God in Therapy: Russell Siler Jones and IFS
In this episode...
Spirituality does not shrink and fold itself tightly into the pages of a how-to manual.
“The word ‘soul’ is one of those finger-pointing-at-the-moon words. I can’t see my soul. I can’t see your soul. I can’t measure it with a tape measure or weigh it on a scale.”
But Russell Siler Jones is a guy who’s written a book to help therapists feel more competent and confident about having spiritual conversations with clients.
When I met Russel in training nearly 15 years ago I vibbed immediately with his relaxed and warm, down to earth and purposeful personality, and his writing is just the same.
His book is called Spirit in Session: Working with Your Client’s Spirituality (and Your Own) in Psychotherapy.
“It’s close to 90% of the people in the United States that think of themselves as spiritual. To leave that out in a conversation in therapy is like leaving one of the best players on the bench.”
Jones has been a therapist for nearly 30 years and has trained therapists in the use of spirituality for over a decade.
“Religion is very easy to define. Spirituality is very difficult to define. In fact I’ve never read a definition of spirituality that I’ve really liked.
"''God' is not God’s real name."
– Russell Siler Jones, author of Spirit in Session
Russell Siler Jones, ThD, LCMHCS, is a psychotherapist in Asheville, NC, Director of CareNet/Wake Forest Baptist Health’s Residency in Psychotherapy and Spirituality, and Developer of ACPE’s Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy Program. He is author of Spirit in Session: Working with Your Client’s Spirituality (and Your Own) in Psychotherapy.