The Psychologies in Religion: Working with the Religious Client

"This book is really a manual that every therapist should have, if he or she does not already have the knowledge and insight contained within its pages. ...Infinitely enjoyable"--PsycCRITIQUES

Religious upbringing influences people in ways that are difficult or impossible to describe; this book provides a "window on their world." The Psychologies of Religion examines the thinking, personality, and development processes as well as specific clinical concerns of clients who are members of particular religious groups. Each contributing author brings dual expertise to their chapters, expertise about a particular religion and psychological sophistication; a look from the inside out. In addition, the book covers possible future religious development as spiritualism beings to replace institutional religion and as religious choice replaces religious constraint.

All therapists who want to understand how religious people really think will find this book helpful.

An examination of the thinking, personality, and development processes as well as clinical concerns of clients who are members of particular religious groups. Provides an in-depth look at the way religious upbringing influences people in ways that are difficult or impossible to describe. In addition, it examines possible future religious development as spiritualism begins to replace institutional religion and as religious choice replaces religious constraint.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Michael S. Goldsby, PhD(Zeno Corporation)
Description:The authors have drawn together the collective wisdom and unique perspectives of experts from a wide array of religious faiths to provide an insider's view on faith and psychology in this appropriately titled book. It offers distinctive insights into how people of faith assimilate their religious expression with their distinct psychological world view.
Purpose:The purpose of this unique book is to examine the psychological assumptions, both tacit and explicit, that lie behind different religions. In doing so, the authors hope to provide psychotherapists with a greater understanding of their religious clients. Experts who are themselves committed members of their respective faith traditions have been brought together for the purpose of providing an in-depth overview of what therapists need to know about the individual faith, cultural, and psychological foundations and beliefs of their patients.
Audience:Psychologists and other mental health therapists will find the information on faith and diverse religious beliefs extremely useful when working with religious clients. More specifically, the authors believe that studying religions can further prepare psychologists, especially applied psychologists, to better accommodate religious differences encountered among those with whom they work. Therefore, this book is written in a specific idiom and in such a manner as to be of use in an applied setting for those clinical practitioners who work with religious clients.
Features:The book introduces a number of different religious categories other than those used in previous books, which is necessary considering that contemporary American religion is extremely diverse and complex. Chapter contributors were sought who could bring duel experience regarding expertise about a particular religion as well as psychological sophistication to each of their chapters. Eight domains are discussed by these experts in each chapter: introduction to the religion; epistemological tools; theory of personality; theory of human development; theory of psychological health and pathology; theory of human change; common moral issues; and common ethical issues.
Assessment:This insightful book provides what has been missing so far in any number of books on psychology and various aspects of religion: an explanation of the thinking, personality, and development process, as well as clinical concerns of clients who are members of particular religious groups. The authors have successfully advanced scholarly attention to the subject by providing the most up-to-date, definitive book on religion and the psychologies thus far.

Stevan Lars Nielsen, PhD, is Clinical Professor of Student Development at Brigham Young University. His area of interest is rational-emotive-behavior therapy, including its religious applications. He is Adjunct Professor with the Department of Psychology, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses. He is the co-author of a book integrating religious material with rational-emotive-behavior therapy, author of four chapters, and 18 journal articles. One of his chapters focuses on using the Qur'an during treatment of a Muslim client.

E. Thomas Dowd, PhD, ABPP, is Professor of Psychology at Kent State University, and previously taught at Florida State University and the University of Nebraska. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in two divisions, is President of the American Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology, and is former president and currently on the Board of Directors of the American Board of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology, Inc. His research interests are in cognitive behaviorial/developmental therapy, hypnosis and hypnotherapy and its integration into CBT, the effect of individual differences in psychological reactance on the therapy process, and memory processes and tacit knowledge structures in psychological functioning and malfunctioning.

Dr. Dowd is the author or editor of countless articles, book chapters, and books, including The Psychologies of Religion: Working with the Religious Client (co-edited with S.L. Nielsen--Springer Publishing Company, 2006), and Clinical Advances in Cognitive Psychotherapy: Theory and Application (co-edited with Robert Leahy--Springer Publishing Company, 2002).