For decades, the Spiritual/Religious (S/R) side of the individual has been a neglected aspect of psychology and counseling research (Poduri, 2022), indicating just a small number of mental health professionals who integrate S/R in their counseling practice as a source of strengths or resources from which they help their clients overcome life adversities (Mc Goldrick et al., 2011). Given the significance of S/R to many clients who seek psychological services, counseling psychologists now recognize and recommend devoting greater attention to spiritual/religion-accommodative counseling and expanding knowledge in this arena through future studies (Cashwell & Young, 2014; McCullough, 1999). More emic, indigenous psychologies have recently found their way into contemporary scientific communities (Sisemore & Knabb, 2020). The emic view refers to culture-specific and identifiable by specific culture insiders (Zinnbauer & Pargament, 2005, p. 30).
The Christan emic bottom-up approach utilizing sacred writings inspired by God, the Bible, and other prominent Christian writings expresses the significance of its message from a Christian cultural perspective (Knabb & Wang, 2021). Cashwell and Young (2014) point out that a client’s spiritual/religious aspect is now understood holistically, understanding the interplay of a person’s body, mind, and spirit. Awareness that the client’s S/R matters are therapeutically relevant and ethically appropriate, with the potential of representing a significant part in a client’s life, should be integrated into the treatment according to the client’s desire and agendas (Cashwell & Young, 2014).
A methodical review of studies researching religion before 2000 identified that 29 to 40 quantitative studies (73%) found a notable positive connection between participants’ well-being, while no published study found a negative connection (Koenig et al., 2012). A recent meta-analysis study indicates faith in God’s grace is connected with spiritual well-being, accommodative interpersonal functioning, and virtue development, such as humility and forgiveness (Hodge et al., 2022).
Several models of Christian indigenous therapy provide a window into the rich and extensive resources (Johnson et al., 2020), indicating effectiveness in numerous spheres. When traumatic experience disrupts a person’s worldview and belief in the existence of good, maintaining hope through guiding and encouraging scriptures could reduce the risk of poor mental health outcomes and improve resilience (Gallagher & Lopez, 2018; Wetzel, 1976). For example, Christian meditation reduces anxiety, stress, and worry (Knabb et al., 2017); the apophatic classic The Claud of Unknown confirmed positive outcomes for participants in clinical practice with chronic worry-related psychological struggles (Knabb et al., 2017; Knabb et al., 2020). Preliminary research on Jesus Prayer revealed its effectiveness for daily stress and burnout (Knabb &Vazquez, 2018; Rubinart et al., 2017).
Ford and Garzon’ (2017) study found positive adherence achievement, lower levels of stress, depression, and overall negative symptoms if participants utilized Christian accommodative mindfulness (CAM) protocol of breath, body awareness, and loving-kindness meditation. Pargament (1997) points out that when faced with traumatic life circumstances, individuals have a sobering awareness of the limitation of human power, vulnerability, and finitude. The Positive Spiritual/Religious Coping represents an instrument to mitigate feelings of helplessness and provide a cognitive framework to help reinstate a sense of control, coping, and functioning ability (Pargament, 1997).