Helpful and Harmful Religious

Beliefs in Therapy

•A S S E S S M E N T
•S T R E N G T H S & L I M I T A T I O N S
•I D E N T I F I C A T I O N
•S K I L L S & T E C H N I Q U E S
 Formal Definitions

 Religiosity- allegiance to the beliefs and practices of

institutional, organized religion
 Spirituality- indicates beliefs, experiences, and
practices involving the individual's relationship with
a higher being or the universe
 Addressing Religion in Initial Assessment

 Identify religious/spiritual beliefs and practices.

Make assessment of the impact they may have on
therapy.
 Obtain client’s consent before proceeding with
spiritual assessment
 A rationale is necessary for each question asked
about religion/spirituality
 Fosters engagement and therapeutic alliance
 Questions about religion and it’s role in various life
stages
 Strengths & Limitations of Religion/Spirituality
Strengths
 Physical and Mental Health
 Increased Marital Satisfaction
 Social support
 Financial assistance
 Parenting advice
 Sense of belonging
 Structure
 Basic necessities
 Pastoral & Marriage
Counseling
 Peer activities
 Employment possibilities
Limitations
 Conflict with adhering to
religious doctrine
 Premarital sex,
masturbation, abortion, birth
control, female submission,
gender roles, etc.
 Acceptance into religious
community
 Relationship difficulties
 Treatment and
medication compliance
 Positive Implications of Religion

 Utilization of religious and spiritual coping

mechanisms that have helped the client in the past
 Prayer, rituals, forgiveness, confession, etc
 Physical and Psychological Benefits
 “When interventions make sense to clients because they match
their theory of change and beliefs about the causes of their
problems, clients can easily anticipate that interventions will help
them.” (Rosenfeld, 2010)
 Identifying Possible Harmful Beliefs

 Physical and Sexual Abuse

 Abuse was sanctioned by religion, punishment for their sins, or
experience was not really abuse
 “Belief that “crush-and-then-love” discipline is religiously
sanctioned and will inevitably increase attachment and obedience,
and rid child of sinful inclinations” (Rosenfeld, 2010)
 Rejection of Medical and/or Psychological
Treatments
 Physical ailments and emotional disturbances are indicative of
moral weakness
 Identifying Possible Harmful Beliefs Cont’d

 Beliefs that Contribute to Emotional Distress

 Contribute to client’s presenting problem and impede progress
towards treatment goals
 Patriarchal and Sex Role Beliefs

 Too many or too difficult of Moral Standards

 Beliefs that have a negative effect on client’s health,

psychological well-being, character, or adjustment to
life
Determining When/If to Address Harmful Beliefs

 American Psychological Association (2008) recently

adopted “The right of persons to practice their
religion or faith does not and cannot entail a right to
harm others or to undermine the public good”
 Harmful Beliefs are used to:
 Avoid making important life decisions or attitudinal shifts
 Foster/encourage abuse
 Assessment of client’s ability to cope with stress
 Motivation to change

 Social support
 Techniques

 Respectful and neutral stance at first

 Make client aware of harmful religious belief
 Shift client’s attention to the healing belief systems
within their religious beliefs
 Exploration of the content and consequences of
religious beliefs with client

Clinicians should avoid challenging harmful religious

beliefs unless it causes abuse
 Techniques-Cont’d

 REBT
 Irrational beliefs
 Demanding, Awfulizing, Absolute thinking: “must,” “absolutely
should,” “ought,” “need” etc
 Sensitively and respectfully
 Disputation techniques
 Mindfulness
 References

 American Psychological Association. (2008). Resolution on

religious, religion-based, and/or religion-derived prejudice.
American Psychologist, 63, 4
 Johnson (2006). The congruence of the philosophy of rational
emotive behavior therapy within the philosophy of mainstream
Christianity. Journal of Cognitive and Behavioral
Psychotherapies, 6, 45-55.
 Koenig, H. G. (2008). Religion and mental health: What should
psychiatrists do? Psychiatric Bulletin, 32, 201-203.
 Rose, E. M., Westefeld, J. S., & Ansely, T. N. (2001). Spiritual issues
in counseling: Clients’ beliefs and preferences. Journal of
Counseling Psychology, 48, 2001.
 Rosenfeld, G. W. (2010). Identifying and integrating helping and
harmful religious beliefs into psychotherapy. Psychotherapy
Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 4, 512-526.
 References-Cont’d

 Russel, S. R. & Yarhouse, M. A. (2006). Training in

religion/spirituality within APA-accredited
psychology predoctoral internships. Professional
Psychology: Research and Practice, 4, 430-436.