Relational Spirituality

Author(s):  
Ann M. Callahan

Chapter 5 introduces the concept of relational spirituality to suggest how a therapeutic relationship may support a patient’s spiritual experience of enhanced life meaning. Although different types of relationships may inform spirituality, this chapter focuses on the relationship between a hospice social worker and a patient. Research shows that therapeutic engagement involves a balance between technical skills and relational skills relative to caregiver expertise and patient capacity. This chapter suggests that the manner in which the therapeutic process unfolds as part of hospice social work can facilitate enhanced life meaning, called relational spirituality. A relational model for spiritually-sensitive hospice social work is introduced as a means of describing how this spiritual quality of therapeutic engagement can support patient care.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Cataldo ◽  
Shanton Chang ◽  
Antonette Mendoza ◽  
George Buchanan

BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic, people are being encouraged to maintain social distance. Technology is helping people to reschedule meetings from “face-to-face” interactions to remote videoconferencing. Psychologists are in high demand, due to an increase in stress as a result of COVID. Many seek to both keep treating their current patients, and welcome new ones, given the current high demand for their services. Videoconferencing provides an opportunity to do this. However, shifting treatment from face-to-face to the videoconferencing is not simple as both the psychologist and the patient miss the in-person information and cues, such as body language provides. OBJECTIVE A new theoretical framework is proposed to guide the design of future studies on the impact of the computer as a mediator of psychologist-patient relationships, and the influence of videoconferencing on the whole relationship process. METHODS A literature review has been conducted, screening studies focusing on communication, and the key concepts of therapeutic relationship and therapeutic alliance. RESULTS Studies report that patients are generally satisfied with videoconference therapy in terms of the relationship with their therapists and the establishment of the “therapeutic alliance”. However, psychologists report difficulties in establishing same quality of therapeutic relationship and therapeutic alliance. The analysed studies lead us to interpret data under a different perspective. A new model of relationship is proposed, along with further hypotheses. CONCLUSIONS It is important to consider the computer as having an active role in psychologists and patients’ relationships. CLINICALTRIAL


1995 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Toolan ◽  
Shirley Coleman

A number of approaches exist within the field of music therapy. Some models for evaluating the efficacy of therapy have been adopted in the UK in recent years. These have measured the occurrence of specific behaviours within therapy, or compared music therapy with other interventions. There is a need to find reasonably reliable methods of describing change and the therapeutic process occurring within music therapy. This paper describes change occurring in five people with learning disabilities, in terms of their levels of engagement in therapy and in the therapeutic relationship. A method is provided, to evaluate independent observers ‘perceptions of change in the patients over a 30-session period of therapy. A significant increase in levels of engagement over time was found. It was also found that the degree of change over time was not related to the mean level of engagement. We discuss some subtle factors involved in therapeutic engagement for the five patients in the study, and stress the importance of a therapy which emphasises the dynamics of interpersonal communication for people with limited opportunities to express thoughts and emotions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Rizou ◽  
Vaitsa Giannouli

Therapeutic Relationship has been regarded as a profound element of the psychotherapeutic procedure and crucial for the outcome of therapy. Research evidence so far claims that both therapist’s and client’s personality can impact the Therapeutic Relationship. Based on the well-researched Attachment Theory there has been some research mostly focused on how clients’ attachment patterns can affect the Alliance. Limited research, though, on how therapists experience the Relationship in relation with their Attachment Styles do exist. The current study investigates trainee therapists’ experience of the Therapeutic Relationship in the light of their Attachment Style. A qualitative approach was used for this research to investigate in depth the experience of five trainee Integrative psychotherapists who were recruited to take part in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and verbatim was divided into superordinate and subordinate themes and analyzed by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis method. Four master themes were identified. Findings were then compared and discussed according to existing literature. All participants referred to the relevance of Attachment Theory in psychotherapy. They also agreed on the activation of their Attachment Styles during the therapeutic process. The securely attached therapist confirms previous studies on her capability to offer a secure base for her clients. On the other hand therapists with insecure Attachment Styles appeared sensitive in their collaboration mostly with insecure clients. Anxiously attached therapists proved to experience difficulty in the initial stages of the Therapeutic Relationship while the combination of avoidant therapist-avoidant client appeared to be the most demanding one, regarding the concept of trust and relationship ruptures. We suggest that the exploration of trainee therapists’ Attachment Styles as well as the study of the Attachment Theory should be added to all Counseling and Psychotherapy curricula regardless the therapeutic orientation because of its contribution to forming positive Therapeutic Relationships.


