A working model for a certified spiritual counselor certification: An exploratory study

The purpose of this exploratory study was to assess the need for a certification of spirituality for counselors. Two surveys were conducted to gather the data. The first survey was sent to counseling professionals, and the second to the general public (i.e. potential clients). Counseling professionals who participated in the study reported a 60% need to recognize clinicians with spiritual training. Additionally, the results indicated that 68% of clients were more motivated to seek counseling from a professional therapist who was certified as a spiritual counselor. Implications for helping professionals are discussed.