MarzialePMFT-6103-4

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Validate and Embrace Spiritual Perspectives 1 Validate and Embrace Spiritual Perspectives Patrick L Marziale School of Marriage Family Therapy Counseling, Northcentral University MFT-6103 v3: Cultural Diversity, Gender, and Family Development December 28th, 2023

Validate and Embrace Spiritual Perspectives 2 Validate and Embrace Spiritual Perspectives The term Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the various traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). The Torah defines the various branches of the faith in its written and oral format as being revealed by God to Moses on Mont Sinai and has been faithfully transmitted since then (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). Orthodox Judaism is one of the most stringent of the three mainstream American Judaism. Two of its key defining approaches to religious practice are gender-segregated prayer and its rejection of traveling on the Shabbat (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). Furthermore, Orthodox Judaism is more resistant than its liberal counterparts within the Jewish faith regarding ideals concerning biblical mandates that are malleable due to changing social circumstances (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). As a result, the adherents of the faith typically live in concentrated geographic areas due to the above factors and a desire to enable their ability to practice within their desired faith (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). The practitioners of the above faith are also more likely to enroll their children in private religious day schools, pray daily, and maintain traditional dietary practices or consume only kosher meals (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). Kosher is a word that has informally entered the English language represents proper or acceptable and has a similar meaning within the English language (Kosher Certification, 2024). The word and the laws that govern Kosher food and various other activities have their origin in the bible and are detailed within the Talmud and other codes of Jewish traditions (Kosher Certification, 2024). They have been applied in various aspects throughout the centuries and have grown as social and cultural situations have changed (Kosher Certification, 2024). Regarding food items that are considered Kosher, the list of food items that the Bible lists as unacceptable and cover certain animals, fowl, fish (i.e. pork, rabbit, eagle, owl, catfish, and sturgeon), insects, and any shellfish or reptile (Kosher Certification, 2024).

Validate and Embrace Spiritual Perspectives 3 Furthermore, Kosher fowl and meat must be slaughtered and prepared in a prescribed manner with meat and dairy products unable to be processed together or consumed together (Kosher Certification, 2024). The term Orthodox only came to be associated with the traditional practices of the Jewish faith in the 19 th century and was caused in response to the emergence of more liberal approaches to Judaism emerging within the religion (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). Within the Jewish culture, the term came into common usage with the introduction of Reform Judaism, which rejected the divine origins of the Torah and the various obligatory ritual observances of the faith (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). The traditional beliefs of the above religion are that the Torah and its laws are eternal and unalterable, God made an exclusive, unbreakable covenant with the children of Israel to be governed by the Torah, belief in a Jewish eschatology including a messiah and rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem, and adherence to Halakaha or Jewish law (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). The above factors are accomplished through a continuous study of the Torah, segregated prayer groups, segregation from other Jewish groups, sexual purity, rejection of intermarriage of faith, rejection of homosexuality, Jewish dietary laws, and daily prayers (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). Furthermore, the faith believes in circumcision, ceremonies to mark religious adulthood, ritual baths, avoidance of using the word God, and a heavy emphasis on charity (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). The above factors contribute to a fundamental belief within the religion, which is that humans are created in the divine image, and as a result, we possess fundamental goodness and that the future can be made into a better version (Eleff & Schacter, 2016). Furthermore, the faith and its core tenets are aimed at generating and creating habits that engender hope for a better future and an increase in humanity's capability for good and as a result, decrease the gap between

