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MENTAL HEALTH
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES FOR CHRISTIAN COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
Christian Association for Psychological Studies Books
By Everett L. Worthington Jr., Eric L. Johnson, Joshua N. Hook, and Jamie D. Aten, Eds. 352 pp., Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2013, $30.00, paperback
BRIEF: Are Christian treatments as effective as secular treatments? What is the evidence to support its success? Christians engaged in the fields of psychology, psychotherapy, and counseling are living in a unique moment. Over the past couple of decades, these fields have grown more and more open to religious belief and religion-accommodative therapies. At the same time, Christian counselors and psychotherapists encounter pressure (for example, from insurance companies) to demonstrate that their accommodative therapies are as beneficial as secular therapies. This raises the need for evidence to support Christian practices and treatments.
The essays gathered in this volume explore evidence-based Christian treatments, practices, factors, and principles. The authors mine the relevant research and literature to update practicing psychotherapists, clinical researchers, students, teachers, and educated laypersons about the efficacy of certain Christian-accommodative therapies. Topics covered include:
* devotional meditation
* cognitive-behavior therapy
* psychodynamic and process-experiential therapies
* couples, marriage, and family therapy
* group intervention
The book concludes with a review of the evidence for the various treatments discussed, a guide for conducting clinical trials that is essential reading for current or aspiring researchers, and reflections by the editors about the future of evidence-based Christian practices. As the editors say, "more research is necessary." To that end, this volume is a major contribution to a field of inquiry that, while still in its infancy, promises to have enormous implications for future work in Christian counseling and psychotherapy.
NURSING
OUR FAITHFUL JOURNEY IN NURSING
A Teaching on Faith, Compassion, Prayer and Excellence in Christian Nursing
By Carrie M. Dameron
49 pp., Newark, CA: Nurses4Him, 2013, $1.99, Kindle.
REVIEW: Carrie Dameron, known to JCN readers through her regular column Christian Nursing 101, has prepared a series of four articles and Bible studies on the importance of faith, compassion, prayer, and excellence in nursing. The downloadable eBook grew out of conversations and Bible study with a Nurses Christian Fellowship International colleague Tove Giske from Norway. Their goal was to provide a resource for Christian nurses around the world and to that end Dameron authored this resource. It has been published in Norwegian and now English. Dameron deals with four fundamental basics of the Christian faith and how they undergird our nursing. She applies the Bible to nursing and offers real-life illustrations and interpretation. For example, in speaking of faith, Dameron shares about faith heroes in Scripture and in current global nursing and then relates this to Hebrews 11. She talks about getting rid of distractions that hinder our faith and work (Hebrews 12:1) and things contrary to Christian faith in nursing. A Bible study at the end of the chapter helps readers apply Scripture to their nursing practice.
Dameron follows this same format with the concepts of compassion, prayer, and excellence-looking at Scripture and applying it to nursing, adding helpful insights, following with a Bible study that can be done individually or as a group. I like how she pulls apart the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) and helps readers think through each phrase and what it might mean in daily nursing practice. For example, she writes about the phrase "lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil,"
In nursing we may be tempted to yell in anger and frustration at other people. We may act unfeeling to our patients' pain and suffering. Or have pride and envy with other nurses (Galatians 5:19-21). Our professional prayer is not to be perfect, but to be open to the Spirit's voice guiding us to righteous fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). (Kindle Locations 416-418)
I couldn't agree with her more that praying the Lord's Prayer is about asking for God's guidance that leads us out of temptation and away from evil. About the last virtue of excellence Dameron encourages, "Excellence is not a method or skill. It is a way of life" (Kindle Location 543).
Our Faithful Journey in Nursing is a hands-on, how-to book for living faithfully as God's nurse. It is not complicated and, in fact, is written to be understandable to nurses in every country; it is available on Amazon sites worldwide. Although not deeply philosophical, the truths are profound and solid. At this very low price, I encourage every nurse to download a copy on your favorite electronic reader.-KSS
NURSES CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP INTERNATIONAL
http://www.ncfi.org/
BRIEF: Discover Nurses Christian Fellowship International and a 50-year mission to help nurses around the world live out their faith in their professional lives! Learn about NCFI's 35-member countries, international and regional conferences, resources, strategic plan, and more on the website. Find prayer requests for nurses and NCFI countries around the world to add to your personal prayer ministry.
Going Deeper
Going Deeper helps you dig deeper into JCN content, offering ideas for personal or group study with other nurses. Also available online at http://journalofchristiannursing.com under "JCN Online Extra."
* Anxiety: Read Walker and Leach, pp. 84-91.
1. What are the some of the long-term effects of undiagnosed and undertreated anxiety disorders?
2. What is the difference between anxiety and fear? How are they similar? How do they differ?
3. Note some of the physical responses to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
4. Discuss the term shalom as noted by the authors. How does this view of peace differ from that of current cultural views?
5. Read 1 Samuel 16:14-23. King Saul was often distraught. How was David able to comfort the king? What solutions for anxiety are offered in these Scriptures: Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7?
* Teaching Spiritual Care:Read Taylor et al., pp. 94-99.
1. Discuss the four common themes Giske observed in the research articles related to spiritual care as noted by the authors.
2. Review Table 3. Rate the degree to which you feel comfortable in each area. Where do you feel most comfortable? Where do you feel most uncomfortable? To what do you attribute your responses?
3. Share or recall a time when you provided spiritual care and relate the patient's response. What made the difference in your willingness to offer spiritual care to this patient?
4. What are spiritual care barriers in your work setting?
5. Read Psalm 61. Assess your current spiritual needs. Do you sense God hears your prayers. In what situation might you need to find God as your refuge?
* Is Loneliness a Spiritual Need:Read Sweat, pp. 127.
1. What are interventions to help hospitalized patients overcome loneliness?
2. Sweat lists one positive aspect of loneliness. What does she note?
3. Describe a time when you felt extremely lonely. What helped you move forward?
4. Read Matthew 26:36-46. In what ways was Jesus alone even though He was with others? Psalm 68:4-6 addresses loneliness. What is one nursing application you note based on these verses?
* Hard Choices:Read Hartman and Salladay, pp. 81-82.
1. Discuss the authors concluding statement: "High fidelity simulation offers nurses the opportunity to explore ethical dilemmas and risk-taking, searching out their own deepest values to better prepare to lovingly care for patients in deed and truth!"
2. How can role playing and high-fidelity simulation help nurses prepare for hard choices? What are the advantages of this high-definition role playing? What are the limitations?
3. Discuss Table 1. Work through your responses to the simulation.
4. See Romans 12:9-13, 18. What applications can you make to the setting in which you work or practice nursing?