Spirituality and the challenge of clinical pluralism: Participatory thinking in psychotherapeutic context.

Abstract

From a secular perspective, emphasizing the theme of spirituality can seem antithetical to the needs of a pluralistically nuanced clinical attitude. This article suggests that, on the contrary, the reticence of the clinical mainstream to more directly embrace spiritual concerns betrays an underlying dogmatism. The theme of spirituality is thus argued to have paradigmatic importance in demonstrating the pluralistic failings of Western psychology. Drawing on recent developments in American psychoanalysis, consideration is given to the theoretical challenges associated with maintaining a pluralistic sensibility in clinical practice. Contemporary psychoanalysis is argued to offer spiritually oriented clinicians an important basis in which to ground practice, yet it is also argued that contemporary psychoanalysis can only hope to more adequately reflect its ostensible commitment to inclusivity by revising its implicit reliance on a secular worldview. Such an undertaking might be achieved by drawing from the recent "participatory turn" in transpersonal psychology to offer a reading of Jung's work demonstrating the enduring importance of an archetypal approach.

Recontextualizing “mindfulness”: Considering the phenomenological enactment of clinical, spiritual, and religious realities.

“…Although all these developments and contributions have undoubtedly helped many individuals with various forms of suffering, mindfulness in these contexts is typically still seen through the lens of secular humanism based on scientific materialist ideologies (Brown, 2016; Ferrer, 2014; Smart, 1999). Thus, the form of mindfulness enacted is typically a mindfulness focused on the personal self by the personal self from a self-help perspective within a materialist worldview.…”

“…For therapists to be able to practice ethically and responsibly with regard to spiritual and religious diversity, clinicians need to be able to honor the unique worldviews of the clients they engage without acting out potential metaphysical biases of the dominant culture often assumed in the field of clinical psychology (Brown, 2016;Ferrer, 2014). The American Psychological Association with regard to cultural, religious, and spiritual diversity has established guidelines for over 25 years for clinicians to be both aware of their own worldviews and potential biases, as well as adapt to and respect those of their clients (American Psychological Association [APA], 1990[APA], , 2002.…”

“…Due to the import of this issue, I will largely be writing from pluralistic metaphysical assumptions in accordance with the enactive and participatory paradigm (Ferrer, 2002(Ferrer, , 2014Thompson, 2007;Varela, Thompson, & Rosch, 1991) advocated by Brown (2016) as I see these assumptions as most aligned with being able to honor diverse secular, spiritual, and religious worldviews. The essence of this paradigm proposes that human beings are participating with and within an "undetermined mystery" that brings forth various phenomenological worlds and collective worldspaces that get enacted based on physical, biological, psychological, social, cultural, religious, and spiritual factors.…”