Forms of Psychological and Spiritual Guidance

Comparison of Forms of Psychological and Spiritual Guidance

	Reason for Encounter	Goal	Method	Personal Relationship to Seeker
Psychiatry	Person in pain, with inner conflicts, psychosomatic disease of unable to fit in social group.	To remove pain and enable person to function adequately within him- or her- self and within the more intimate and larger social group. Except in case of disoriented persons, the patient decides termination of relationship.	Any method necessary to bring healing, even understanding of world view and and spiritual disciplines if necessary, but usually relying on custodial care and psychotherapy. Should be aware of existential roots of some problems and have a place for religion to avoid a limited point of view. Often uses chemical intervention. Sometimes utilizes dream analysis.	Healing seldom occurs unless there is genuine care and humility. Not necessary for use of medical model, but still helpful.
Pastoral Counseling Psychotherapy Social Case Work	Person with same symptoms, but needing neither drugs nor a controlled environment. Can work with a psychiatrist.	Same goal as psychiatry, but limited to those who do not need drugs and custodial care. To provide insight and self-determination.	With the exception of use of drugs and custodial care, uses the same methods as psychiatrist. One works within a religious framework; the other has no necessary religious connection, but should be aware of religious and existential dimension of psychosomatic and psychic distress. Stops process at limits set by patient.	The therapist's only scalpel is his or her personality. Caring, humility and knowledge are all necessary.
Pastoral Care	Reaching out to people in psychic pain, loneliness, grief. Initial contact may come from pastor.	To bring comfort, renewal, relief of pain and sorrow and confusion, but without necessarily bringing insight.	Concerned caring in one-to-one calling or in arranged social gatherings and fellowship, in study or prayer or sociality. Within Christian tradition usually connected with priesthood, but not necessarily with pastoral counseling or spiritual direction A or B.	Concerned caring with enough awareness not to encourage dependency.
Priesthood	Providing sacrament, mental assistance towards God, or healing of body or mind. In most cases initiated by seeker.	To achieve whatever goal is desired by individual.	Providing individual and groups sacraments, arranging worship, mediating of the Holy. Within Christian tradition this role is traditionally connected with pastoral care and even with spiritual directions A and B. Providing confession, absolution, Eucharist, anointing, etc.	Need be none, but in Christian framework it is a necessary ingredient if priest is a mediator of Christ.
Spiritual Direction A: Apophatic- Nonmediational	A soul searching for God without any obvious disorder or acute need. Always initiated by seeker.	Being and becoming in God without essential consideration of personal psychological problems. Particularly useful for once-born type as described by James. Never goes beyond individual's goals.	Allowing self and relationship to be a vehicle of grace, of the will of God. Primary method: surrender, letting go whatever is in God's way. Abiding with the person making the journey. Referral of any significant problem to psychiatrist or therapist-counselor.	Only God is responsible for whatever healing/ growth occurs, "Thy will be done."
Spiritual Direction B: Kataphatic- Mediational Shamanistic	A psyche in pain seeking for integration of body, mind, and soul and release from pain. Usually initiated by seeker.	To alleviate the pain so person can function, to bring insight into how pain is related to inner journey, and to facilitate that journey. To continue with person as long as needed to bring individual to sustaining fellowship with God. Can offer goals.	Whatever is needed to facilitate the individual through pains and on the way. Usually will not deal with psychotics and will be equipped with knowledge of pastoral care and pastoral counseling. Will be particularly equipped to deal with existential problems. Will use psychiatrists as consultants and will be so used by enlightened psychiatrists or therapists. Can use sacramental actions.	God gives transformation, but shaman/ guide is mediator of experience, knowledge, critical understanding, and divine love.

From Morton Kelsey, Companions on the Inner Way: The Art of Spiritual Guidance.