Managing Religious Conflict in Therapy

Running Head: MANAGING RELIGIOUS CONFLICT Managing Religious Conflict within Psychotherapy Ryan Hagen UMASS Lowell Abstract This paper discusses the relationship of religion and psychology within the setting of interpersonal dynamic psychotherapy. It raises the question of whether and to what extent religion should be included in a therapeutic setting. Varying perspectives on this issue are reviewed, followed by an examination of the consequences of addressing religion within therapy. Several examples are offered of potential pit falls a therapist may encounter in this situation as well as suggestions for minimizing the likelihood of these occurrences. Two models are included which provide frameworks for assessing the degree in which a person an individual client may be religious. These models can be used in tandem and are helpful to the therapist in determining whether religion should be addressed with a particular client. They are also helpful in indicating whether their patients’ religion is connected to their mental health, as well as how the therapist should adjust their approach accordingly. Conflict can arise, when the values and beliefs of one’s religion run contrary to those which are developed in a therapeutic setting. Although the purpose and the goals of therapy and religion are often aligned, their methods for achieving this are often incongruent, particularly when questions of morality and sin arise. In this paper, I aim to understand the nature of the kinds of resistance a therapist may encounter in these types of settings and explore tactics which allow the therapist to remain relatively neutral about their own particular biases, as well prevent the patient’s religious bias from interfering with their own progress. The second group of problems revolve around the therapist having only a very limited understanding their patients religion, which may restrict the therapist capacity for understanding a patient who has based much of

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