THE CHURCHILL FRAMEWORK - for COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY - A Core Competence Framework When Working with Clients’ Faith/Religious/Spiritual Issues

Oct 3, 2026

A Core Competence Framework guides UK counselling and psychotherapy therapists in responding ethically and competently when clients’ faith, religious, or spiritual issues emerge in clinical practice. Developed through drawing on existing US-based models, clinical experience, and extensive consultation with ACC members, it defines 27 core competences structured across four domains: relational communication, knowledge and skills, self-awareness and reflective practice, and supervision. The framework was updated and revised in June 2025 to incorporate critical accreditation feedback.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Process of Development

Core Competence Domains

Relational Communication

Knowledge and Skills

Self-awareness and Reflective Practice

Supervision

Part 1: Core Competences

THE CHURCHILL FRAMEWORK for COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY A Core Competence Framework When Working with Clients’ Faith / Religious / Spiritual Issues Heather Churchill in partnership with ACC © Heather Churchill 2021 (revised 2025) in partnership with Updated framework June 2025 In June 2025, the framework was updated and revised. I would like to thank those ACC members who critically evaluated the framework as part of their accreditation process and I have incorporated a number of their valuable suggestions and recommendations into the new edition. My thanks also go to Kathy Spooner and Dr Janet Penny, who reviewed the changes and also added some further minor amendments. A Core Competence Framework When Working With Clients’Religious/Spiritual Issues in Clinical Practice Heather Churchill Introduction Over the years I have become more and more convinced of the need to have a Core Competence Framework in the UK which specifically provides guidance to therapists when their clients’ religious/spiritual issues emerge in clinical practice. As a result of this conviction, and as part of my further studies, during 2019, I started to draft out a ‘Core Competence Framework when working with clients’ religious/spiritual issues in clinical practice’. In order to produce the framework, I have drawn on several existing models, theories and frameworks (nearly all emanating from the USA), which provided recommendations as to how practitioners can ethically and competently address their clients’ religious/spiritual issues in clinical practice, and these sources are listed at the end of the framework. I have also drawn on my experience with clients, together with the numerous discussions, debates and reflections that I have undertaken with students, tutors and colleagues over many years in order to set out 27 core competences that I believe are relevant for a UK audience and vital to be included in a Competence Framework. Process of Development Having produced the first draft of a ‘Core Competence Framework’, I submitted an article for the 2019 summer edition of accord, which was entitled ‘Core competences for working with a client’s religious/spiritual issues in clinical practice’. Following the publication of this article, Kathy Spooner, the then Director of Counselling and Psychotherapy of the ACC and now CEO of the organisation, contacted me and asked me to consider whether I would be interested in a leading a collaborative project, initiated by the ACC, which would facilitate a number of senior Christian counselling practitioners in the UK to peer review and scrutinise the framework I had produced, and to make suggestions and recommendations for further improvement. I was very interested in this idea and delighted to learn that a number of expert practitioners expressed an interest in being involved in the task, including, Dr Owen Ashley, Dr Martyn Baker, Dr Roger Bretherton, Professor Christopher Cook, Dr Precious Koce, Richard Lahey-James, Sue Monckton-Rickett, Dr Janet Penny, Gwyn Pritchard, Kathy Spooner and Professor William West. The aforementioned practitioners provided feedback on my draft Framework and then several: Dr Martyn Baker, Dr Precious Koce, Sue Monckton-Rickett, Dr Janet Penny, Gwyn Pritchard, Kathy Spooner, Professor William West and I, met together by Zoom, in order to have two‘round table discussions’(19th September 2020 and 10th October 2020) to make further recommendations to improve the Framework. I am immensely grateful for the time they freely gave in scrutinising the Framework and for their wisdom, insights and suggested amendments, all of which have been reflected in the Framework. The competencies in the framework fall naturally into four key domains: Relational Communication, Knowledge and Skills, Self-awareness and Reflective Practice, and Supervision. These are set out in the Competence Framework document. As a Christian, I consider it is important to respect and embrace

FAQs

What is the Churchill Framework designed to help therapists do?

It helps counselling and psychotherapy practitioners in the UK respond ethically and competently when clients’ faith, religious, or spiritual issues arise in clinical practice.

How was the framework developed and revised?

The framework draws on existing models and theories, the author’s clinical experience, and collaborative peer review with ACC members, including round-table discussions. It was updated and revised in June 2025 based on feedback from accreditation evaluation.

How are the core competences organized in the framework?

The competences are grouped into four key domains: Relational Communication, Knowledge and Skills, Self-awareness and Reflective Practice, and Supervision.

Oct 3, 2026

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