The Aten-Leach framework of spirituality in psychological treatment

PSYCHOLOGY & RELIGION

Conceptual Framework of Spirituality

Aten and Leach are probably the best source when it comes to the conceptual framework of spirituality

It is broad enough to include and loop in different people but the Aten/Leach framework is by no means vague.

Spirituality is a dynamic process

Spirituality can change for people and it unfolds from the context of the people assessing it.

Main points of spirituality are the discover of the sacred and conservation of the sacred through spiritual pathways

The former refers to forms of discover as well as consequences including the investing of one's self, protection, vivid emotions, power, satisfaction, self-vulnerability, accessing the deepest areas of said vulnerability and so forth.

Conservation of spiritual pathways includes knowing, acting, relating and experiencing.

Examples of relating would include bible studies and relationships that are driven and influenced by spirituality.

Experiencing would include meditation, prayer and direct practices.

Coping to preserve the sacred would include benevolent spiritual reappraisals, seeking spiritual support, seeking spiritual connection, spiritual helping, collaborative spiritual coping, spiritual cleansing, sacred transitions, envisioning (or re-envisioning) the sacred and centering the sacred.

To be more concise, spiritual coping in response to threats to the sacred would include the preserving of the sacred and the transforming of the sacred.

Addressing Religion & Spirituality in Treatment

Spirituality and/or religion can arise as part of the treatment and its process

Clients can be helped to draw on spiritual resources

The client can and should be individualized

Spiritual resources should never be minimized or trivialized when it comes to treatment techniques, which ones are used and why

Therapists should strive to be thoughtful about their professional and personal boundaries ... there needs to be a separation

Methods should include the gaining of informed content

Exploring the client's spiritual perspective

There should be clarify and specificity when it comes to spiritual behavior and cognition and how those things might be problematic or helpful.

There are several important steps that must be followed when dealing with spiritual and/or religious issues in therapy

There must be the garnering of informed content

There must be the exploration of the client's spiritual perspective

The provider must be very clear and specific about how a given behavior might or might not be a problem

The provider should always be supportive of the client

Examples of being supportive can include the following:

Reflective listening

Processing of feelings

Treating the person as a unique individual with individual experiences

Religions & Spirituality as Multi-Culturalism

There are some very differing views across cultures when it comes to spirituality and religion

The integration of religion sets psychology apart as a non-scientific field

Freud was rather negative when it came to the effects of religion. He thought the effects were "harmful"

Some historical sources have emphasized the positive views of religion

The work of Frankl is an example of this

More recent research in the psychology field has been more embracing of religion and spirituality as it relates to psychology

This research has an emphasis on multi-cultural sensitivity and awareness

Not everyone is on board when it comes to this shift towards multi-culturalism

Many people are quick to demarcate religion and spirituality in a negative way

Spirituality is "good" and religion is "bad"

Others take a more neutral tone and simply suggest that spirituality may or may not be associated with a deity

The personal perspectives and viewpoints of therapists can cloud how well and in what way a patient is treated.

The precise same thing can happen when researchers are covering the topic. Their anti-religion (or even anti-spirituality) slant can blur research objectivity

To be competent from a multi-cultural and spiritual standpoint, therapists need to make sure that they have the right tactics and skills in place. These would include spiritual knowledge, openness, authenticity and self-awareness.

Rationale for Spirituality-Integrated Treatment

A majority of patients are in favor of treatment that at least partially focuses on religious views and/or spirituality.

Not addressing religion and spirituality can lead to important issues and problems not being addressed

Many people actively draw on religion and spirituality when they run into problems in their life

Religion and spirituality can be a resource that is distinctive and unique

Religion and spirituality can be linked in a positive way to physical and mental health

Religion and spirituality can pose problems in one's life.

There are some potential drawbacks, however, to using religion and spirituality as a part of the therapy cycle

Fear of imposing personal values

A provider feeling that religion and spirituality are negative life forces

Lack of proper training on how to use religion and/or spirituality as tools for treatment and therapy

The view that spirituality lies beyond the size and scope of the practice that a therapist engages in There is a strong linkage between spirituality and situations that lead to a need for therapy