David A. Steere

"The book is authoritative, well-reasoned, and abounds in wisdom. It accurately portrays the deepest meanings of both spiritual presence and psychotherapy and shows interactions. This is a pioneering volume, the first of its kind. It should be the standard text for years to come". -- Wayne E. Oates, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus, University of Louisiana School of Medicine In Spiritual Presence in Psychotherapy, David Steere recognizes the incorporation of this tradition -- referring to it as "spirituality" -- and presents a unique look at this heretofore neglected interface. This book is written in response to the need observed by Dr. Steere, for caregivers who want to accommodate a spiritual dimension in their work. For this reason, psychotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, pastoral counselors, nurses -- all dealing with the responsibility of treating mental disorders and helping people change -- will find Spiritual Presence in Psychotherapy invaluable. The first part of the text discusses the interfaces of psychotherapy and spirituality. Dr. Steere analyzes the deconstruction of mainstream religion and the rise of psychotherapy against a backdrop of what he calls "spiritual homelessness". In the second part, seven models for spiritual presence in psychotherapy are described. These are: supernatural, expansive, empathic, developmental, sacred, crisis, and systemic. Then, in the final portion of the book, the focus moves to an integration of responsiveness to spiritual presence in effective and enduring caregiving. In addition to the professionals who will find Spiritual Presence in Psychotherapy an important resource and reference, the bookwill also serve as a key textbook for graduate-level students of professional issues and ethics, as well as psychotherapy and spirituality.

Rediscovering Confession is about recovering the experience of confession, in danger now of becoming a lost art. It identifies four elements present in psychotherapy and confession: a state of heightened self-awareness, a growing realization that our predicament points in some meaningful direction beyond itself, the necessity to make a relevant response to our situation, and a potential for spiritual encounter that accompanies the process. Each chapter contains a section devoted to practice, with exercises for individual contemplation and experimentation, guidelines for forming a confessional partnership, directions for conducting discussions in a study goup, and ways to organize a small confessional group.

Rediscovering Confession is about recovering the experience of confession, in danger now of becoming a lost art. It identifies four elements present in psychotherapy and confession: a state of heightened self-awareness, a growing realization that our predicament points in some meaningful direction beyond itself, the necessity to make a relevant response to our situation, and a potential for spiritual encounter that accompanies the process. Each chapter contains a section devoted to practice, with exercises for individual contemplation and experimentation, guidelines for forming a confessional partnership, directions for conducting discussions in a study goup, and ways to organize a small confessional group.

This book offers basic information both for persons under supervision and for those supervising them in pastoral care, drawing upon the expertise and experiences of fifteen pastoral supervisors. In describing key aspects, George Bennett discusses the supervisory contract and preparing for supervision; Kathleen Davis introduces methods of working with clinical material; Mark Jensen presents ways to work with life histories; and Alexa Smith provides a summary of student responses to clinical supervision. To expand various kinds of supervision, Darryl Tiller addresses the use of ""self as instrument""; John Lentz considers the supervision of pastoral counseling relationships; Bruce Skaggs describes group supervision; and Carolyn Lindsay presents specific aspects of live supervision. Three chapters address specific problems; Clarence Barton and Amanda Ragland deal with transference and countertransference; Nancy Fontenot examines passivity; and Barbara Sheehan reviews gender issues. Finally, the supervisory model is applied to broader issues; to the supervision of church voulenteers by Grayson Tucker, to supervising teachers in Christian Education programs by Louis Weeks, and to a seminary field education program by editor David A. Steere. This book is a valuable asset for professors, working supervisors, and all persons entering supervision in pastoral care.

The book is authoritative, well-reasoned, and abounds in wisdom. It accurately portrays the deepest meanings of both spiritual presence and psychotherapy and shows interactions. This is a pioneering volume, the first of its kind. It should be the standard text for years to come. -- Wayne E. Oates, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus, University of Louisiana School of Medicine In Spiritual Presence in Psychotherapy, David Steere recognizes the incorporation of this tradition -- referring to it as spirituality -- and presents a unique look at this heretofore neglected interface. This book is written in response to the need observed by Dr. Steere, for caregivers who want to accommodate a spiritual dimension in their work. For this reason, psychotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, pastoral counselors, nurses -- all dealing with the responsibility of treating mental disorders and helping people change -- will find Spiritual Presence in Psychotherapy invaluable. The first part of the text discusses the interfaces of psychotherapy and spirituality. Dr. Steere analyzes the deconstruction of mainstream religion and the rise of psychotherapy against a backdrop of what he calls spiritual homelessness. In the second part, seven models for spiritual presence in psychotherapy are described. These are: supernatural, expansive, empathic, developmental, sacred, crisis, and systemic. Then, in the final portion of the book, the focus moves to an integration of responsiveness to spiritual presence in effective and enduring caregiving. In addition to the professionals who will find Spiritual Presence in Psychotherapy an important resource and reference, the bookwill also serve as a key textbook for graduate-level students of professional issues and ethics, as well as psychotherapy and spirituality.