The Psychologies in Religion: Working with the Religious Client / Edition 1

by E. Thomas Dowd PhD, ABPP, Stevan Nielson PhD

Overview

"Listed in Today's Books, Book Register as a "!!!Must Read" title.

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780826128560
Publisher:	Springer Publishing Company
Publication date:	02/22/2006
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	344
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.26(h) x 0.92(d)

About the Author

E. Thomas Dowd, PhD, ABPP, is Professor of Psychology at Kent State University. 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.

Stevan Lars Nielsen, PhD, is Clinical Professor of Student Development at Brigham Young University.

Table of Contents

Contributors
Preface
Foreword, Robert L. Leahy, PhD
• Religion for Psychotherapists: The Psychologies in Religion Versus the Psychology of Religion, Stevan L. Nielsen & E. Thomas Dowd
• Bricolage: The Postmodern Eclectic (Identifying Syncretistic Religious Cosmologies), James R. Beebe
Section I: The Sacramental Traditions
• Catholicism and Psychology, Kevin Gillespie
• Beloved to God: An Eastern Orthodox Anthropology, Elizabeth Gassin & J. Stephen Muse
• Lutherans, Christine Maguth Nezu, David E. Farley, & Arthur M. Nezu
Section II: The Mainliners
• Mainline Protestants: Christian Faith in the Reflective Tradition, Donald L. Bubenzer, Amy B. Quillin, & Paul Ashby
Section III: The Outsiders
• Evangelicalism, Mark A. Yarhouse & Stephen R. Russell
• Conservative Christianity: A New Emerging Culture, John R. Belcher
• Fundamentalism, Sara Savage
Section IV: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
• Psychological Models Inherent in Doctrine and Practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Dianne L. Nielsen, Daniel K. Judd, & Stevan Lars Nielsen
• The Family: A Proclamation to the World
Section V: The Judaic Traditions
• Liberal Judaism, Ira S. Halper & Amy Ruth Bolton
• Orthodox Judaism: Features and Issues for Psychotherapy, Kate Miriam Loewenthal
Section VI: The Islamic Traditions
• Psychology and Sunni Muslims, Saba Rasheed Ali
• Psychology and Shia Muslims, Amina Mahmood
Section VII: The Spiritual Traditions
• The Spiritualistic Tradition, Rebecca Murray & Michael E. Nielsen
• The Varieties of Buddhism, Neharika Chawla & G. Alan Marlett
• Religion for Psychotherapists: Summary & Commentary, E. Thomas Dowd & Stevan L. Nielsen

Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Drs E. Thomas Dowd and Steven Lars Nielsen have done a remarkably comprehensive job of stating the wide diversity of religious expression. Psychotherapists will benefit from reading their book."

-Albert Ellis PhD, President Emeritus, Albert Ellis Institute

"...insightful...provides what has been missing so far in...books on psychology and various aspects of religion: an explanation of the thinking, personality, and development process, as well as clinical concerns of clients."—Doody's Review Service

"This edited volume provides a treasury of theoretically and clinically useful information about many of the world's religions. It provides valuable insights into the implications of various theologies and religious cultures for epistemology, personality theory, psychological health and illness, and theories of therapeutic change. These treasures of knowledge from the world's great religions could help inform and enrich psychological theory, research, and practice. The book should especially prove valuable for clinicians by helping them better understand and work more effectively with their clients, especially those who are religiously affiliated or spiritually-oriented."

-P. Scott Richards, PhD, Past-President, Division 36 (Psychology of Religion) of the American Psychological Association and Author of A Spiritual Strategy for Counseling and Psychotherapy

"Thoroughly researched, well organized, and formattedf or easy of access, the book covers the history and fundamental aspects of the religion, epistemological tools, theory of personality, human development, psychological health and pathology, theory of human change, common moral issues, and common clinical issues... Highly recommended."—J. Bailey, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, in CHOICE.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Michael S. Goldsby, PhD, CCRP (Family Psychiatry of The Woodlands)
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.

Doody's Review Service

Reviewer: Michael S. Goldsby, PhD, CCRP(Family Psychiatry of The Woodlands)
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.