Today's counseling clients want more than traditional therapy. They want something new, bold, and effective, and A Fresh Cup of Counseling serves just that. While the power of clinical applications in spiritual counseling has long been discussed by field experts, little has been written about the subject--until now. Packed with theoretical and practical knowledge about this power, the book offers a breakthrough guide to spiritual counseling with ideas, training, and real-life case studies for students and professionals alike.
Written by Rev. Dr. Tom Norris--a spiritual counselor and Universalist minister with fifty years of experience in social work, psychotherapy, group therapy, marriage and family therapy, and hypnotherapy--this book is a treasure trove of contemporary clinical and scientific knowledge, starting from a purely psychosocial and psychological perspective and diving into the evolution of the spiritual therapeutic discipline. In the process, it pulls from Buddhist, Judeo-Christian, Native American, Islamic, Yin Yang, Neopagan, Shamanic, Hindu, and other religions, using their practices and ideals (from past lives and chakra balancing to meditation and Ultraterrestrials) to demonstrate the power of spirituality in the holistic healing process. The result? A dynamic psycho-spiritual expedition that helps counselors and their clients unleash positive, lasting transformation.
Thomas L. Norris teaches in the Religious Studies Department of Florida International University. With fifty years of counseling experience, he is now the head of the spiritual and pastoral counseling agency, Inner Life Transformations, providing counseling for people worldwide. Tom is the senior minister for the Universalist Church, The Church of the Way of the Messiahs. He is also the author of A Fresh Cup of Tolerance: Universalism: The New Religion of Tolerance.
“Dr. Norris’s book is the missing link in therapy: the spiritual side of counseling. As we know, clients stay in therapy for endless years when the process remains mental. In order to heal and recover their state of wholeness, clients need compassionate guidance toward integration. Dr. Norris gives all of us the tools to do just that: guide our clients toward wholeness and integration by loving our inner children unconditionally. This book is a must-have for all mental health counselors, psychotherapists, and coaches.”
—Mihaela Plugarasu, Certified Parenting Educator and Founder of Parenting Made Conscious
“Tom Norris expertly weaves together decades of clinical experience with numinous insight. His rich use of case examples elegantly illustrates the often-unexplored intersection of psychology and the divine. An excellent read for any mental health clinician thinking of adding a spiritual dimension to their toolkit.”
—Devon Madison, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
“I work with healers, artists, trailblazers, activists, coaches, and entrepreneurs from all corners of the globe. From that perspective, this book . . . increases my threshold for understanding, for compassion, and for holding others in their highest light while understanding the complexities of our possible childhood traumas and the effect they have on us as adults. . . . Tom has inspired me to continue stretching into authenticity, vulnerability, and grace. Holding space for others is a gift and an art form—Tom is masterful at his craft. May this book support you as a therapist, healer, light-worker, spiritual seeker, and curious wanderer on the path.”
—Maria Aleandra, Business Coach and Spiritual Guide for Visionary Entrepreneurs