Philosophical and theological aspects of the pastoral care for drug addicts: goals, principles and values

The author of the article studies the practice of pastoral counseling of drug addicts according to the principles of pastoral and practical theology. Te paper contains some theoretical formulations for counseling drug addicts, which are the result of the author’s work with Russian and foreign specialists (priest and laity). Te aim and strategy of therapeutic interaction from the consultant’s standpoint are considered. Te two most common principles of cooperation between the specialist and the client - subsidiary and didactic - are briefly analyzed. Te author emphasizes the advantages of the Christian approach to therapeutic dialog with clients since it provides more possibilities for the realization of both the patient’s and the specialist’s goals.