Similarities Between Psychotherapy & Religious Practices

Did you know that there are similarities between psychotherapy and religious practices? Yes, there are and wonderful benefits to both approaches! To help learn some of the similarities between psychotherapy and religious practices, I have interviewed psychotherapist Michael Reeder.

Q. Tell me a little bit about yourself.

A. I am in a psychotherapist in private practice in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to my clinical degree I also have a post-master's certificate in spiritual and existential counseling from Johns Hopkins University. I see clients who have concerns around spiritual issues, others who are concerned about finding a counselor not dismissive of unusual spiritual worldviews, and still others whose mental health concerns are at least indirectly tied to existential concerns around meaning and existence. My website for Hygeia Counseling Services is http://www.hygeiacounseling.com

Q. What are some similarities between psychotherapy and religious practices?

A. Psychotherapy and most religious practices share an interest in health and healing. Jerome Frank, in his classic book Persuasion and Healing, outlines 4 features that all successful healing modalities '" be they psychotherapy or other (mostly religious) healing techniques across cultures -- share in common:

1a) Confidence in the therapist's competence: Clients need to believe in the treatment. This is often assisted through licenses and degrees hanging on the wall, scientific studies proving efficacy, special church robes and vestments, headdresses for the shaman, testimonials of God's power, etc.

1b) Confidence in the therapist's desire to help: If you go into a Catholic church confessional, you want to know that the priest truly cares. The better religious leaders show humanity and love towards their congregations. Religious groups form a shared sense of understanding and acceptance towards the Divine and the world that assists members to fight off feelings of alienation and to enhance morale. In a similar fashion, psychotherapists need to show genuine caring, believe in the client's ability to progress, and accept the client's outlook on life. Humanistic psychology and the teachings of Carl Rogers (and his unconditional positive regard) afford therapists good opportunity to accomplish this.

2) The locale is designated as a place of healing: The setting itself arouses expectation of help. Christian churches have always been considered places of sanctuary. Monasteries are set apart for contemplation. Psychotherapy usually takes place in designated mental health clinics and most therapists pick their d©cor carefully. If a religious leader comes to a member's home for a healing or a conversation, many traditions will require a prayer or a purification ritual first (like incense) to sanctify the location.

3) All therapies are based on a rationale, which explains illness and health, deviancy, and normality: In psychotherapy there are hundreds of rationales, be they psychodynamic theories of early childhood experiences or cognitive behavioral theories of how thoughts lead to feelings. In magical societies, problems arise from demonic possession or the punishment of the Gods or failure to appease spiritual powers. No matter what, it is important that the therapeutic myth is compatible with the worldview shared by the patient and the therapist or religious leader.

4) All forms of therapy help the patient overcome his demoralizing sense of alienation from his fellows: When you know God's plan, or feel the power of Jesus in a Pentecostal service, achieve 3^rd degree initiation in Wicca, or receive the Warriors in Santeria you know that you are a part of a close-knit special bond with your fellow religionists and with the Divine. When you learn there is a diagnosis for your condition and a well-worn path of treatment in psychotherapy, you know you are not alone and crazy '" rather you are a human being with the same condition as others and part of a group struggling to improve together.

Beyond similarities in the formula of healing, there are so many other overlaps. The depressed seek comfort or understanding in religion and in psychotherapy. So do the lonely. As do the angry, the confused, and the frightened. When you want to feel connected, want to understand or be understood, or need something you can't find by yourself both religion and psychotherapy are paths forwards.

There is also great overlap in the specific interventions attempted by different schools of psychotherapy and different religions '" although the abilities of different specific world religions are very far apart in this regard. In Christian traditions, the concept of forgiveness is highly important to healing. This is not unlike psychotherapists trying to get a client with obsessive compulsive traits to get unstuck in their thinking and move on. New Age, Neo-Pagan, and Shamanic religious paths make use to varying degrees of the idea of astral travel and spirit guides. Hypnotic trance induction and guided meditations would seem to make use of similar client mental states. Personality tests (like the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory) seek to improve understanding and harmony within and between different types of humans. Similarly, African Diaspora religions believe each person to have a spirit of their head '" an Orisha '" whom they are most like. Based upon this, people have different best practices prescribed in order to live harmoniously. Brazilian Umbanda has this religious personality system especially well defined. Jungian archetypes would seem to correspond somewhat with certain deity forms. The similarities continue and are endless.

I truly think there is very little difference between religion and psychotherapy sometimes. Perhaps the use of scientific method in some cases in order to validate treatment modalities.

Q. What types of issues would benefit more from psychotherapy versus religion and why?

A. Some few purely organic issues benefit mainly from psychiatric medication or somatic medical interventions (such as a thyroid pill for a thyroid condition that indirectly improves depression). The difference in issues best handled by psychotherapy versus religion is murky at best. I'd say the best indicator of which to try next depends upon what you have already tried. If you are a member of a church that rejects you and you are not inclined to convert, then an appointment with a psychotherapist is your next move. If you have been unlucky enough to stumble across a string of psychotherapists you did not connect with for whatever reason, you might sound out the healing capabilities of your local religious leader. The next best indicator is whether or not you have access to a clergy person who is also specially trained for counseling skills and awareness. Many clergy are not trained to handle or are uncomfortable with matters presented as mental health concerns '" yet their religions were almost certainly turned to traditionally for such concerns.

You will be most successful with a healer who shares your worldview. If you are strongly driven by science, CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) with a CBT psychotherapist is a good bet. If you think psychotherapists disrespect your faith, then you need to seek out a psychotherapist advertising respect and integration with your faith tradition.

I typically try to blend psychotherapy and religion when I have a client who wishes this (and I do purely secular psychotherapy when they don't). So I might explain the psychological causes of a client's condition and assign workbook homework and CBT interventions. At the same time I'd brainstorm with the client which rituals and prayers from their faith tradition have worked in the past (if any) and challenge them to go back and start doing them again '" either alone or by reconnecting with their faith group.

Thank you Michael for doing the interview on the similarities between religious practices and psychotherapy.