{"id":5384,"date":"2011-12-22T14:27:15","date_gmt":"2011-12-22T19:27:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ccpa.scottbuckingham.ca\/blog\/?p=1583"},"modified":"2015-07-03T16:07:27","modified_gmt":"2015-07-03T20:07:27","slug":"benefits-of-faith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/benefits-of-faith\/","title":{"rendered":"Benefits of Faith"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>What is it about faith that draws so many towards a higher being and a desire to be \u201cenlightened\u201d?\u00a0 Children are much more impressionable when expressions of faith are displayed, whether inwardly and\/or outwardly.\u00a0 During this time of year, we hear songs of praise, see images of devotion, and hear the clamoring of religious words being spoken in the halls, synagogues, temples, and churches.\u00a0 Faith is an abundant aspect of life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

THE THERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENT\u00a0<\/p>\n

Does faith enrich a child\u2019s experience of life? In the field of psychotherapy, counselling, and psychology, faith was historically considered a taboo subject, something we left for parents to embark upon.\u00a0 As a graduate student, I recall having been told countless times that \u201cfaith is something that we don\u2019t tread upon,… or if we do, we tread lightly.\u201d\u00a0 Moreover, if a patient desired to speak of their faith; we should walk cautiously through this minefield, always emphasizing the patient\u2019s statue of faith.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

If we are to plunge into the life of a person, should we not also be learning about their faith\u2019s values, morals and ethics?\u00a0 Why is it that we resist speaking about faith in our clinical practices?\u00a0 Are we afraid that our own faith might come under scrutiny?\u00a0 Of course, we are not to testify<\/em> or discuss our faith<\/em> during therapy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ironically, discussions we have with our patients in therapy, have a way of burrowing their way into our conscience mind beyond the therapeutic session.\u00a0 Faith happens to be one of those conversations that I have had countless times with fellow practitioners. I have found practitioners who either do not feel comfortable having such conversations with their patients; or they allow their personal foundations of faith to embark upon the patients; or they have a bitter feelings when discussing faith; or they are completely neutral.\u00a0 If a therapist is wavering on their own foundations of faith, <\/em>or if they are incapable of allowing the patient\u2019s foundations of faith to be the center piece; they should step aside; referring this patient to someone who maybe unbiased towards faith.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

PARENTAL INFLUENCE\u00a0<\/p>\n

As parents, we are influencing many aspects of our child\u2019s innermost thoughts and world perspectives.\u00a0 We provide an unwritten guide on the basic human theory of life, relationships, religious and nonreligious ideologies.\u00a0 The relationship we have with our child can help them to embrace or reject the faith with which we proclaim.\u00a0 We are at the faith helm of our child\u2019s life, steering our children down paths that we follow, as well as, paths that one day our child may or may not choose to follow.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

ARE THERE BENEFITS TO FAITH?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Are there benefits to employing faith in the therapeutic environment?\u00a0 Faith is capable of providing a foundation of support, a source of hope and comfort, and a place of solitude and refuge during troubling times.\u00a0 \u201c… a new study finds that higher levels of religious faith and spirituality were associated with several positive mental health outcomes, including more optimism about life and higher resilience to stress…\u201d (APA, 2000, Online)\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt may be that having faith translates into your being more soothed physiologically.\u201d (Goleman, 1995, Online)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Children who rely upon their foundations of faith often have greater coping skills instilled.\u00a0 We know that a children\u2019s basic moral compasses are geared by those that are in their immediate inner-circle: their parents, friends, teachers, and religious leaders. \u201cChildren reared in a system of faith often find great solace in formal ceremonial practices during times of stress and uncertainty. Parents can reinforce this coping strategy by reaching out to their faith community and providing opportunities for their children to spend time with others, particularly peers, who share their beliefs. Teachers should be sensitive to a student’s belief system and may expose them to a variety of value building literature and activities.\u201d (NASP, 2011, Online)\u00a0<\/p>\n

The National Center for Children Exposed to Violence, NCCEV are not unlike many other publicly funded centers today; they emphasize a need to employee faith-based strategies in healing one\u2019s psyche. \u201cHelp from educators, mental health professionals and faith-based groups can be effective tools for intervention.\u201d\u00a0 (NCCEV, 2011, Online)\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Having a strong faith and being embedded in a web of relationships like churchgoing have definite health benefits,\u2019 said Dr. Lisa Berkman, an epidemiologist at the Yale University School of Medicine.\u201d (Goleman, 1995, Online)\u00a0 Can faith act as a source of good, for those who are struggling with psychological challenges?\u00a0<\/p>\n

