Spiritually integrated psychotherapies in real-world clinical practice: Synthesizing the literature to identify best practices and future research directions

Psychotherapy (Chic). 2022 Sep;59(3):307-320. doi: 10.1037/pst0000407. Epub 2021 Nov 29.

Abstract

A comprehensive review of the practice-based evidence for spiritually integrated psychotherapy (SIP) is necessary in order to catalyze research and training in this important diversity area. In this article, we identify and synthesize key findings from 35 studies in six key areas: (a) SIPs in trauma treatment, (b) SIPs in treating eating disorders, (c) SIPs in general psychotherapy, (d) existential concerns as part of SIPs, (e) patients and therapist attitudes about SIPs, and (f) SIP supervision and training models. Building on this, we propose a culturally contextual understanding of this diversity area, drawing from the Relational Spirituality Model (RSM). Finally, we discuss best practices for spiritually responsive clinical care and offer a research prospectus to strengthen the evidence base for real-world effectiveness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders*
  • Humans
  • Psychotherapy*
  • Spirituality