Spiritual counseling: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What spiritual counseling is

Spiritual counseling is a conversation with someone who offers guidance about meaning, faith or life transitions from a spiritual perspective, often without a specific religion. It is not clinical therapy.

Signs you need it

  • You are facing a life transition and want to talk about meaning
  • You want guidance that includes spirituality
  • You are questioning your beliefs and want a listening ear
  • You want support after a loss in a spiritual frame
  • You prefer a non-clinical conversation

What the pro does

  • A first conversation about your background and what you want
  • Agreeing on how spiritual themes will be included
  • Reflective conversation and, if you wish, practices such as prayer or meditation
  • Questions to consider between sessions
  • A review of how the sessions are going

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Counselor's background
  • Session length
  • Individual or group
  • In person or video
  • Package or per session
  • Tradition or approach

What a written quote should spell out

  • Session length and frequency
  • Approach and tradition
  • Cancellation terms
  • Payment terms
  • What is outside scope, such as therapy or medical care

Questions to ask before you hire

  • What is your training or background?
  • What tradition or approach do you follow, if any?
  • Can I choose how much spirituality is included?
  • Do you refer out for mental health concerns?
  • How is privacy handled?
  • What is outside your scope?

Red flags

  • Pushing beliefs you did not ask for
  • Telling you to stop medical or mental health care
  • Promising answers or cures
  • Vague background
  • Pressure to pay for long packages

What you can do yourself

Prayer, journaling and time with your community can offer support. For mental health concerns, see a licensed professional, and talk with your doctor about health concerns.

Licenses and permits

No license is usually required to offer this service. Ask about training, how long they have practiced and any certification with how to verify it with the issuer, and ask for a client reference.

Spiritual counseling questions

Is spiritual counseling therapy?

No. Ask a licensed therapist for clinical concerns.

Do I need to be religious?

No. Ask about the counselor's approach.

Is it private?

Ask the counselor to explain privacy in writing, since spiritual counselors may not be bound by the same rules as licensed clinicians.

Can I do it online?

Many spiritual counselors offer video sessions. Ask about the platform and privacy.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer spiritual counseling remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

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