AN EXAMPLE OF A DIAGNOSTIC BENEFIT\u00a0<\/p>\n

Children with the diagnosis of Autism often require high levels of energy and personal resiliency.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Parents of autistic children are often taxed emotionally, financially, and psychologically. (Konrad, 2010; Tonge, et. al, 2006; Milgram & Atzil, 1988)\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c…Some of the most commonly used coping strategies in times of distress is religious belief…\u201d (Gupta & Singhal, 2005, p. 70) While autism only accounts for a minuet part of childhood diagnostics; it can be one of the most challenging of diagnoses for parents.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

FAITH BEYOND RELIGION\u00a0<\/p>\n

Faith in religious orders is not the answer for everyone, but everyone has a faith.\u00a0 Faith is the ability to completely trust or show an unwavering confidence in another.\u00a0 Our faiths can be placed on a higher deity, upon ourselves, and\/or upon the life of another.\u00a0 Children in healthy and nurturing environments most commonly have a faith in their parents:\u00a0 that they will always be protected; that they will be gently guided in life; and that will always be shown a spirit of unconditional love, acceptance, and approval.\u00a0 According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, \u201cchildren who have faith and confidence in themselves and their abilities will be more likely to lead happy and productive adult lives.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Integrating faith and psychology is not a difficult task, rather it is sort of a natural evolution.\u00a0 It is faith that has the ability of employing unconditional trust, therefore allowing our minds to completely relax and reach a higher plateau of peace.\u00a0<\/p>\n

REFERENCES\u00a0<\/p>\n

American Psychological Association, APA (2000) Religious faith and spirituality may help people recover from substance abuse<\/em>, Retrieved December 20, 2011, from http:\/\/www.apa.org\/news\/press\/releases\/2000\/08\/faith.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n

Canadian Mental Health Association, CMHA (2011) Children and self-esteem. Retrieved\u00a0December 20, 2011, from http:\/\/www.cmha.ca\/bins\/content_page.asp?cid=2-29-68<\/a><\/p>\n

DuPont, R. L. (2001) The healing power of faith: Science explores medicines\u2019s last great frontier The American Journal of Psychiatry<\/em> 158:1347-1348<\/p>\n

Goleman, D. (1995) Religious faith and social activity hellp to heal, New research finds Retrieved December 20, 2011 from http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1995\/02\/04\/us\/religious-faith-and-social-activity-help-to-heal-new-research-finds.html<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Gupta, A., Singhal, N. (2005) Psychosocial support for families of children with autism. Asian Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal <\/em>123(16-2):62-83<\/p>\n

Konrad, W. (2010) Dealing with the financial burden of autism, Retrieved December 19, 2011, from http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2010\/01\/23\/health\/23patient.html?pagewanted=all<\/a><\/p>\n

Milgram, N. A., Atzil, M. (1988) Parenting stress in raising autistic children. Journal of Autism Development Disorder <\/em>18(3), 415-424<\/p>\n

National Association of School Psychologists, NASP (2011) How children cope with trauma\u00a0and ongoing threat: The BASIC Ph model<\/em>, Retrieved December 19, 2011, from http:\/\/www.nasponline.org\/resources\/crisis_safety\/ongoingthreat.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n

National Center for Children Exposed to Violence, NCCEV (2011) Community violence,<\/em>\u00a0Retrieved December 19, 2011, from http:\/\/www.nccev.org\/violence\/community.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Oxman, T. E., Freeman, D. H., & Manheimer, E. D. (1995) Lack of social participation or\u00a0religious strength and comfort as risk factors for death after cardiac surgery in the elderly.\u00a0Psychosomatic Medicine <\/em>57: 5-15<\/p>\n

