a psychologically-informed approach, all the contributors bring their extensive experience to bear working with spiritual and psychological issues.