Book Review: Counseling Women: A Narrative, Pastoral Approach

Abstract

questioning, the creation of healthy rituals and ceremonies, the role of the Bible, ways to meet local therapists, and the benefits of collaboration. Of particular interest and value are selected guided imageries created by Bilich. The case of Teresa threads the book. A troubled woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder (formally known as Multiply Personality Disorder), Teresa was abused physically, emotionally, and spiritually by her mother, an uncle, and a cousin. As Bilich worked with Teresa in a healing process, Carlson began meeting with Mimic, one of Teresa's ten alters. Collaboration between Bilich, Carlson, and Bonfiglio offered Teresa, according to the authors, a fuller experience than traditional psychotherapy alone could have offered. Carlson demonstrated how a minister, in collaboration, can help a therapist to move beyond a single focus on pathology and begin to ask God's help in discovering the image of God within the survivor, A minister can become another important source of support and help bring the survivor back into community. Bilich demonstrated how a therapist can help a minister through collaboration-with limit setting, for example. As professionals, the authors know how holistic healing happens and how healthy love and relationships develop. Both the client and the reader benefit from their collective wisdom. Each author, too, claims growth spiritually, emotionally, and professionallyas a result of their collaboration, along with profound changes in the way each works. I have two observations about the book that I offer as thoughts, not necessarily criticisms. First, it might surprise some to see these authors' occasional unconventional clinical interventions, i.e., Bilich seeing Teresa outside of the office and Carlson taking out Teresa's garbage. Second, as a former parish pastor for a number of years, I was surprised that clinical supervision of a parish support group was not perceived by Bilich and company as of greater importance. However, these observations do not detract from my assessment that the book makes for a unique and valuable resource. The book's bibliography is quite adequate, utilizing a broad range of supporting literature and resources, and the appendices are useful. Overall, the book is a practical, quality book, and is quite user-friendly. I recommend Shared Grace to anyone engaged in ministry leadership, therapy, or supervisory positions. Exciting to me is how this volume opens the door for other clinicians concerned with the collaboration between spirituality and psychotherapy, perhaps from a more systemic perspective.