Using Spiritual Interventions in Practice: Developing Some Guidelines from Evidence-Based Practice (Report‪)‬

Spiritual interventions can be defined as "therapeutic strategies that incorporate a spiritual or religious dimension as a central component of the intervention" (Hodge, 2006a, p. 157). Many social work practitioners are interested in using spiritual interventions in practice (Sheridan, 2009). Yet, in spite of widespread interest, Sheridan's review of 15 studies found that respondent social workers frequently reported receiving minimal training on this general topic during their graduate education. Lack of training on the proper use of spiritual interventions is a significant problem. Without appropriate guidelines to inform interactions with clients, unethical practices may result (Canda, Nakashima,&Furman, 2004). In some instances, harm may even be done to vulnerable clients as ethical and professional boundaries are breached (Hodge, 2004b).