Although some counselors have advocated for the limited use of touch in counseling, others have argued that touch has no place within the counseling relationship. Despite the controversy, the use of touch has been shown to have a number of therapeutic benefits; however, there are few ethical decision-making models that are appropriate for…

Using the Dimensions of Personal Identity Model proposed by Arredondo and Glauner (as cited in Arredondo et al., 1996), the authors reviewed the last 11 years of the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling's journal, "Counseling and Values", specifically regarding the "A" dimensions of race and ethnicity. Twenty-five…

A social justice orientation for counseling is appealing to many but appears to some to violate counselor neutrality and respect for client freedom and rights. Confusion about neutrality and advocacy in the counseling field seems to reflect confused assumptions and values in the wider culture. As a result, counseling is guided more by a disguised…

Given that constructivist approaches to counseling and religious faith traditions have divergent views regarding the understanding and perception of reality, the question arises, "Can a counselor embrace both a constructivist counseling approach and a particular religious tradition?" Using a diversity within unity perspective, the author argues…

This study tested a theoretical model of the relationship between collectivism and forgiveness. Participants (N= 298) completed measures of collectivistic self-construal, forgiveness, and forgiveness-related constructs. A collectivistic self-was related to understanding forgiveness as an interpersonal process that involved reconciliation.…

Effective counseling practice continues to be inevitably linked to underlying theories of behavioral causality. In this article, the authors present the Moral Capacity Profile of an individual from the perspective of the Amoral, Moral, Quasi-Moral/Quasi-Immoral, and Immoral Model of Behavior, a model that uniquely expands counseling's theoretical…

Although the literature on forgiveness is growing, little research exists on the process of forgiveness itself. This study was an initial effort to investigate the forgiveness process within a short-term longitudinal design. Participants (N = 41) completed 2 measures of forgiveness and a set of short-answer questions multiple times over 12 weeks.…

Quantitative research dominates published literature in the helping professions. Mixed methods research, which integrates quantitative and qualitative methodologies, has received a lukewarm reception. The authors address the iterative separation that infuses theory, praxis, philosophy, methodology, training, and public perception and propose a…

The philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre's critique of modern ethics and his virtue-centered alternative suggest that counseling can be considered a form of applied virtue ethics, helping clients cultivate the qualities necessary to live the good life. Although similar to developmental theory and positive psychology, this perspective also questions…

The authors identify the philosophical underpinnings and value-ladenness of major research paradigms. They argue that useful and meaningful research findings for counseling can be generated from both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, provided that the researcher has an appreciation of the importance of philosophical coherence in…

The authors summarize the growing body of empirical research literature in the area of psychology of religion that has been guided by attachment theory and indicate implications for counseling, including practical suggestions for case conceptualization, possible spiritual interventions, and ethical guidelines for practice. Attachment theory…

The authors introduce the integral model of the self-system and, using that model, describe the dynamics of healthy growth and the development of psychogenic pathology. Self-identification is described as "sliding" in nature, and stage theories for self-related lines are outlined to help clinicians understand the characteristics of each stage the…

Integral theory is a way of knowing that helps foster the recognition that disparate aspects of reality--such as biological constitution, cultural worldviews, felt-sense of selfhood, and social systems--are all critically important to any knowledge quest. Integral theory provides an "all quadrants, all levels" (K. Wilber, 2006, p. 26)…

Examines ritual from theoretical, clinical, and practical perspectives. Discusses symbolic cognition and its relation to myth and ritual. Abstracts a typology of ritual from phenomenological sources. Gives examples of liberation, transformation, and celebration rituals. Identifies elements commonly employed in ritual activity as guides to ritual…

Discusses the historical context for rising interest in values and ethical issues in family therapy, and presents framework for analyzing core values of prominent models of family therapy. Uses ethical debate over use of paradoxical techniques in family therapy to illustrate values clash between different models of family therapy. (Author)