2001 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy D. Safran ◽  
J. Christopher Muran

In this article we outline a number of principles and strategies relevant to training and supervision in cognitive psychotherapy from a relational perspective. Although a number of principles are discussed, two emerge as most fundamental. First, it must be remembered that in supervision, as in therapy, everything takes place within a relational context and can only be understood within that context. The supervisor must thus always be monitoring the nature and quality of the relationship with the therapist. Second, supervision should be experiential in nature. This is true both because of the dangers incurred by reifying the therapeutic process, as well as the difficulties incurred when the learning process takes place primarily at a conceptual level.


2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Rocco ◽  
Rachele Mariani ◽  
Diego Zanelli

Analysis at a paralinguistic level of communication, already conceptualized within the multiple code theory, would appear to be very important in order to fully describe the quality of the patient-therapist relationship. In this study the therapeutic process and microprocess are analyzed taking into consideration a specific paraverbal aspect (speech rate) present in patient and therapist's communication. More specifically, in this paper we aim to investigate the relationship between the speech rate of both patient and therapist with the linguistic aspects of their referential process as obtained by the IDAAP dictionaries, relating to three sessions belonging to different phases of the psychotherapy. The results show that there are many significant correlations between the considered values. These findings are interpreted as an expression of the alignment between patient and therapist which can be linked to the outcome of the psychotherapy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
Areen Mohammed Alghzewat Alkhawaldeh ◽  
Ayman Ahmad Alkrimeen

This study aimed at examining the effect of an employee's sense of psychological well-being at work and the quality of social work relationships (the relationship between colleagues and the relationship with superiors) on the level of job commitment; the study was conducted on 80 police officers working in the Police College (Qatar), four measures were used to measure study variables. The regression analysis results indicated a positive correlation between the sense of psychological well-being at work and career commitment to the high level of social relations at work. Note that this study makes a set of significant contributions to the Arab work environment, whether at the theory or practice level. The study's most important results indicate the necessity of giving social work relations the appropriate attention, given its significant role in several organizational and individual outputs, which departments are rarely interested in.


Author(s):  
Harry Joseph Aponte

AbstractThis paper is based on the premises that the conscious, active and purposeful use of self by the therapist in the therapeutic process is an essential aptitude in establishing an effective therapeutic relationship, and that this therapeutically purposeful use of self can and should be incorporated in the training of all therapists in a explicitly systematic manner. The paper will attempt to identify the contributions of the “what and how” the use of self by therapists contributes to the therapeutic process. First of all, therapists’ use of self is meant to be viewed as a Common Factor as defined by Sprenkle, Davis & Lebow (2009), which is a perspective about the effectiveness of therapy that “asserts that the qualities and capabilities of the person offering the treatment are more important than the treatment itself” (p. 4). Secondly, the use of self by therapists emphasizes developing the skill set of the therapist in the conscious, active and purposeful use of self as is in the moment of the therapeutic engagement with clients, and does so without denying the importance of therapists working to resolve personal issues of theirs that may interfere with the therapist's professional effectiveness. Therapists’ use of self gives particular emphasis to the purposeful use of self as is in therapy’s relationship, assessment and interventions whatever the therapy model (Aponte & Kissil, 2016). Thirdly, the use of self represents an aptitude that can be developed and refined through well elaborated structures for schooling therapists in the therapeutic use of all they bring of their personal selves to the therapy relationship including through the use of their human vulnerabilities as they exist at the moment of empathic engagement with clients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Rafael Marcos Sánchez ◽  
Maria del Carmen Diéz González

ResumenLos datos estadísticos y algunos estudios nos plantean la relevancia del problema del fracaso escolar en España, los porcentajes de abandono temprano son preocupantes. Este fracaso escolar se relaciona con la no adquisición de un aprendizaje significativo debido a las dificultades en el aprendizaje, a las relaciones con sus compañeros, a la escasa comprensión lectora, etc.: estos generan percepciones erróneas y emociones negativas que influyen en el rendimiento escolar. Por ello, es importante evaluar la relación entre los diferentes aspectos que nos permitan fomentar el aprendizaje de habilidades sociales de forma preventiva.En esta investigación hemos utilizado un modelo relacional entre la percepción y el rendimiento en la asignatura ciencias de la naturaleza y las habilidades sociales de toma de conciencia y control emocional, conversacionales, la cooperación y ayuda mediante el trabajo, las relacionadas con la defensa de los propios derechos, las socio - emocionales y de vida y bienestar subjetivo como mejora de la calidad de vida. La muestra de la investigación es de 445 estudiantes de los cursos de tercero a sexto de Primaria de varios centros educativos. Los resultados obtenidos nos muestran que existe significatividad entre la percepción y las habilidades socio - emocionales con respecto al rendimiento y, por lo tanto, se comprueba el impulso motivacional en el rendimiento si mejoramos la percepción mediante dichas habilidades socio – emocionales y el desarrollo en el aula de programas y metodologías activas, como aprendizaje cooperativo y mindfulness, que mejoren el aprendizaje y reduzcan los conflictos en el aula.AbstractThe statistical data and some studies raise the relevance of the problem of school failure in Spain, the percentages of early abandonment are worrisome. This school failure is related to the lack of acquisition of significant learning due to difficulties in learning, relationships with peers, insufficient reading comprehension, …; these generate erroneous perceptions and negative emotions that influence school performance. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the relationship between the different aspects that allow us to promote the learning of social skills in a preventive manner.In this research we have used a relational model between perception and performance in the subject natural sciences and social skills of consciousness and emotional control, conversational, cooperation and help through work, those related to the defense of own rights, socio-emotional and life and subjective well-being as improvement of the quality of life. The sample of the research is 447 students from the third to sixth year Primary courses from several educational centers. The results obtained show us that there is significance between perception and socio-emotional skills with respect to performance and, therefore, the motivational impulse in performance is proven if we improve perception through these socio-emotional skills and the development in the classroom of programs and active methodologies, as cooperative learning and mindfulness, that improve learning and reduce conflicts in the classroom.


Author(s):  
Ann M. Callahan

Chapter 6 describes the purpose of spiritual care, spiritual care models across disciplines, and utility of the relational model for spiritually-sensitive hospice social work. The relational model for spiritually-sensitive hospice social work is proposed as a means of not only facilitating patient access to spiritual support, but also as a form of spiritual care. This model is believed to help hospice workers maximize opportunities to enhance the spiritual quality of care through mindful intervention, which is particularly important when patients present with spiritual needs that require immediate care. Despite being a promising model for intervention, however, the chapter ends by encouraging caution given the unique dynamics that can emerge in the process of providing spiritual care, some of which may not be controlled through skilled intervention.


Author(s):  
Alessandro Talia ◽  
Madeleine Miller-Bottome ◽  
Rachel Wyner ◽  
Peter Lilliengren ◽  
Jordan Bate

In the last decade of his career, Jeremy Safran became increasingly interested in investigating the ways in which attachment representations influence the therapeutic relationship. In this paper, we test such influence in a sample of thirty outpatients who received Brief Relational Therapy by comparing their independently coded pre-treatment Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) with their narratives in a post-treatment interview about the relationship with the therapist (the Patient Relationship Interview at Termination, PRI-T). The PRI-T was coded with the following three measures: i) The Patient Attachment to Therapist Rating Scale (PAT-RS), which assesses the quality of the patient’s attachment relationship to the therapist; ii) the Coherence scale from the AAI, adapted for use on the PRI-T; and iii) the Patient Attachment Classification System (PACS), which measures generalized differences in how individuals convey their experiences and feelings. Results suggest that patients’ AAI predicts how they experience, represent, and communicate about the therapeutic relationship at the end of treatment, as shown by the PAT-RS, the Coherence scale adapted for use on the PRI-T, and the PACS applied to the PRI-T. These findings lend support to Safran and others’ hypothesis that patients’ AAI-status plays a role in patients’ representations of the relationship with the therapist.


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