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.

Table of Contents

Part I: Introduction. A Rationale for a Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy. Part II: Understanding the Sacred. Spirituality: The Sacred Domain. Discovering the Sacred. Holding on to the Sacred. In Times of Stress: Spiritual Coping to Conserve the Sacred. In Times of Stress: Spiritual Coping to Transform the Sacred. Problems of Spiritual Destinations. Problems of Spiritual Pathways. Part III: Addressing the Sacred. An Orientation to Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy. Initial and Implicit Spiritual Assessment. Explicit Spiritual Assessment. Drawing on Spiritual Strivings, Knowledge, and Experience. Drawing on Spiritual Practices, Relationships, and Coping Methods. Addressing Problems of Spiritual Destinations. Addressing Problems of Spiritual Pathways. Part IV: Conclusions. Steps Toward a More Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy.

About the Author

Kenneth I. Pargament, PhD, Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA

Reviews

"In the best tradition of William James, Pargament highlights the role of spirituality in the lives of clients and psychotherapists and critically examines the assessment and treatment implications. Drawing on research and clinical examples, he describes important and often overlooked ways that attention to spirituality can be integrated into psychotherapy." - Donald Meichenbaum, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada "A remarkable combination of clinical acumen and spiritual sensitivity -- there is nothing like it in the literature. This book is clearly the work of a mature clinician... Psychotherapists of all persuasions will welcome this book, and it would be an ideal text for any course in spirituality and psychotherapy or pastoral counseling." - James W. Jones, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA "The volume is filled with concrete and practical examples that clearly illustrate Pargament's concepts... Both experienced clinicians and novice therapists would benefit from its contents." - PsycCRITIQUES