Three Contributions of a Spiritual Perspective to Counseling,Psychotherapy, and Behavior Change

This article describes three areas that a spiritual approach can contribute to the modern applied science of behavior change. One of these is a modified conception of human nature that takes into account the spiritual dimension of experience. The second is a moral frame of reference. Because treatment is guided by goals, values must be invoked to determine what are good behavior changes. The third contribution is composed of techniques that are unique to a spiritual orientation. These consist of various methods, including the transitional person technique. Together, these contributions represent a growing orientation that complements what we already know and accept from our continuing commitments to empirical science and human welfare.