Date Available

5-22-2012

Year of Publication

2012

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

College

Agriculture

Department/School/Program

Family Studies

Advisor

Dr. Trent S. Parker

Abstract

While spirituality has been an increasingly researched topic within the field of marriage and family therapy, it has been largely overlooked within the context of couple’s therapy. The goal of the present study is to enhance the understanding of the role of spirituality in therapy by describing clients’ experiences of spirituality in couple’s therapy. The study utilized a phenomenological approach to come to a better understanding of the essence of clients’ experiences of spirituality in couple’s therapy. Semi-structured interviews with couples enrolled in couple’s therapy were conducted and analyzed. Four major themes emerged: spiritual experiences in couple’s therapy, perception of spirituality, spirituality as beneficial, and spirituality as a journey. Implications for clinicians and recommendations for future research are discussed.

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