Psychotherapy Spirituality

This book explores how Western European psychotherapists, interviewed between 2016 and 2019, understand spirituality and how they address spiritual matters in clinical sessions.By studying a purposive sample of 15 Clinicians from Spain, England, Switzerland, Greece, Norway and Denmark, it was found that these shared similar views about spirituality, understood as dynamic, fluid and independent from religion. The interviewed psychotherapists showed great variation in their psychotherapy trainings, theoretical background and spiritual stances. However, the participants' rich narratives illustrate that independently from their personal and professional background they all approached spiritual matters from a client centered, humanistic perspective. Spirituality was often addressed heuristically, integrating different approaches in a creative manner through an array of interventions. Differences in the participants' religious and cultural background did not appear to determine the clinicians' views and approaches. Recommendations for practice are discussed, stressing the relevance of implementing a non-materialistic scientific paradigm that acknowledges different personal experiences, as a source of spiritual knowledge. The importance of keeping a non-judgmental perspective and the need to acknowledge views and practices of those considering themselves as spiritual but not religious are also highlighted.Different audiences may find this book relevant, for instance psychotherapists and those in charge of psychotherapy training programs wishing to integrate a spiritual perspective in clinical work independent from religious doctrines. Likewise, those interested in historical perspectives about the traditional exclusion of spirituality from clinical work as well as the current re-integration of non- dogmatic, fluid spiritual perspectives may find relevant information. The theoretical discussions and methodological explanations could be of interest for those considering to implement thematic analysis or to pursue qualitative studies from a collaborative and reflexive stance.

`This book is encyclopaedic in its range compacting much fascinating material into a small space....West has a gift for summarising and critiquing others' thought with brevity....The book will resource and stimulate its readers' - Counselling `There have been many books written about counselling with respect to class, politics, gender, culture and similar issues but, as far as I am aware , this is the first major work to be presented in this country about working with a client's spirituality and the importance this may have... Is a must for trainees in the field and for those who feel a client's spirituality is an irrelevance.'- Cahoots This thoughtful and intelligent book encour

Does my life have any deeper meaning? Does God really care about me? How can I find and follow my moral compass? What do I do when my faith is shaken to the core? Spiritual trials, doubts, or conflicts are often intertwined with mental health concerns, yet many psychotherapists feel ill equipped to discuss questions of faith. From pioneers in the psychology of religion and spirituality, this book combines state-of-the-art research, clinical insights, and vivid case illustrations. It guides clinicians to understand spiritual struggles as critical crossroads in life that can lead to brokenness and decline--or to greater wholeness and growth. Clinicians learn sensitive, culturally responsive ways to assess different types of spiritual struggles and help clients use them as springboards to change.

From a leading researcher and practitioner, this volume provides an innovative framework for understanding the role of spirituality in people's lives and its relevance to the work done in psychotherapy. It offers fresh, practical ideas for creating a spiritual dialogue with clients, assessing spirituality as a part of their problems and solutions, and helping them draw on spiritual resources in times of stress. Written from a nonsectarian perspective, the book encompasses both traditional and nontraditional forms of spirituality. It is grounded in current findings from psychotherapy research and the psychology of religion, and includes a wealth of evocative case material.

`Fascinating. There is much here that is controversial, thought provoking and very useful. It is encyclopaedic in its breadth and use of knowledge. [Like] rich food [it] needs to be taken in slowly, savouring every morsel!′ - Thresholds `[Spirituality] has been traditionally ′taboo′ within the counselling and psychotherapy profession. Denis Lines comes into this controversial scene with a rigorous-but-gentle, mystical-but-grounded, inspiring and thought-provoking voice.... The book is well written and presents the model in the context of other therapeutic modalities, which makes it interesting and useful for therapists from different backgrounds and practice settings. It could also be of use for those involved in religious education, pastoral care or anybody interested in the spiritual development of the self or the existential quest of humankind′ - Therapy Today ′This gentle, mystical, empirical and scholarly book is truly inspirational and it deserves the widest possible readership among therapists, religious educators and all those who care about the spiritual destiny of humankind′ - Professor Brian Thorne, Co-founder The Norwich Centre and Emeritus Professor of Counselling, University of East Anglia Spirituality in Counselling and Psychotherapy explores the idea that throughout the course of a therapeutic relationship between therapist and client, a spiritual level is reached by the two people involved. The author shows how this dimension can help clients who are living in an increasingly secular and faithless society to find some resolution with the issues they bring to therapy. By exploring different perspectives on religion and spirituality, the book provides therapists with the grounding they need to introduce spiritually-centred counselling into their practice. It describes the characteristics of spiritual counselling and covers practical considerations such as: " recognising indications from the client to move into a spiritual mode of therapy " exploring the ′self′ through spiritual work within the therapeutic process, and how this can lead to healing and growth " how to deal with doubt and scepticism over issues of spirituality. The book is illustrated throughout with transcripts and case studies to show how therapists can integrate the spiritual within their own approach to therapeutic work. It will be invaluable to all those who wish to explore this dimension in their work with clients.

The authors argue that when psychotherapists diagnose and assess their clients, they should routinely assess the religious and spiritual values of their clients to obtain a fuller and more accurate diagnostic picture. This book is the first to provide guidance for integrating a theistic spiritual strategy into mainstream approaches to psychotherapy in order to reach a large, underserved population of clients with religious and spiritual beliefs.

Print+CourseSmart

"Spiritual and existential struggles tell a story about the quality of clients' lives, beyond what clinicians can learn from their mental health symptoms alone. This book presents the Relational Spirituality Model (RSM) of psychotherapy, a creative clinical process that engages existential themes to help people make sense of profound suffering or trauma. To promote healing and growth, practitioners using the RSM provide a secure and challenging therapeutic space, while guiding clients as they explore ways of relating to the sacred in their lives. In this model, therapeutic change is seen as an intense yet safe process of movement and tension between dwelling and seeking, stability and disruption. Assessment and intervention strategies focus on developmental systems-attachment, differentiation, and intersubjectivity-to restructure relationships with the self, others, and the sacred. In depth clinical case examples demonstrate how to respect diverse client perspectives on suffering and trauma, and apply the RSM in individual, couple, family, and group psychotherapy. Readers will find new ways of working within the spiritual, existential, religious, and theological concerns that infuse their clients' struggles and triumphs"--