Fernando L. Garzon

Lay Counseling

Fernando L. Garzon — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:15:16 PDT

Cultural Competence and Minority Groups

Fernando L. Garzon — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:15:15 PDT

Spirituality in Counseling

Fernando L. Garzon — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:15:13 PDT

Lay Christian Counseling and Client Expectations for Integration in Therapy

Fernando L. Garzon et al. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:42:55 PDT

As lay approaches to Christian counseling have multiplied and become increasingly sophisticated, we hypothesize that these might affect expectations of conservative Christian clients for professional integrative psychotherapy. Accordingly, we review several models of lay counseling, broadly categorizing them into active listening, cognitive & solution-focused approaches, inner healing, and mixed models. We consider how client expectations for psychotherapy may be altered through their experiences with these approaches. Subsequently, we make recommendations for clinicians who deal with lay-counseling-experienced clients. These include doing a more detailed assessment of client lay counseling experiences and considering ethical aspects of treatment (informed consent and competency to treat).

Do Lay Christian Counseling Approaches Work? What We Currently Know

Fernando L. Garzon et al. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:42:54 PDT

Paraprofessional counseling has received empirical evidence of its effectiveness, yet the status of lay Christian counseling models remains unknown. The authors review the current research on such approaches. A few models evidence practitioner surveys, client satisfaction research, quasi-experimental studies, or outcomes- based case studies. One eclectic approach had a randomized waiting list control group study. Preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of Freedom in Christ (the Neil Anderson approach) and Theophostic Prayer Ministry was noted. In all studies reviewed, the authors identified methodological limitations; therefore, the broad need for well-designed efficacy and effectiveness research on every model is clear. With current data, we cannot say definitively that lay Christian counseling works. Consequently, the authors make recommendations on potential improved research designs and encourage further investigations.

Rethinking Integration: A Prodding Case in Brazil

Fernando L. Garzon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:33:56 PDT

Cognitive Restructuring Through Contemplative Inner Healing Prayer: Clinical Demonstration and Current Research

Fernando L. Garzon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:33:55 PDT

At times, when spiritual interventions are adapted to the clinical context, the overtly spiritual dimensions of the intervention are omitted to permit research and to expand the client base available for the intervention. For example, forgiveness protocols have been developed for the clinical context (Enright, 2001; Worthington, 2001); however, these protocols are secular in that they do not intentionally use the client’s spirituality in their implementation or in the research supporting them (Garzon et al., 2002). Now is the time to examine in the clinical and research context overtly spiritual interventions in a form that intentionally uses a client’s religiously congruent resources.

Many Eastern and Western religious traditions use contemplative prayer forms in the spiritual and emotional healing process. For instance, Mindfulness Therapy (Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002) demonstrates the value of resources found in an Eastern religious tradition. More exploration of diverse religious faiths is needed however.

This sample clinical demonstration continues the exploration through describing the specific use of resources found in a Western faith tradition. Contemplative inner healing prayer in a form that specifically uses this client’s spiritual resources in the cognitive restructuring process will be seen.

The Other Side of the Podium: Student Perspectives on Learning Integration

Elizabeth Lewis Hall et al. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:33:54 PDT

Student perspectives on the transmission of integration in integrative programs were examined through a qualitative study. Participants in the study were 595 graduate and undergraduate students (305 women and 247 men) drawn from four Evangelical Christian institutions of higher education. Participants provided written data in response to three open-ended questions, inquiring about the exemplary and helpful aspects of their educational experiences with respect to integration. Post-hoc content analyses informed by grounded theory analytic processes were used to analyze the data, resulting in two overarching themes: Facilitating Integration, and Concepts of Integration, which respectively address how students learn integration, and how students conceptualize integration. The implications for the conceptualization of integration and for the pedagogy of facilitating integration are explored.

Inner Healing Prayer in “Spirit-Filled” Christianity

Fernando L. Garzon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:33:54 PDT

Pilgrims’ Progress: Faculty and University Factors in Graduate Student Integration of Faith and Learning

Jennifer S. Ripley et al. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:33:53 PDT

Graduate students' perspectives on integration of faith and profession were investigated using item response to identify underlying constructs. Students (N = 595) from various professions and four universities were sampled. Three factors were supported as separate and important constructs for students. The first two factors were drawn from Sorenson's research on attachment theory, faculty as bulwark of the faith versus fellow sojourner and faculty as emotionally transparent versus emotionally distant. A new domain of integration, environmental factors such as class Scripture reading, was supported as a unique factor. An examination of diversity variables gave preliminary evidence that females and students of color may see emotional transparency and environmental factors as more important in Christian integration than other students.

