Taking Care: Monitoring Power Dynamics and Relational Boundaries in Pastoral Care and Counseling

by Carrie Doehring

Book Overview

Clarifies how to distinguish between healthy therapeutic relationships and ones which have become abusive. Carrie Doehring propose an approach to pastoral counseling that focuses on taking care of ourselves and those we minister to by monitoring power dynamics and relational boundaries in our relationships. When we monitor the power struggles within us, between us, in our communities and cultures, and the ways in which we are pulled to disengagement...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0687359341
• ISBN13: 9780687359349
• Release Date: August 1995
• Publisher: Abingdon Press
• Length: 196 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Connects the dots

I found this book to be extremely helpful. As a victim/survivor of clergy sexual abuse, the book offered a critical understanding of the psychological dynamics of both personality and relationships that create at-risk environments for boundary violations to occur. The exploration of empathy and empowerment and the gift/burden of our unconscious and subconscious operatives are well done by the author. My recovery and healing is testimony to the powerful dynamic of empathy and empowerment when experienced as a healthy interaction complete with restorative qualities which then, in turn, offer insight into the evil nature of the abusive relationship. I recommend this book to anyone considering entering the pastoral ministry as a means of provoking introspection and reflection into one's motives and behaviors as a means of prevention of possible breach in the vows of sacred trust one is required to take in such a vocation.

A Wonderful Pastoral Counsellor

Dr. Doehring, a member of the faculty of Boston University School of Theology and also the Danielsen Institute, is an intelligent, skilled and above all very conscientious and warm-hearted pastoral counsellor. She writes in a very clear style that anyone will be able to understand, and in a way that people can relate to. This book is highly recommended for those who want a non-technical work on counselling psychology from a Christian perspective. Look out also for a new book she is working on, which may be out in 2002.