Cultural Competency: Teaching Students to Integrate Faith and Spirituality

Abstract Faith and spirituality are significant cultural factors that support positive mental health and overall wellness but are often overlooked in counseling training and practice. To date, most of the existing research literature regarding faith and spirituality in counseling has been from counselors’ perspectives, with little research from the perspective of counselor educators. In this generic qualitative study, we explored 15 counselor educators’ experiences teaching master’s students to integrate faith and spirituality into clinical work. Through semi-structured interviews, six themes were identified: self-awareness, roles and responsibilities, assessment and case conceptualization, therapeutic relationship, academic programs, and methods and approaches. Implications and recommendations for future research are provided.