Is There a Place for Faith in Psychotherapy
I have come across several articles lately where there seems to be a mix of faith, particularly Christianity, and psychotherapy. Now, I want to say from the outset, I do not have any issues with faith. A person’s faith (or lack thereof) is a factor which helps to define a person. However, in a secular, therapeutic environment there is no place for religious doctrine. The most common example of this is the unethical practice of conversion therapy.
It has often been said that the world needs science and religion, but they do not tend to mix well with one another. Psychotherapists are not Priests, Rabbis or Imans, they are practitioners of the psychotherapeutic arts. These arts do not require religious belief. Clients who want religious intervention have a number of places to look for solace, it is not for the psychotherapist to impose their faith on their clients.
Remember, there is a body of evidence which shows the efficacy for psychotherapy and conditions where it is effective. Just because this evidence may not be consistent with a person’s faith does not mean that faith should override a psychotherapist’s professional skills and integrity.