Tonge, B. J., Brereton, A., Kiomall, M., Mackinnon, A., King, N., & Rinehart, N. J. (2006).\u00a0Effects on parental mental health of an education and skills training program for parents\u00a0of young children with autism: A randomised controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 45<\/em>(5), 561-569.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is it about faith that draws so many towards a higher being and a desire to be \u201cenlightened\u201d?\u00a0 Children are much more impressionable when expressions of faith are displayed, whether inwardly and\/or outwardly.\u00a0 During this time of year, we hear songs of praise, see images of devotion, and hear the clamoring of religious words […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1001014,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-parentingchildrenandtheclassroom"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBenefits of Faith - L'Association canadienne de counseling et de psychoth\u00e9rapie<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Benefits of Faith - L'Association canadienne de counseling et de psychoth\u00e9rapie\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is it about faith that draws so many towards a higher being and a desire to be \u201cenlightened\u201d?\u00a0 Children are much more impressionable when expressions of faith are displayed, whether inwardly and\/or outwardly.\u00a0 During this time of year, we hear songs of praise, see images of devotion, and hear the clamoring of religious words […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"L'Association canadienne de counseling et de psychoth\u00e9rapie\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2011-12-22T19:27:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2015-07-03T20:07:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/benefits-of-faith.0011-300x172.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Asa Don Brown\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"\u00c9crit par\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Asa Don Brown\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Dur\u00e9e de lecture estim\u00e9e\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/benefits-of-faith\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/benefits-of-faith\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Asa Don Brown\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/93d96911ecc49f07bab9f170301e402b\"},\"headline\":\"Benefits of Faith\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-12-22T19:27:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-07-03T20:07:27+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/benefits-of-faith\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1269,\"commentCount\":20,\"articleSection\":[\"Parenting, Children and the Classroom\"],\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/benefits-of-faith\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/benefits-of-faith\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/benefits-of-faith\\\/\",\"name\":\"Benefits of Faith - L'Association canadienne de counseling et de psychoth\u00e9rapie\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2011-12-22T19:27:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-07-03T20:07:27+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/93d96911ecc49f07bab9f170301e402b\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/benefits-of-faith\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/benefits-of-faith\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/benefits-of-faith\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/fr\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Benefits of Faith\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/\",\"name\":\"L'Association canadienne de counseling et de psychoth\u00e9rapie\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/93d96911ecc49f07bab9f170301e402b\",\"name\":\"Asa Don Brown\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\\\/fr\\\/author\\\/adonbrownqr7nrzfkw-xrw\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Benefits of Faith - L'Association canadienne de counseling et de psychoth\u00e9rapie","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/","og_locale":"fr_FR","og_type":"article","og_title":"Benefits of Faith - L'Association canadienne de counseling et de psychoth\u00e9rapie","og_description":"What is it about faith that draws so many towards a higher being and a desire to be \u201cenlightened\u201d?\u00a0 Children are much more impressionable when expressions of faith are displayed, whether inwardly and\/or outwardly.\u00a0 During this time of year, we hear songs of praise, see images of devotion, and hear the clamoring of religious words […]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/","og_site_name":"L'Association canadienne de counseling et de psychoth\u00e9rapie","article_published_time":"2011-12-22T19:27:15+00:00","article_modified_time":"2015-07-03T20:07:27+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/benefits-of-faith.0011-300x172.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"Asa Don Brown","twitter_misc":{"\u00c9crit par":"Asa Don Brown","Dur\u00e9e de lecture estim\u00e9e":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/"},"author":{"name":"Asa Don Brown","@id":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/#\/schema\/person\/93d96911ecc49f07bab9f170301e402b"},"headline":"Benefits of Faith","datePublished":"2011-12-22T19:27:15+00:00","dateModified":"2015-07-03T20:07:27+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/"},"wordCount":1269,"commentCount":20,"articleSection":["Parenting, Children and the Classroom"],"inLanguage":"fr-FR","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/","url":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/","name":"Benefits of Faith - L'Association canadienne de counseling et de psychoth\u00e9rapie","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/#website"},"datePublished":"2011-12-22T19:27:15+00:00","dateModified":"2015-07-03T20:07:27+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/#\/schema\/person\/93d96911ecc49f07bab9f170301e402b"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"fr-FR","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/benefits-of-faith\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Benefits of Faith"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/","name":"L'Association canadienne de counseling et de psychoth\u00e9rapie","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"fr-FR"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/#\/schema\/person\/93d96911ecc49f07bab9f170301e402b","name":"Asa Don Brown","url":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/author\/adonbrownqr7nrzfkw-xrw\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5384","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1001014"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5384"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5384\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5384"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5384"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ccpa-accp.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5384"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}