Date
12-2020
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Chair
Mario Garcia
Keywords
Analysis, Correlation, Pastoral Counseling, Mental Health
Disciplines
Christianity | Religion
Recommended Citation
Taylor, Cynthia E., "Spiritually Guided and Bridging the Gap: An Inquisitive Analysis on the Correlation of Pastoral Counseling and Mental Health" (2020). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2747.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2747
Abstract
This research study evaluates the outcomes of pastoral counseling on mental health within a predominantly African American congregation in the southeastern United States. The research study is intended to build a further understanding of the pastor’s role in counseling individuals with mental health conditions, given individuals seek counseling as a treatment option. To evaluate those perceptions, the researcher analyzed data collected from a survey. The outcomes from this qualitative data study suggest that pastoral counseling alone is ineffective given several factors such as individual failure to seek counseling, no suggested mental-health related issues within the sampled population, and ethnicity barriers. Furthermore, the results of this study can bridge the gap between individuals, counselors, and pastors.