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Validate and Embrace Spiritual Perspectives 4 God and humanity (Green, 2019). This is further reinforced by the tradition of sh’mirat haguf or guarding the body and represents that not only is the body a wonderous and precious gift from God, but a healthy body and mind also enables a person to complete and follow the traditions, laws, and maintain the sacred convent with God (Rabii Schechter, 2024). The above practice is reinforced by the various traditions, practices, and laws that govern a member of the Orthodox Jewish faith such as Kosher meals and avoidance of substances that can harm the body (Rabii Schechter, 2024). Furthermore, contrary to past stigma within the psychology field, Orthodox Jewish members are more apt to seek and comply with psychological treatment (Pirutinsky & Rosmarin, 2022). The above information was gained from a study aimed at removing the stigma and shows indications that due to the traditions and laws within their faith. Orthodox Jewish members are apt to seek and adhere to treatment at a similar or higher level within their respective systems (Pirutinsky & Rosmarin, 2022). It is important to note that being mentally incompetent within the faith prevents exercising their ability to practice religious obligations or get married (Pirutinsky & Rosmarin, 2022). Therefore, it generates a motivational factor to seek treatment, however, it can have the opposite effect and prevent seeking treatment or care (Pirutinsky & Rosmarin, 2022). Reflection The above factors provide a correlation between the author’s faith and the Orthodox Jewish religion. Where a prescribed stigma is attached to the practitioners of the author's religion and as a result drives certain unfavorable interactions. The author follows the Norse-Paganism faith or Asatru faith, and due to certain extremist groups the risk of individuals assuming that the author is a white supremacist or racist. While a different context versus seeking psychological care, there are certain viewpoints towards the Jewish community that share similar interactions.

Validate and Embrace Spiritual Perspectives 5 Furthermore, the actual practice of the author’s faith is quite different than many individuals assume, and it is within the practice that another similarity can be identified. Where the practices and beliefs of Orthodox Jewish individuals are not fully understood, or the generation of certain habits are not identified (i.e. Kosher meals, ritual prayer, inability to have tattoos). This can be identified within the author’s faith, whereas the assumption is often made of ritual sacrifice or an association with witchcraft. The actual truth of the matter is there is no sacrifice involved with conducting the religious practices of the author's faith and instead involves more offerings (i.e. incense, beer, food, lighting a candle) to the particular God that the individual is praying to. The practice of Norse Paganism involves several core tenets such as courage, truth, honor, fidelity, and discipline to name a few, and view humans and Gods as similar. It is within this area that another similarity can be identified between the two faiths, where humans are a reflection of the Gods, a key difference is that within the author's religion, the Gods can be as flawed as humans. Furthermore, Norse Pagans hold to the belief that nature and life should exist in harmony, and as such humans should strive to act in a way to maintain that balance. Additionally, hope is a crucial element within the faith and is a driving force in being a better individual and maintaining and sustaining relationships. A key factor of this is the concept of debt within the religion, whereas relationships are defined by the act of gift-giving. The gift is meant to be an item that can be replicated by a friend or other close relationship and is meant to serve as a physical example of the relationship and sustain the relationship through gratitude and maintain indefinitely the relationship between two individuals. Finally, another similarity between the two faiths is the requirement for both faiths for a practitioner to maintain their body, spiritual, and mental health at the highest possible standard. While there are fewer restrictions

Validate and Embrace Spiritual Perspectives 6 within the Norse Pagan faith regarding the use of substances and other areas, maintaining one's physical and mental health is a key component of the faith. Integrating Religion into Clinical Work The presence of religion and/or spirituality is a key component within an individual’s life and can have several overarching impacts on the individual that can either engender or mitigate the emotive and behavioral responses from a mental disorder. Furthermore, it adds to the diversity and complexity of a client and their unique set of experiences, circumstances, and interactions with various systems. As a result, being able to incorporate spirituality and religion into clinical practice is a key component of working as a therapist. For the author, this process is eased by the core tenets of his faith, which is acceptance and acknowledgment of all individuals along with a hard taboo against actively converting individuals to his faith. Therefore, the author will be able to successfully hear and acknowledge different religious practices and within reason validate those religious beliefs for his clients. Furthermore, it will enable the author to inquire respectfully about the importance, meaning, and impact of their particular faith within their lives along with identifying their perspective regarding their faith (WALSH, 2010). The above process can be extrapolated to include identifying if there is spiritual distress occurring and the impact on the individual, while the author may be unable to properly relate and assist with the spiritual distress. The author will seek relationships with various religious groups and their respective priests along with seeking information about the core religious groups within American society (i.e. Christian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim) (WALSH, 2010). This will not only enable a deeper understanding of the various religions, but it will also enable the utilization of additional resources to fully address each of their individual unique needs and requirements (WALSH, 2010). Additionally, the author believes that his faith and connection to it will enable a

