Treating Spiritual Issues in Secular Psychotherapy

Abstract

The author discusses spirituality as a human phenomenon that is independent of, yet open to, matters of personal religion and belief in God. Although commonly expressed through religion and theist belief, the author views spirituality as a universal mental phenomenon with an inherent “normativity”; it can, therefore, be legitimately addressed as a prescriptive aspect of psychology apart from theology and religion. An elaborated psychology of spirituality helps therapists focus the psychotherapeutically relevant and spiritual issues in the client's presentation; build on the client's healthy commitments; and reinterpret or deflect the unhealthy and, thus, foster the client's personal integration and, ipso facto, the client's spiritual growth.

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