Spirituality and Religion in Clinical Practice2016

While spiritual and religious beliefs and practices have been found to have positive impacts on wellbeing, many clinicians do not address spiritual and religious issues in therapy, and there is some ambiguity around the practicalities of integrating spirituality and religion in psychological practice. The present study aimed to gain a better understanding of this existing concern and explored the experiences of clinical psychologists in integrating the client's spirituality and religion into their practice. A thematic analysis of six interviews with clinical psychologists in Aotearoa New Zealand identified themes around techniques, meanings, barriers and the importance of the integration of spirituality and religion in clinical practice. It is hoped that the findings will raise awareness and facilitate changes to training and attitude regarding spirituality and religion in clinical practice.