Anti-religious bias in psychotherapy : implications and challenges
Date
1989
Authors
Field, James Fraser
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Religious writers have long recognized the differences between healthy and unhealthy religion, yet psychologists and particularly psychotherapists have seemed reluctant to acknowledge the positive aspects of religious commitment. Some critics have argued that in seeking to understand human behaviour, psychologists either ignore religion as being insignificant or view its contribution negatively.
Research reviewed indicated that negative attitudes toward religion do exist among many psychologists and psychotherapists despite the fact that the validity of these attitudes is not supported by empirical research. Reasons why such a bias might have developed were reviewed, as were the implications of such a bias for religious clients. Objections expressed by religious and non- religious critics about the "excesses" of humanism today, and the difficulties some religious clients have accepting the assumptions behind modernism and modern psychotherapy were also discussed.
While psychotherapists usually emphasize their scientific role they tend to deny or obscure their role as moral agents. It is important for psychotherapists to learn to bring value issues out in the open and to deal with them as honestly as possible. Fears conservative Christian clients often express, that psychotherapy may rob them of their faith, appear to be well founded. Major psychotherapist-client value differences may inadvertently undermine religious faith and can have markedly negative implications for treatment. Empirical evidence suggests that psychotherapists do communicate their own values to clients, often unintentionally, and that the adoption of therapists' values by clients often occurs. The fact that value issues have not received deserved attention, and that a systematic approach to values has not become a part of the training of most psychotherapists, seriously complicates the task of the religious client contemplating therapy.
Some of the barriers encountered in trying to achieve a responsible integration of Christianity and modern psychotherapy, both within psychology and within the churches, were reviewed. Psychotherapists usually steer clear of dealing with religious issues in therapy, or, when they do address religious issues, they tend to do so in a very personal way. Lack of training is probably the reason why clinicians frequently fail to respond to religious issues in an appropriate clinical manner.
Training in the clinical professions is almost bereft of content that would engender an appreciation of religious variables in psychological functioning. As a rule, psychotherapists lack an understanding and appreciation of the many roles religion can play in people's lives and a proper facilitative framework for helping religious clients.
Suggestions on how to work effectively with religious clients in therapy were offered. Finally a course was recommended, aimed at helping psychotherapists to think outside of modern assumptions, and to recognize the individualistic, metatheoretical biases within their particular approaches to therapy. The course would also assist psychotherapists to develop an appreciation for the different roles religion can play in people's lives, and offer practical therapeutic suggestions on how to work effectively with religious clients, within the client's own value system and frame of reference.