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Validate and Embrace Spiritual Perspectives 7 deeper understanding of the impact that faith can have on the individual and enable a respectful discussion regarding the client’s spirituality versus avoidance of the topic (Williams-Reade et al., 2019). The final step the author will take to incorporate spirituality into his future practice is to identify the key demographics of his client population which will include several factors to include the dominant religion and subsequent practices. This will enable the author to learn and develop a framework of potential spiritual and faith requirements that may be affecting his clientele along with the possible combination of multiple religious practices into one particular practice (McGoldrick & Hardy, 2019). It will also enable the author to identify potential treatment hurdles that are based on a particular religious viewpoint, this will be a critical part of the assessment process and could be a generating or sustaining factor in the client's current concerns (McGoldrick & Hardy, 2019). Finally, acknowledging a key component in many individuals' lives, will enable a deeper therapeutic relationship and enable the generation of trust by showing full acceptance of the individual (McGoldrick & Hardy, 2019). Conclusion The various components that comprise an individual serve to illustrate the unique and complex nature that is humanity as a whole. Spirituality and faith are two topics that have heavy connotations and have been the cause of several negative interactions and positive interactions throughout history. By failing to acknowledge, learn, and develop an understanding of the role of faith in an individual’s life, not only is the ability to fully accept an individual is lost, it can also cause further harm to the client. This is a factor that goes directly against a core edict of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists which is to prevent further harm. Additionally, the ability to learn and understand the various aspects that comprise an individual

Validate and Embrace Spiritual Perspectives 8 enables the therapist to effectively engage with the client and assist them in reaching their desired treatment outcomes and goals. Finally, spirituality and faith can provide an additional source of support to an individual and may be the deciding factor in the success of the client. References Eleff, Z., & Schacter, J. J. (2016). Modern Orthodox Judaism: A Documentary History . The Jewish Publication Society. https://10.2307/j.ctt1d4v0sk Green, A. (2019, Sept 11th). Hope: The Gift of Judaism. JewishBoston. Retrieved Jan 5, 2024, from http://www.jewishboston.com/read/hope-the-gift-of-judaism/ Kelly, S. (2017). In Kelly S. (Ed.), Diversity in couple and family therapy: Ethnicities, sexualities, and socioeconomics . Praeger/ABC-CLIO. Kosher Certification, S. (2024, What Does Kosher Certified Mean? OU Kosher Certification & Supervision. OU Kosher Certification. Retrieved Jan 5, 2024, from https://oukosher.org/what-is-kosher/ McGoldrick, M., & Hardy, K. V. (2019). Re-Visioning Family Therapy : Addressing Diversity in Clinical Practice . The Guilford Press. Pirutinsky, S., & Rosmarin, D. H. (2022). A comparative study of mental health diagnoses, symptoms, treatment, and medication use among Orthodox Jews. Transcultural Psychiatry, 59 (6), 756-766. https://10.1177/13634615211068607 Rabii Schechter, R. (2024, What Jewish Tradition Says About Health and Wellness | Reform Judaism. reformjudaism.com. Retrieved Jan 5, 2024,

Validate and Embrace Spiritual Perspectives 9 from https://www.reformjudaism.org/jewish-perspectives-health-wellness/what-jewish- tradition-says-about-health-and-wellness WALSH, F. (2010). Spiritual Diversity: Multifaith Perspectives in Family Therapy. Family Process, 49 (3), 330-348. https://10.1111/j.1545-5300.2010.01326.x Williams-Reade, J., Lobo, E., & Gutierrez, G. (2019). Integrating Spirituality into MFT Training: A Reflexive Curriculum and Qualitative Evaluation. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 45 (2), 219-232. https://10.1111/jmft.12314

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