In The Skillful Soul of the Psychotherapist, master clinicians reflect on their core spiritual values, beliefs, experiences, and the role these play in psychotherapy. Each of these reflections is responded to by scholars representing a substantial range of psychological and spiritual perspectives. Edited by George Stavros, this presentation of the interplay between master clinicians’ inner wisdom and the therapeutic process will demonstrate for experienced and training clinicians the vital importance of spiritual life for creative and effective clinical practice. Reviews: In this one-of-a-kind text, Stavros invites master clinicians (and respondents) to reflect on how their religious backgrounds impact their approach to therapy. By taking a hermeneutic approach, this book places religion on par with culture, ethnicity, race and gender and reminds the reader that the history and person of the therapist matters. This book will be a delight to all therapists with religious or spiritual leanings and useful to those working with patients with religious and spiritual commitments. — Brad Strawn, PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary School of Psychology Stavros builds a clinic on sacred ground and opens the front door to Spirit, creating opportunity for deeper healing and more profound growth. Benefiting from the wisdom of our ancestors, he asks how religion can guide the human psycho-spiritual journey. Experienced therapists will envision new horizons for treatment, and students will now form careers from a foundational view of spiritual life. For respecting the past, Stavros has innovated, with a true breakthrough. This book is very much needed by our contemporary culture of psychotherapy. — Lisa Miller, PhD, Columbia University Contents: Foreword Chapter 1: The Skillful Soul of the Psychotherapist George Stavros and Steve Sandage Chapter 2: Reflections on the Effects of a Protestant Girlhood Nancy McWilliams Chapter 3: The Welcome Return of the Suppressed: Religion and Psychoanalysis in Dialogue Marie T. Hoffman Chapter 4: Religion—“It’s Complicated!”: The Convergence of Race, Class, and Sexuality in Clinicians’ Reflection on Religious Experience Phillis Isabella Sheppard Chapter 5: A Therapist’s Psycho-Spiritual Autobiography with Clinical Implications, David J. Wallin Chapter 6: Immanence and Intersubjectivity Daniel Shaw Chapter 7: Shared Histories. Emerging Horizons: The Jewish Search for Spirituality and the Psychoanalytic Ethos Celia Brickman Chapter 8: Three Pillars of Therapeutic Attitude Salman Akhtar Chapter 9: Response to “Three Pillars of Therapeutic Attitude” Salman Akhtar, Chris R. Schlauch Chapter 10: Evocations Thomas J. Cottle Conclusion Merle Jordan Index About the authors Contributors: Salman Akhtar; Celia Brickman; Thomas J. Cottle; Marie T. Hoffman; Merle Jordan; Nancy McWilliams; Steven J. Sandage; Chris Schlauch; Daniel Shaw; Phillis Isabella Sheppard; George S. Stavros and David Wallin About the Editors: George S. Stavros, PhD, is the executive director of the Danielsen Institute at Boston University and a licensed psychologist. Steven J. Sandage, PhD, is the Albert and Jessie Danielsen Professor of Pastoral Psychology and Theology at Boston University. He is a licensed psychologist and director of the Center for Research in Religion and Psychology at the Danielsen Institute.
|