Handbook of Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapies

ell, "the cat is out of the bag" in Handbook of Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapies; the psychologists who edited this book view spirituality as an adjunct to psychotherapeutic treatment.The editors, and most authors in this book, start from a psychological standpoint and use spirituality to assist with the mental health of clients.My standpoint is different; I start from a spiritual and theological standpoint and use psychotherapy to help the spiritual well-being of the client.In the Introduction, which is the key for this book, the editors quote L. Sperry (2013) on Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy (SIP).Sperry maintains that SIP is not pastoral counselling nor spiritual direction (cited p. 6).My view is that SIP can be pastoral counselling and can involve aspects of spiritual direction.There is overlap here, not distinction.For example, in 1987-1989, I took a MTh in pastoral counselling at Waterloo Lutheran Seminary.That program included a number of theological courses as well as academic courses in marriage and family theory and therapy.The program integrated the theory from the two disciplines.This was done through the discussion of theory and the actual practice of marriage and family therapy under the supervision of AAMFT (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy) supervisors at Interfaith Pastoral Counselling Centre in Kitchener.Chapters 18 and 19 in this book present some of what we learned in the MTh in pastoral counselling.SIP is not necessarily distinct from pastoral counselling.Also, in Chapter 6 of this volume, Ken Pargament and Julie Exline describe and address spiritual and religious struggles that affect mental health.The reading of the case study and the paradigm that Pargament and Exline offer for addressing spiritual/religious struggles smacks of elements of spiritual direction.How can one address questions about God and God's activity in a client's world and not move into some aspects of spiritual direction?This book consists of an Introduction and 22 chapters.Most of the chapters are written by psychologists; there are a small minority of contributors with theological degrees.Most of the authors are located in psychology departments at various American Universities and Institutions.However, there are 7 Canadian authors from both Tyndale University and the University of Toronto.Topics of the chapters include Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy and culturally informed therapy, attachment theory, relational therapy, gestalt, and theistic approaches to rational emotive therapy.The book also includes various spiritual and religious groups such as Muslim, gospel-centred, gestalt pastoral care, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Sufi, Christian Based for East Asian Canadians, and Polynesian.There are chapters on couples therapy and forgiveness, logotherapy with veterans, and for those who are in the criminal justice system.The book ends with training and education opportunities in SIP.Each chapter has a case study which puts flesh on the theoretical bones.The intersection of theory, research evidence, and case description makes for a helpful read for both academics and clinicians.This is certainly a rich smorgasbord of intellectual and clinical delight similar to the rich banquet in Isaiah 25.