diff --git a/spec/controllers/password_resets_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/password_resets_controller_spec.rb
index 88063fb..6406562 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/password_resets_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/password_resets_controller_spec.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
       it "renders a success notice" do
         post :create, params
-        expect(JSON.parse(response.body)).to eq(["reset sent"])
+        expect(json).to eq(["reset sent"])
       end
     end
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 
       it "renders an error" do
         post :create, params
-        expect(JSON.parse(response.body)).to eq(["reset failed"])
+        expect(json).to eq(["reset failed"])
       end
     end
   end
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 
       it "renders a success notice" do
         patch :update, params
-        expect(JSON.parse(response.body)).to eq(["password updated"])
+        expect(json).to eq(["password updated"])
       end
     end
 
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
 
       it "renders an error" do
         patch :update, params
-        expect(JSON.parse(response.body)).to eq(["update failed"])
+        expect(json).to eq(["update failed"])
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb
index d4b2496..d913217 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-include Helpers
-
 RSpec.describe UsersController do
   let(:user) { create(:unconfirmed_user) }
 
@@ -73,7 +71,7 @@
       it "returns an error" do
         user.errors.add(:email, "error")
         post :create, params
-        expect(JSON.parse(response.body)).to eq("email" => ["error"])
+        expect(json["email"]).to eq(["error"])
       end
     end
   end
@@ -97,12 +95,6 @@
     end
 
     context "when succesful" do
-      let(:serializer) { UserSerializer.new(user) }
-
-      let(:serialization) do
-        ActiveModel::Serializer::Adapter.create(serializer)
-      end
-
       it "calls the ShowUser interactor" do
         expect(ShowUser).to receive(:call)
         get :show, params
@@ -115,7 +107,7 @@
 
       it "render the user as JSON" do
         get :show, params
-        expect(serialization.to_json).to eq(response.body)
+        expect(serialize(user)).to eq(response.body)
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/rails_helper.rb b/spec/rails_helper.rb
index fe0c9b9..93ae895 100644
--- a/spec/rails_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/rails_helper.rb
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@
   # arbitrary gems may also be filtered via:
   # config.filter_gems_from_backtrace("gem name")
   config.include FactoryGirl::Syntax::Methods
+
+  # include custom helpers for authentication, json formatting, etc.
+  config.include RequestHelpers
 end
 
 require "simplecov"
diff --git a/spec/support/helpers.rb b/spec/support/helpers.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index c6aeab8..0000000
--- a/spec/support/helpers.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-module Helpers
-  def authenticate
-    token = Knock::AuthToken.new(payload: { sub: user.id }).token
-    request.env["HTTP_AUTHORIZATION"] = "bearer #{token}"
-  end
-end
diff --git a/spec/support/request_helpers.rb b/spec/support/request_helpers.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ba2a07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/support/request_helpers.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+module RequestHelpers
+  def json
+    JSON.parse(response.body)
+  end
+
+  def authenticate
+    token = Knock::AuthToken.new(payload: { sub: user.id }).token
+    request.env["HTTP_AUTHORIZATION"] = "bearer #{token}"
+  end
+
+  def serialize(resource)
+    ActiveModel::SerializableResource.new(resource).to_json
+  end
+end