Psychotherapy that addresses life's deepest questions has profound spiritual implications. Psychotherapy is the art, science, and practice of studying the nature of consciousness and of what may reduce or facilitate it. The relationship between psychotherapy and spirituality is determined in part by how we define psychotherapy. Of these, only the transpersonal orientation explicitly addresses itself to spiritual issues. Yet the profession of psychotherapy has been called the secular priesthood of our time, since people seek counsel from therapists in times of stress or transition, much as they used to seek advice from the parish priest.
Some psychotherapists can and do fill the role of spiritual guide for their clients.
Most do not. Unfortunately, few spiritual teachers are trained as psychotherapists. Boundaries between the two provinces are not at all clear, and in practice there is significant overlap. Nevertheless, there are important distinctions to be made between the role of the therapist and the role of the spiritual teacher. One of the principal differences between doing therapy and teaching is that in therapy the clients lead and determine the content of the sessions.