ABSTRACT
One useful tool for working with the elderly in counseling is the life review. This chapter describes an adaptation of this tool that incorporates issues of spirituality and religion as part of the life review. The purpose of the spiritual life review is to assist clients in coming to terms with their life stories, in understanding the role that spirituality and religion have played in giving meaning to their histories, and in envisioning how their spirituality and religion can shape the stories yet to come in their lives. The spiritual life review is meant to be a homework assignment that clients can complete at home. First, the therapist must establish whether an older client could benefit from a spiritual life review. Sensitivity must be exercised when suggesting the use of the spiritual life review, as one cannot assume that just because a client is aging that spirituality or religion is central or important to that client.
