CCC 27-4_LR 1

CLINICAL PRACTICE

tional relational patterns. It also applies to the healing of emotional wounds in oneself and others. In this process, emotional and spiritual intelligence are both prominent abilities that could facilitate and deepen the healing pro cess. In addition, it fosters a deeper understanding of how faith can inform and enhance well-being. Reparative intelligence refers to a concept that inte grates the principles of emotional intelligence, especially self-awareness and empathy, with Christian faith and values to facilitate soul care, inner healing, and spiritual growth. Restoration from past hurts is essential in de veloping one’s potential embedded in MI and achieving future success. Haman (2025) identified several key ele ments in RI, such as witnessing suffering by being present and demonstrating care. Secondly, we need to be moved to action to alleviate suffering. The action is based on deep compassion, leading to a third element, fostering compas sionate emotional connections and a deeper level of care and restoration. The fourth element is based on spiritual intelligence and encompasses kindness, generosity, and open-heart edness. This embodies God’s caring and nurturing nature. The fifth element is to maintain a restorative focus and apply reparative intelligence to restore relationships, systems, and environments through acts of care. Finally, it is to engage in mutual recognition of pain and hurt and foster relationships based on mutual trust and care (Ha man, 2025). A biblical example of reparative intelligence is found in the story of Naomi and Ruth. Naomi lost her sons, and her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, lost their husbands while sojourning in Moab. Naomi decided to return to Israel as a widow and encouraged her daughters-in-law to stay in Moab and find new husbands (this step demon strated the ability to witness the suffering of her daugh ters-in-law, as well as her own). The care she demonstrat ed toward her daughters-in-law moved her to the action of releasing them from any responsibility toward her and making a choice that could benefit them for their future. The action led to deep compassion for her and Ruth, who made a wise decision to stay with her. They fostered a compassionate connection and a deeper level of care and restoration. Both demonstrated spiritual intelligence and wisdom in their kindness toward each other. Eventual ly, this led to further restoration and restorative justice when Boas chose to marry Ruth, fulfilling the role of a

kinsman-redeemer and ensuring that Elimelech’s lineage continues through their son, Obed. The act of reparative intelligence, compassion, and redemption is central to the narrative that ultimately leads to the lineage of King David and Jesus Christ. By all accounts, diverse abilities/intelligences should be integrated into a Christian counseling approach to facilitate recovery from past hurts, address relational diffi culties, facilitate relational healing, manage stress-related problems, and treat trauma-induced illnesses. ;

Nicolene L. Joubert, Ph.D., is a Counseling Psychologist and an Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Christian Counseling at Houston Christian University in Texas.

References Davis, K., Christodoulou, J., Seider, S., & Gardner, H. (2011). The theory of multiple intelligences. Emmons, R.A. (2000). Is spirituality intelligence? Motivation, cognition, and the psychology of ultimate concern. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 10 (1), 3-26. (PDF) Spiritual intelligence: Aspects, components and guidelines to promote it. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280923241_Spiritual_ Intelligence_Aspects_Components_and_Guidelines_to_Promote_ It#fullTextFileContent. Gardner, H. (2011). Frames of mind (3rd ed.). Hachette. 9780465024346. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/. Gardner, H., & Moran, S. (2006). The science of multiple intelligences theory: A response to Lynn Waterhouse. Educational Psychologist, 41 (4):227-232. Haman, J. (2025). Cultivating reparative intelligence in a care-less world. Pastoral Psychology. Lang, L. (2024). The role of emotional intelligence in the therapeutic pro cess of counselling psychology. Morgan, H. (2021). Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory and his ideas on promoting creativity. In F. Reisman (Ed.). Celebrating trials and trailblazers: Who’s who in creativity research and related fields. Pinto, C.T., Veiga, F., Guedes, L. ú, Pinto, S., & Nunes, R. (2023). Models of spiritual intelligence interventions: A scoping review. Nurse Education in Practice, 73, 103829. https://10.1016/j.nepr.2023.103829.

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