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Full-Text Articles in Education

The Role Of Religion And Spirituality In Olav’S Treatment And Recovery: Commentary On An Exemplary Case Report, P. Scott Richards Jul 2010

The Role Of Religion And Spirituality In Olav’S Treatment And Recovery: Commentary On An Exemplary Case Report, P. Scott Richards

Faculty Publications

The Case of Olav (Stålsett, Engedal, & Austad, 2010) offers in-depth insight from a spiritually and existentially informed psychodynamic perspective of how religious and spiritual issues may be intertwined with psychopathology. This case report also shows how psychological and spiritual interventions can be used in an integrative manner to help patients with severe long- term psychopathology. Ultimately the case provides convincing quantitative and qualitative evidence that an in-depth working through of Olav’s pathological inner representations of self and God were instrumental in his psycho-spiritual healing and recovery.


The Need For Evidence-Based, Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapies, P. Scott Richards, Everett L. Worthington Jr. Jan 2010

The Need For Evidence-Based, Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapies, P. Scott Richards, Everett L. Worthington Jr.

Faculty Publications

Despite a proliferation of spiritually oriented psychotherapies during the past 2 decades in the mental health professions, outcome research is lacking. In this present article, 6 published outcome reviews that shed light on the efficacy of these psychotherapies are discussed. Although there is general support for the efficacy of spiritually oriented treatment approaches, the data base is relatively small and has methodological limitations. Spiritually oriented cognitive approaches for religious clients with depression and anxiety meet evidence- based standards of efficacy. Several other spiritually oriented approaches are probably efficacious but need additional investigation. Methodological recommendations for improving the quality of future …


The Role Of Inspiration In The Helping Professions, Kari A. O'Grady, P. Scott Richards Jan 2010

The Role Of Inspiration In The Helping Professions, Kari A. O'Grady, P. Scott Richards

Faculty Publications

This qualitative research study examined the ways that helping professionals experi- ence inspiration, as defined as divine guidance or influence, in their therapeutic work. It also explored their beliefs about how helping professionals can seek inspiration in their work. Open-ended survey questions from 333 respondents from a diverse range of religious and professional backgrounds were qualitatively analyzed. The themes ex- tracted give insight into the ways that these helping professionals have experienced inspiration in their work and about how helping professionals can facilitate a spiritual space in the therapeutic context.