An abstract of a longer article by Drs Cassandra Vieten and David Lukoff first published July 2021 about the need for psychologists to develop skills in asking about religion and spirituality.
The Abstract
Religion and spirituality (R/S) are important aspects of human diversity that should be explicitly addressed in the field of psychology. The field has already included R/S in its definitions of multiculturalism, but while multicultural training is routinely included in doctoral level psychology course work and internship programs, it rarely includes specific training in R/S diversity. Polls of the American public indicate that religion and spirituality are important in most people’s lives, and hundreds of studies demonstrate empirical links between R/S and psychological health and well-being. In clinical practice, there is evidence that clients would prefer to have their R/S addressed in psychotherapy. However, R/S issues are typically neither discussed in psychotherapy nor included in assessment or treatment planning. In research, religion and spirituality are often assessed with a single item on religious affiliation. Psychologists receive little or no training in R/S issues, in part because no agreed upon set of spiritual competencies or training guidelines exist. This article summarizes the rationale for including religious and spiritual competencies in psychology training and practice, reviews research establishing a set of religious and spiritual competencies (attitudes, knowledge, and skills) that we propose all psychologists should demonstrate, and provides practical recommendations for inquiring about religion and spirituality.
Author Reference:
Vieten, C., & Lukoff, D. (July, 2021). “Spiritual and religious competencies in psychology”. American Psychologist (APA Journal) ©American Psychological Association, 2021.
To read the whole article go to https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353279696_Spiritual_and_religious_competencies_in_psychology
If you are interested in courses leading to more skills and knowledge about spiritual competency: check out the courses at IMHU in this category:
http://courses.imhu.org/collections/adding-spirituality-to-mental-health-practices.
We welcome you to check out all our resources at https://imhu.org
See more articles by David Lukoff, PhD (photo on left), posted via Spiritual Competency Academy by clicking HERE