On the Intersection of Spiritual and Social-Emotional Development in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Counselors are expected to approach clinical work with children and adolescents through developmental lenses. In this article, we review two major developmental processes, spiritual and social-emotional, including major models, and explore integration of these models. We review the work of Fowler (1981) and Greenspan (1981, 1992, 1998) to provide a fuller understanding of the holistic developmental needs of children and adolescents. We provide implications for counselors focusing on the importance of including the child or adolescent’s spiritual and functional emotional development in case conceptualization and treatment planning.