Klaipėdos universitetas

When looking at spiritual and psychological counselling, the process, characteristics and problems, and the needs of the people involved in counselling, it can be seen that both of these non-material forms of assistance have a number of similarities, and also essential differences. This is to be expected, as both forms of assistance are categorised and treated as types of counselling. It is worth noting that in one form of counselling the focus is more on spiritual matters, while in the other the focus is on addressing a person’s psychological issues. A psychologist plays the role of a mirror for the individual, linking their well-being to active psychological efforts to help themselves, while a spiritual counsellor does not limit their activities solely to psychology and its techniques and knowledge, but seeks strength in the spiritual realm. By understanding the differences and similarities in the application of assistance methods, those seeking help can choose and seek the most appropriate form of assistance. Therefore, this article focuses on revealing the differences and points in common between spiritual counselling and psychological counselling, as ways to provide assistance to those in need. Although practitioners of counselling use the same or similar professional counselling skills, it is also important to note the fundamental differences, and to identify the values that practitioners of both spiritual and psychological counselling adhere to. In order to justify the distinctiveness and identity of spiritual and psychological counselling, the article aims to reveal the essence, the meaning, the differences, and the points in common between these forms of assistance.

Humanity benefits from the achievements of modern technology, but man cannot avoid pain, long-term suffering, and spiritual problems. In modern society, as in all eras, man still raises fundamental questions of being: What is the meaning of life? What is spirituality? How to solve spiritual problems? Therefore, spiritual counselling or assistance is receiving more and more attention. Its needs and benefits are undoubtedly noticeable, because spiritual assistance tries to respond to the spiritual needs of people today, and to be a landmark in spreading spiritual well-being. Although spiritual counselling in Lithuania is still searching for explicit boundaries of function and definition, it is becoming quite clear that it is not the same as psychological counselling. Of course, spiritual counselling is not so far from psychological counselling, as they both have some features in common. However, the priority of a spiritual counsellor is existential questions and the search for answers to queries about the meaning of life, suffering, death, love, etc. Spiritual counselling tries to approach a person through the prism of faith. A unique element in spiritual counselling is not the methods used by the counsellors, but their personality, their world-view, faith, values, and attitude towards other people. Therefore, in order to substantiate the identity and importance of spiritual counselling, this article aims to reveal the essence and meaning of spiritual counselling.