ABSTRACT
REBT therapists conduct thorough assessments with religious clients for the purpose of determining whether to engage them in treatment, and if so, to determine what set of therapeutic strategies may be most efficacious. During the assessment, it behooves REBT practitioners to consider their ability to ethically offer services to religious clients. For example, the APA Ethics Code (1992) cautioned psychologists to function within their boundaries of competence, to respect human differences (including those based on religious faith), and to identify and respond appropriately to assessment situations with special populations, such as religious persons for whom traditional assessment measures and techniques may not be valid or useful. Similarly, the APA guidelines for providers of psychological services to diverse populations (APA, 1993) emphasized the significance of client religious commitment and spirituality in offering interpersonal and community support, influencing the form of expressions of distress and disturbance, and determining the client’s probable response to treatment. These guidelines and those from related mental health fields underscore the tremendous importance of honoring client religious beliefs and tailoring assessment and intervention practices to accommodate faith commitments.
