Engaging in Counseling Research with Curiosity and Wisdom - (Christian Association for Psychological Studies Books) (Paperback)

About the Book

"Within Christian counseling and psychology programs, students and professors alike often approach the research course with feelings of dread or apprehension. This book offers an inspirational and integrative connection between our Christian spirituality and our engagement with the process of research. Themes include curiosity, flourishing, engaging with truth, diversity, quantifying, and making meaning with an application to the clinical setting. This resource is designed to be a secondary textbook in Christian undergraduate and graduate level research courses to accompany and enhance the primary curriculum. God's design is for us to be explorers, filled with awe as we uncover God's truths all around. Everyone in mental health professions can benefit from understanding what good research is and how they can engage their natural curiosity throughout their work"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Discover Research as a Spiritually Formative Journey

In counseling and psychology programs, students and educators alike often approach research with feelings of apprehension. Educators and researchers Kristen Kansiewicz and Paul Loosemore offer a different perspective. In Engaging in Counseling Research with Curiosity and Wisdom, they reveal how research is not only an essential element of mental health work but a unique invitation to curiosity, wisdom, and personal growth.

Kansiewicz and Loosemore provide an integrative connection between Christian faith and the process of research. They unpack such topics as:

• how to engage one's whole self as a researcher
• different perspectives on knowledge and truth
• the importance of diversity in research
• applying research insights to the clinical setting

Designed to accompany and enhance the primary curriculum in a research course, Engaging in Counseling Research with Curiosity and Wisdom:

• offers a Christian formation perspective of the research process.
• shows how to look at Scripture through a research lens and research through a biblical lens.
• includes discussion questions and classroom learning activities.
• contains inspiring ideas for teaching research courses.
• compliments CACREP curriculum.

God created us to be explorers, filled with awe as we uncover truths all around. Everyone in the mental health professions can benefit from understanding what good research is and how they can engage their natural curiosity wisely in every phase of their work. Whether you are an educator, student, or professional in psychology, counseling, social work, or a similar profession, this resource empowers you to engage with research in a meaningful and faithful way.

Review Quotes

"This book is a gift to students who feel intimidated by research. With warmth, theological depth, and psychological insight, Kristen Kansiewicz and Paul Loosemore reframe research as an act of curiosity rooted in faith. Rather than a technical hurdle, research becomes a spiritual journey--one that honors the image of God in each of us and invites us to play in the sandbox of discovery. Students are encouraged to engage their spiritual, emotional, and intellectual selves in the service of loving God and neighbor. This text offers companionship for students learning to do research as worship."

--Jennifer Ripley, professor and endowed chair of Christian Integration at Regent University

"Given the nature of their subject matter, most books on research are as dry as dust and as boring as a math formula. But not this book! Its style is far more personal and literary than we've come to expect in the genre, as the authors use personal testimony, stories, and metaphors to engage the reader. Throughout, research has been chosen to illustrate points that would have special interest to Christian students, for example, flourishing, meaningfulness, virtue, and one's relationship with God. The authors, I think, persuasively demonstrate that research can be personally rewarding and objectively important. There is simply no book like it, and I suspect that Christian professors of research courses will be very happy to discover this new option for a textbook."

--Eric L. Johnson, director of training at the Christian Psychology Institute

"Kristen Kansiewicz and Paul Loosemore have done an excellent job capturing the heart of research, offering insights that resonate with both graduate students and anyone curious about the topic. Their approachable style makes complex ideas accessible, encouraging individuals to engage academically and spiritually. This book is a must-have for graduate programs, especially those focused on Christian integration, as it helps students see research not just as an academic task but as an act of faith and service."

--Chase C. McKinney, assistant professor of clinical mental health counseling at Huntington University

"Kristen Kansiewicz and Paul Loosemore invite us to approach research with fresh imagination. Their approach engenders curiosity and interest in research and is supported with biblical wisdom and faithfulness. A great companion volume for faith-based research classes."

--Jeremy Ruckstaetter, associate professor of counseling and director of the counseling department and counseling center at Covenant Theological Seminary

"This book addresses a critical niche in promoting the hope and truth of a biblical worldview to the process of research and practice in clinical counseling. Because everything exists within a worldview, and because research provides a necessary foundation for exploring, expressing, and treating concerns in counseling, applying a kingdom lens to this topic acknowledges the truth and purpose for cultivating a gospel mindset to our counseling process and practice."

--Seth L. Scott, assistant dean of the School of Counseling at Columbia International University

About the Author

Kristen Kansiewicz (PhD, Regent University) is program director of the graduate counseling program at Evangel University. She developed the Church Therapy model to integrate clinical mental health services into church settings, and she has conducted multiple research studies focused on clergy mental health.

Paul Loosemore (PhD, Regent University) is associate professor and director of the counseling department at Covenant Theological Seminary. He conducts and publishes research in the area of Christian integration while serving as an educator, clinician, and supervisor.