Spirituality and Family Therapy: Spirital Beliefs, Myths, and Metaphors*

The field of marriage and family therapy is evolving toward theoretical and practical models with an ecosystemic focus which encourage an awareness of different levels of system interaction yet therapists have rarely been encouraged to explore the spiritual dimension of their clients' lives, even though doing so may enrich the understanding of the metaphors and meanings which inform their existence and perhaps, their problems. This paper challenges therapists to consider the spiritual belief systems of their clients which have contributed to the development or maintenance of the presenting problem. The authors present case examples and specific suggestions for clinical practice.