Clients’ Experiences of Praying During Therapy Sessions

Abstract

This study employed a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, using in-depth interviews, to understand the lived experience of praying in psychotherapy for clients. Participants were five Christian women who prayed in an individual therapy session. Seven prayer experiences were shared during the interviews. In all experiences, both the client and therapist were aware that the prayer was happening. Five themes emerged from participants’ descriptions: the significance of prayer while suffering, prayer as a moment of intentional connection, deepening the therapeutic bond through prayer, facilitating connection with God, and a changed engagement with themselves. All participants emphasized how praying in therapy facilitated relationship: with themselves, their therapist, and God.