Relational Spirituality In Psychotherapy

"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"--

This book presents the Relational Spirituality Model (RSM) of psychotherapy, a creative clinical process of engaging existential themes to help people make sense of profound suffering or trauma. To promote healing and growth, practitioners using RSM provide a secure and challenging therapeutic space, while guiding clients as they explore ways of relating to the sacred in their lives. In-depth clinical case studies illustrate applications of the approach across individual, couple, family, and group treatment modalities.

MIDWC Book Award As our society becomes more socially fragmented, many Christians feel disconnected and struggle to grow spiritually. Common models of spiritual transformation are proving inadequate to address "the sanctification gap." In recent decades, however, a new paradigm of human and spiritual development has been emerging from multiple fields. It's supported by a critical mass of evidence, all pointing to what psychologists Todd W. Hall and M. Elizabeth Lewis Hall call a relational revolution. In Relational Spirituality, Hall and Hall present a definitive model of spiritual transformation based on a relational paradigm. At its heart is the truth that human beings are fundamentally relational—we develop, heal, and grow through relationships. While many sanctification models are fragmented, individualistic, and lack a clear process for change, the relational paradigm paints a coherent picture of both process and goal, supported by both ancient wisdom and cutting-edge research. Integrating insights from psychology and theology, this book lays out the basis for relational spiritual transformation and how it works practically in the context of relationships and community. Relational Spirituality draws together themes such as trinitarian theology, historical and biblical perspectives on the imago Dei, relational knowledge, attachment patterns, and interpersonal neurobiology into a broad synthesis that will stimulate further dialogue across a variety of fields. Highlighting key characteristics of spiritual communities that foster transformation, Hall and Hall equip spiritual leaders and practitioners to more effectively facilitate spiritual growth for themselves and those they serve. Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS) Books explore how Christianity relates to mental health and behavioral sciences including psychology, counseling, social work, and marriage and family therapy in order to equip Christian clinicians to support the well-being of their clients.

This book explains when forgiveness and spiritual transformation might be appropriate clinical goals, as well as how to facilitate these processes in psychotherapy. The model is applied to short-term therapy, long-term therapy, couple and family therapy, and group therapy.

"Forgiveness is a frequent challenge in life and a common concern of clients in psychotherapy. While it is easy to see the emotional benefits of forgiveness, actually forgiving a transgressor can be difficult. And the process may be either helped or hindered by the way one relates to the sacred. In some cases, spiritual transformation may be needed before one is able to forgive. This book presents a model of forgiveness and relational spirituality based on clinical practice and supported by empirical research. Worthington and Sandage bring together decades of experience as both researchers and clinicians to show the differing ways in which spiritual and religious experiences can shape concerns, values, and practices that may facilitate or hinder forgiveness among clients. Their model highlights relational factors (attachment and differentiation) and action-oriented interventions for emotion regulation. Applications are described for short-term therapy, long-term therapy, couple and family therapy, and group therapy"--Publicity materials. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

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.

This book offers new possibilities for mental health professionals who are looking for ways to adapt traditional therapy and counseling techniques to address the spiritual and psychological issues their clients face. The author utilizes an Adlerian Individual Psychology perspective, which rejects biological determinism and focuses on the influence of powerful environmental factors on personality. This book provides specific methods and guidelines for applying Individual Psychology concepts to clients of each of the world's major religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. The author offers a wealth of insight into the customs, theories, and philosophies of each religion. With this knowledge, mental health professionals can use Individual Psychology methods and techniques to better understand and assist clients. Key Features Discusses how Individual Psychology can be integrated with Christian spirituality Examines the relational and social theories of Judaism as compared to Adler's theories of social interest Compares Adler's theories with the ethical, spiritual, and social systems of Islam Reviews the doctrines of Hinduism, including the belief in karma and reincarnation, the goals of life, and the paths to God Presents case examples to illustrate how psychological and spiritual problems may be approached using Adlerian psychotherapy

This book examines the interaction of spiritual and psychoanalytic lineages with psychotherapy in everyday practice. Written by a team of seasoned clinicians and illustrated through clinical vignettes, chapters explore topics pertaining to the mystical dimensions of psychological and spiritual life and how it may be integrated into clinical practice. Topics discussed include dreams, dissociation, creativity, therapeutic relationship, free association, transcendence, poetry, paradox, doubleness, loss, death, grief, mystery, embodiment and soul. The authors, clinicians with decades of experience in psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and spiritual practice, draw from their deep engagement with spirituality and psychoanalysis, focusing on a particular theme and its application to clinical work that is supported by the generative conversation among these lineages. At once applied and theoretical, this book weaves insights from the heart of Vajrayana Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, Christianity, Catholicism, Ecumenicism, Integral Spirituality, Judaism, Kaballah, Non-violence, Sufism and Vedanta. They are in conversation with psychoanalytic perspectives including Jungian, Post-Jungian, Winnicottian, Bionian, Post-Bionian and Relational. A felt sense of the spiritual psyche in clinical practice emerges from this conversation among spiritual and psychoanalytic lineages, beckoning clinicians ever further on the path of spiritually rooted, psychodynamic practice.