A Phenomenology of the Integration of Faith and Learning

Elizabeth C. Sites et al. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:33:52 PDT

This phenomenological investigation examined how eight student-nominated faculty who teach at an evangelical Christian liberal arts university describe their understanding and practice of the Integration of Faith and Learning (IFL). Collected data via informal, conversational, taped interviews led to the emergence of two primary themes: the Inseparability of Faith from Practice and the Outworking of Faith in Practice. The findings of the study highlight the need to create a more conducive context in which students can learn IFL and call for a re-examination of the already murky discourse surrounding definitional aspects of IFL. The study proposes to move the discourse forward by offering a new, yet to be discussed construct that emanated from the participants of this study, ontological foundation. A conceptual model describing its relationship with IFL is proposed.

Guest Editor Page: Teaching Integration

Fernando L. Garzon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:33:51 PDT

Interventions that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy

Fernando L. Garzon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:33:51 PDT

Christian therapists are sometimes challenged in their work with appropriately religious clients to develop treatment components that incorporate the Bible. Utilizing a case study format, this article describes various intervention strategies available for the clinician to consider. Psychodynamic, psychoeducational, theoeducational, cognitive, behavioral, and affective experiential therapeutic examples are presented. As long as sound ethical and religio-cultural assessment guidelines are followed, Scripture remains a rich resource for clinicians in their work.

Forgiveness in Community Cultural Contexts: Applications in Therapy and Opportunities for Expanded Professional Roles

Fernando L. Garzon et al. — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:07:27 PDT

After a decade of research, forgiveness is now emerging as a legitimately recognized psychological intervention. Clinical models, in order to' be useful for the broad range of clients seen in therapy, are designed to be essentially nonreligious. However, many clients are religious and many cultural groups have used forgiveness to deal with a myriad of issues, both individual and societal. Descriptions of how diverse groups are currently applying forgiveness in a community cultural context are therefore needed in the clinical literature. This article will describe three such indigenous forgiveness applications. Forgiveness is seen to address racial, gender, and religious conflicts. Implications for clinicians in the therapeutic and broader community contexts are considered.

Healing of Memories: Models, Research, Future Directions

Fernando L. Garzon et al. — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:07:27 PDT

This article examines several of the more recent models of healing of memories (HM) as they are found in the clinical and pastoral care literature. A wide variety of approaches are present, including models from David Seamonds, Siang-Yang Tan, Leanne Payne, and Ed Smith (Theophostic Ministry). These models are compared and contrasted in terms of an intervention strategy. While few empirical studies on religious imagery interventions currently exist in the literature, available data has produced positive findings. Given these limited results, the need for specific research on HM techniques is advocated and an agenda for such research is proposed.

Counseling Hispanics: Cross Cultural and Christian Perspectives

Fernando L. Garzon et al. — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:07:27 PDT

Cross-cultural and Christian factors are examined in working with Hispanics in therapy. Cross-cultural concerns involve language difficulties, acculturation assessment, family dynamics, gender issues, attitudes toward authority figures: and expectations in therapy. Christian mental health professionals are in a unique position to increase adequate mental health care to this underserved population. Sensitive treatment can reduce the resistance many Hispanic evangelicals have to psychotherapy. In addition, the training of paraprofessional counselors in Hispanic churches would enable many Hispanics to obtain therapy who could not otherwise afford it.

Theophostic Ministry: Preliminary Practitioner Survey

Fernando L. Garzon — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:07:26 PDT

This exploratory survey investigated Theophostic Ministry, a recently developed inner healing prayer technique that has simultaneously garnered much anecdotal support and criticism. Specifically, the survey sought to assess who is using Theophostic Ministry, what disorders are being treated, and regular practitioners’ perceptions of this technique’s efficacy. The survey was administered during an advanced training seminar given by Ed Smith, the technique’s developer. Of the 148 participants 74% completed the survey (Respondent N = 111). Survey results suggested a wide variety of people are using Theophostic Ministry - from pastors to lay counselors to psychologists. Overall, the respondents believe this technique is very effective and have used the prayer ministry in treating a wide variety of disorders including some quite complex. Training level issues therefore emerged from this survey’s findings. These issues are explored and recommendations made. The limitations of the survey are discussed.