1. Identify your own faith and one individual of a differing faith from your own to interview.
I am a Christian and the person I interviewed is Isalmic/Muslim. She is an African American female.
2. Ask the interviewee each of the following questions:
I actually lost our interview : ( but I remember some of the answers.
• Did you attend church (religions meetings) as a child or did you begin attending later?
She was raised in a Christian household with her mother and siblings. She stated that she was in church what seemed like everyday. From Sunday services, bible study, choir rehearsals and so on.
• Have you ever changed faiths? If so what led to this change?
Yes, her father is a Islamic Muslim. She decided to study the faith when she was around the age of 14. At the age of 15 she converted over.
• How does your faith give your life meaning?
She lives her life now to provide service to others. She said it gives her a reason everyday to wake up.
• How does your faith help you in your daily life?
She went through so much growing up. She was a troubled child. Was in and out of Juvenile detention and attempted suicide on many occasions. It wasn’t until she started to learn about her father’s way of life that it gave her life purpose. With the Islamic/Muslim faith you have to intentionally walk in faith. It keeps her focused.
• Are there any observances and/or holidays that are significant in your faith/religion?
She mostly talked about Ramadan.
• Are there any within group differences in your faith/religion that are significant?
She stated the only difference she see’s from how she was brought up is the hijab. She stated that growing up she in the Strict Christian faith she already had to be fully covered. No skin showing.
• Historically, how has your religion accepted or rejected the sciences of counseling and psychology?
She said that seeking counseling is not a thing in her culture. She is actually work in the psychology field. She said her choice was frowned upon. People believed that if someone had Mental Health issues they were possessed with demons and should be avoided at all cost.
Summary
You will then write a summary of your interview experience. Be descriptive and help me to understand not only the content of the interview but what the process was like for you.
Professional Research
3. Then research professional journals and/or books related to the interviewee’s identified faith. Write a summary of the tenets of the interviewee’s faith. (This section should include 2-3 sources.) Address what you learned about the interviewee’s faith/ beliefs that you would not have known without conducting the interview and doing research.
Perspectives on Faith Integration in the Counseling Setting
4. Next, address why it is important for a counselor to understand the faith/beliefs of a counseling client if the client wants to explore issues related to spirituality.
Support your suppositions with sources from professional journals and/or books related to this topic. (This section should include 2-3 sources.)
Self-Reflection
5. In the final section of your paper self-reflect on what you learned from interviewing a someone of another faith and how this will later impact your practice as a counselor.
Technical Requirements
• Times New Roman or Arial 12pt font.
• Title Page
• Body (7-10 pages double-spaced)
• Reference Page (at least five sources, two must be empirical)
