Clients' Faith Experiences as an Opportunity or a Challenge for Psychotherapy
A Qualitative Analysis of Clinical Records
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3376921 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Aida Hougaard Andersen (0000-0001-5848-1706, University of Southern Denmark, corresponding author), Dorte Toudal Viftrup (0000-0002-8254-6001, University of Southern Denmark), Heidi Frølund Pedersen (0000-0002-8612-5466, Aarhus University Hospital), Kirsten Kaya Roessler (0000-0001-6605-7999, University of Southern Denmark) |
| Year | 2020 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue | 10 |
| Pages | 502 |
| Publication date | 2020-10-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Religions (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/rel11100502 |
| OpenAlex | W3089528970 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 47 |
Faith experiences constitute important sources of meaning but also a risk of religious struggles. However, studies exploring the faith experiences of clients in relation to psychological functioning in psychotherapy are needed, especially in secularized countries. This study investigated how clients described faith experiences when addressed in psychotherapy, how they experienced faith in relation to coping, and how the experiences were integrated into the psychotherapy. Written records of 33 clients from a psychological clinic with outpatient care in Denmark were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The most prevalent diagnoses among the clients were stress, depression, anxiety, and life crises. The clients reported that spiritual and religious beliefs functioned as sources of meaning and constituted either a strength, a challenge, or a combination of both. The psychosocial life and coping strategies of the clients were interwoven with faith experiences. A psychological, resource-focused approach in relation to the clients' religious challenges seemed to help them toward a more flexible and resource-oriented faith. Assessing faith experiences as sources of meaning in a therapeutic approach focusing on the client's resources may increase both the psychological functioning of clients and the therapists' understanding of clients' lifeworlds
Epistemology · Faith · Psychoanalysis · Psychotherapist · Qualitative analysis · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Medicine · Philosophy · Psychology · Religion, Society, and Development · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |