The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy How Can You Create an Ethical Faith-Based Practice? An Interview with Whitney Owens, LPC
How Can You Create an Ethical Faith-Based Practice? An Interview with Whitney Owens, LPC
Curt and Katie interview Whitney Owens, LPC of Wise Practice, about faith-based practice. We look at what therapists can get wrong when considering incorporating faith into therapy. We also talk about what to do (and NOT do) when creating a faith-based therapy practice, specifically talking about ethics, using faith as a tool when requested, and the harm caused when therapists have a religious agenda in session.
Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!
In this podcast episode, we talk about faith-based therapy practices
Faith is a big part of many people’s lives. It is important for therapists to understand how to use faith as a resource in therapy. Further, there are Christian, faith-based therapists who can identify how best to remain within their ethics as a therapist when incorporating faith into therapy.
What can therapists get wrong when creating a faith-based therapy practice?
· Therapists become unethical when they try to convert clients to Christianity in therapy
· When therapists mismatch how much clients want to include faith and belief
· Therapists are not supposed to have an agenda for how their clients grow and change
· Conversion Therapy (e.g., Sexual Orientation Change Efforts, Anti-trans therapy) are illegal and wrong, regardless of your beliefs or faith
· Telling clients what to do about “moral” issues
· Refusing to work with people based on “morals”
What can therapists do to create an ethical faith-based practice?
· Using faith as a tool in therapy
· Letting clients dictate how faith is incorporated in therapy
· Providing clients space to interpret the bible or create the lives that they want to create
· Addressing our own bias
· Helping clients to make their own decisions
· Getting supervision and even joining secular consultation groups
· Doing the work to overcome bias and increase inclusion and affirmative practices
What are the benefits of incorporating faith into therapy and therapy practices?
· When therapists and clients share faith and beliefs, there can be an alignment of lived experience
· Therapists can extend their faith into the work to be more aligned (as long as they remain ethical in how they incorporate it into practice)
· Making business decisions that are both faith-based and ethical
Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:
We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!
Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:
Has Therapy Become the New Religion?
Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:
Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimagined
Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:
Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/
Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/