Spiritual resources for the practical care and counseling of the alcoholic an approach implementing spiritual interventions

• Main Author: Axtell, Lee A.
• Other Authors: Andover Newton Theological School.
• Format: Others
• Published: Monterey, California ; Naval Postgraduate School 2012
• Subjects: Church work with alcoholics; Pastoral counseling
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/3038

CIVINS === One of the central spiritual issues alcoholics deal with today is a sense of meaninglessness. This thesis will show how the use of three spiritual resources can bring about wholeness in the lives of alcoholics: First is the resource of healing of memories with a primary focus on forgiveness, second is the resource of prayer and meditation, and third is pastoral counseling utilizing narrative theory. These three resources can be transformative interventions for the pastoral care of alcoholics. Through these spiritual resources the alcoholic can rediscover a deeper sense of meaning. When a person has meaning in their life, this means they are connected with three relationships. These three relationships are: 1) the relationship with God; 2) the relationship with society and community; and 3) the relationship with herself or himself. When the spiritual resources in this thesis are implemented into pastoral counseling, these relationships can be reconnected. This then results in a rediscovery of personal meaning. By the time alcoholics determine that their lives are unmanageable they have perhaps ruined their lives and health, and quite possibly the lives of the persons dearest to them. Someone must intervene if lives are to be saved and if people are to become self- respecting, productive citizens again.