Values, spirituality, and religious topics discussed in counseling supervision

This study examined the extent that counselors receiving supervision are encouraged to discuss spiritual or religious issues. Information was gathered using quantitative and qualitative methods to determine the extent to which counselors and supervisors discuss spiritual or religious beliefs during supervision sessions. The study questioned whether counselors may not be discussing religious and spiritual concerns due to counselor competency, possible ethical concerns, and counselors' relationship with supervisors.;Counselors receiving supervision and supervisors providing clinical supervision received a quantitative questionnaire to identify topics discussed during supervision. Following the completion of the questionnaire, six counselors and six supervisors were involved in structured interviews. In the process of these interviews, emphasis was placed on the potential barriers preventing counselors or supervisors from discussing issues of values, religion, and spirituality.;There were significant differences in counselors' and supervisors' perceptions of the extent that values were discussed in supervision: 68% of supervisors and 30% of counselors reported discussing values. Furthermore, in the interview process, all the supervisors reported discussing values and only some counselors reported likewise. There were also statistical significant differences in the perceptions of counselors and supervisors regarding the presence of religious discussions: 33% of supervisors and 5% of counselors indicating religion was addressed. Similarly, in the interviewing process, all supervisors stated religion was addressed, and only two counselors indicated the same. There were no statistical significant differences relating to supervisors' and counselors' perceptions of potential discussions of spirituality: 37% of supervisors and 25% of counselors reporting spirituality was addressed. Nonetheless, in the qualitative analyses, all supervisors reported the discussion of spirituality in supervision while the majority of counselors reported no such discussions.;Counselors indicated several reasons for not addressing religion or spirituality in supervision including: lack of safety, feeling incompetent, worry that the supervisor wasn't initiating such a topic, belief it may be irrelevant, and concerns that such topics might not be ethical. The study has furthered the current knowledge on the extent to which counselors are receiving supervision on how best to deal with spiritual and religious topics.