Addressing religion and spirituality in psychotherapy: clients’ perspectives1

Abstract

Twelve adult clients described the role of religion and spirituality in their lives and in therapy as a whole, as well as their specific experiences of discussing religious-spiritual topics in individual outpatient psychotherapy with nonreligiously affiliated therapists. Data were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR; Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997). Results indicated that clients were regularly involved in religious-spiritual activities, usually did not know the religious-spiritual orientation of their therapists, but often found them open to such discussions. Specific helpful discussions of NOT THE PUBLISHED VERSION; this is the author's final, peer-reviewed manuscript. The published version may be accessed by following the link in the citation at the bottom of the page.Psychotherapy Research, Vol. 15, No. 3 (July 2005): pg. 287-303. DOI. This article is © Taylor & Francis (Routledge) and permission has been granted for this version to appear in e-Publications@Marquette. Taylor & Francis (Routledge) does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Taylor & Francis (Routledge).2 religion-spirituality were often begun by clients in the 1st year of therapy, were related to clients' presenting concerns, were facilitated by therapists' openness, and yielded positive effects. Specific unhelpful discussions were raised equally by clients and therapists early in therapy, made clients feel judged, and evoked negative effects. Implications for practice and research are addressed.Outpatient psychotherapy clients report a desire to discuss religious or spiritual topics in their therapy, and many also indicate that religion and spirituality are of central importance to their healing and growth (Rose, Westefeld, & Ansley, 2001). Given the profession's historical ambivalence toward matters of religion and spirituality, however, much remains to be learned regarding how these conversations may be rendered beneficial to clients. Such is the focus of the current study.We begin with some definitions, about which we acknowledge that full agreement has not been reached (Pargament, 1999). Religion, from the Latin religare, meaning ''to bind together or to express concern' ' (Fukuyama & Sevig, 1999), has been defined as an organizing system of faith, worship, rituals, and tradition (Worthington, 1988, as cited in Fukuyama & Sevig, 1999. Religion may thus offer structure and community to one's personal sense of spiritual connection. In contrast, spirituality, from the Latin spiritus, meaning ''breath, courage, vigor, or life'' (Ingersoll, 1994), is a phenomenon unique to the individual and has been defined as the ''breath'' that animates life or a sense of connection to oneself, others, and that which is beyond self and others (e.g., the transcendent, God 1 , universal energy, love). Although spirituality is an individual construct, denoting a personal relationship with the transcendent, religion is a social construct bespeaki...

Entering the Sacred: Using Motivational Interviewing to Address Spirituality in Counseling

“…The clients in their study presented with anxiety, depression, trauma, and family concerns and also reported addressing spiritual/religious issues over the course of therapy. Clients described their discussions related to religion and spirituality as helpful when they perceived their therapist as open and accepting; however, the discussions were unhelpful when the therapist was perceived as judgmental or imposing beliefs (Knox et al, 2005). This has strong implications for the effectiveness of an approach such as MI in that it seeks to elicit client intrinsic motivation for change rather than imposing external motivation.…”

“…Although direct empirical support is scarce, the utility of the approach with regard to topics related to spirituality is clear. Knox, Catlin, Casper, and Schlosser (2005) investigated clients' perceptions of addressing spiritual and religious issues in therapy. The clients in their study presented with anxiety, depression, trauma, and family concerns and also reported addressing spiritual/religious issues over the course of therapy.…”

Religiosity, Spirituality, and Mental Health in Portugal: A call for a conceptualisation, relationship, and guidelines for integration (a theoretical review)

“…The development of religious and spiritual competencies might, above all, strengthen the therapeutic relationship between mental health professionals and their patients; as well as allowing these professionals to be in a better position to distinguish the religious and spiritual issues (healthy and unhealthy beliefs, practices and behaviours) from psychopathology (Knox et al, 2005;Hage et al, 2006;Johansen 2010;Savage & Armstrong, 2010;Vieten et al, 2013).…”

“…Other studies indicate that, in psychological distress and suffering, religious clients tend to recover faster with better outcomes when mental health professionals seek the integration of their clients' religious beliefs and practices (Fallot, 1998;AukstMargetić & Margetić, 2005;Curlin et al, 2007;Baetz & Toews, 2009). This might be in response to clients' wishes that their religion or spirituality be included in psychological treatment (Miller, 1999;Knox, Catlin, Casper & Schlosser, 2005;Martinez, Smith & Barlow, 2007;.…”

Spirituality in Psychotherapy Settings: A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Experiences of Turkish Health Professionals

“…Clients are also satisfied if the therapist is willing to discuss about their spiritual issues; meanwhile, when they develop negative reactions, the therapy may become ineffective. Therefore, incorporating spirituality into the therapy is important as it also fully immerses a client into the counseling process (Knox, Catlin, Casper, & Schlosser, 2005).…”