Cognitive therapy requires an understanding of and tolerance for the religious views of clients. Collaborative techniques in cognitive therapy are described and ideological obstacles in doing cognitive therapy with religious clients are considered. It is suggested that confronting clients’ religious beliefs as pathological or absolutistic is clinically inappropriate. Beck's and Meichenbaum's collaborative techniques are endorsed as important clinical strategies in working with religious clients.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BeckA.T. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders.New York: International Universities Press.
2.
BeckA.T., & PadeskyC.A. (May, 1987). New directions in cognitive therapy. Workshop sponsored by the Seattle Center for Cognitive Therapy, Seattle, WA.
3.
BeckA.T., HollonS.D., YoungJ.E., BedrosianR.C., & BudenzD. (1985). Treatment of depression with cognitive therapy and amitriptyline.Archives of General Psychiatry, 42, 142–148.
Beit-HallahmiB. (1975). Encountering orthodox religion in psychotherapy.Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 12, 357–359.
6.
BensonP., & SpilkaB. (1973). God-image as a function of self-esteem and locus of control.Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 12, 297–310.
7.
BerginA.E. (1980). Psychotherapy and religious values.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48, 95–105.
8.
BerginA.E. (1983). Religiosity and mental health: A critical review and meta-analysis.Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 14, 170–184.
9.
BermanA.L., & HaysJ.E. (1973). Relationship between death anxiety, belief in afterlife, and locus of control.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 41, 318.
10.
BlackburnI.M., BishopS., GlennM.I., WhalleyL.J., & ChristieJ.E. (1981). The efficacy of cognitive therapy in depression: A treatment trial using cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy, each alone and in combination.British Journal of Psychiatry, 139, 181–189.
11.
BruunC.V. (1985). A combined treatment approach: Cognitive therapy and spiritual dimensions.Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 4(2), 9–11.
DendataK.M., & DienerD. (1986). Effectiveness of cognitive/relaxation therapy and study-skills training in reducing self-reported anxiety and improving the academic performance of test-anxious students.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 33, 131–135.
15.
DobsonK.S., & ShawB.F. (1986). Cognitive assessment with major depressive disorders.Cognitive Research and Therapy, 10, 13–29.
16.
DonahueM.J. (1985). Intrinsic and extrinsic religiousness: Review and meta-analysis.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48, 400–419.
17.
EllisA. (1962). Reason and emotion in psychotherapy.Secaucus, NJ: Citadel.
18.
EllisA. (1971). The case against religion: A psychotherapist's view.New York: Institute for Rational Living.
19.
EllisA. (1980). Psychotherapy and atheistic values: A response to A.E. Bergin's “psychotherapy and religious values.”Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48, 635–639.
20.
EllisA. (1984). Rational-emotive therapy (RET) and pastoral counseling: A reply to Wessler.The Personnel and Guidance Journal, 62, 266–267.
21.
EllisA. (1987). A sadly neglected cognitive element in depression.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 11, 121–146.
22.
FennellM.J.V., & TeasdaleJ.D. (1987). Cognitive therapy for depression: Individual differences and the process of change.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 11, 253–271.
23.
FriedbergB.A., & FriedbergR.D. (1985). Locus of control and religiosity in college students.Psychological Reports, 56, 757–758.
24.
GraffR.W., WhiteheadG.I.III, & LeCompteM. (1986). Group treatment with divorced women using cognitive-behavioral and supportive insight methods.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 33, 276–281.
25.
HewittP.L., & DyckD.G. (1986). Perfectionism, stress, and vulnerability to depression.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 10, 137–142.
26.
HoutsA.C., & GrahamK. (1986). Can religion make you crazy? Impact of client and therapist religious values on clinical judgments.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 267–271.
HuntD., & McMahonT.A. (1985). The seduction of Christianity.Eugene, OR: Harvest House.
29.
LarsonD.B., PattisonE.M., BlazerD.G., OmranA.R., & KaplanB.H. (1986). Systematic analysis of research on religious variables in four major psychiatric journals, 1978–1982.American Journal of Psychiatry, 143, 329–334.
30.
LondonP. (1976). Psychotherapy for religious neurosis? Comments on Cohen and Smith.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 44, 145–146.
31.
MarzillierJ. (1987). A sadly neglected cognitive element in depression: A reply to Ellis.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 11, 147–152.
32.
McLemoreC.W., & CourtJ.H. (1977). Religion and psychotherapy—ethics, civil liberties, and clinical savvy: A critique.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 45, 1172–1175.
33.
McMinnM.R. (1984). Religious values and client therapist matching.Journal of Psychology and Theology, 12, 24–33.
34.
McNamaraK., & HoranJ.J. (1986). Experimental construct validity in the evaluation of cognitive and behavioral treatments for depression.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 33, 23–30.
35.
MeadorA.E., & OllendickT.H. (1984). Cognitive behavior therapy with children: An evaluation of its efficacy and clinical utility.Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 6(3), 25–44.
36.
MeichenbaumD. (1977). Cognitive-behavior modification: An integrative approach.New York: Plenum.
37.
MeichenbaumD. (December, 1987). Cognitive-behavioral approach with adults, adolescents, and children. Workshop sponsored by the Oregon Psychological Association, Portland, OR.
38.
MurphyG.E. (1985). A conceptual framework for the choice of interventions in cognitive therapy.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 9, 127–134.
39.
MurphyG.E., SimonsA.D., WetzelR.D., & LustmanP.J. (1984). Cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy, singly and together in the treatment of depression.Archives of General Psychiatry, 41, 33–41.
40.
PecheurD.R., & EdwardsK.J. (1984). A comparison of secular and religious versions of cognitive therapy with depressed Christian college students.Journal of Psychology and Theology, 12, 45–54.
41.
PeteetJ.R. (1981). Issues in the treatment of religious patients.American Journal of Psychotherapy, 35, 559–564.
42.
PropstL.R. (1980a). The comparative efficacy of religious and nonreligious imagery for the treatment of mild depression in religious individuals.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 4, 167–178.
43.
PropstL.R. (1980b). A comparison of the cognitive restructuring psychotherapy paradigm and several spiritual approaches to mental health.Journal of Psychology and Theology, 8, 107–114.
44.
QuackenbosS., PrivetteG., & KlentzB. (1985). Psychotherapy: sacred or secular?Journal of Counseling and Development, 63, 290–293.
45.
RayburnC.A. (1985). The religious patient's initial encounter with psychotherapy.Psychotherapy Patient, 1, 35–45.
46.
ReynoldsW.M., & CoatsK.I. (1986). A comparison of cognitive-behavioral therapy and relaxation training for the treatment of depression in adolescents.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 653–660.
47.
RossiA.S. (1985). Change in the client and in the client's God.Psychotherapy Patient, 1, 55–62.
48.
RushA.J., BeckA.T., KovacsM., & HollonS. (1977). Comparative efficacy of cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy in the treatment of depressed outpatients.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 1, 17–37.
49.
SacksJ.M. (1985). Religious issues in psychotherapy.Journal of Religion and Health, 24, 26–30.
50.
SalkovskisP.M., & WarwickH.M.C. (1986). Morbid preoccupations, health anxiety and reassurance: A cognitive-behavioral approach to hypochondriasis.Behavior Research and Therapy, 24, 597–602.
51.
SextonP.M., LeakG., & ToeniesF. (1980). Relationship of locus of control and modernity to certainty of religious beliefs.Psychological Reports, 46, 1285–1286.
52.
ShawB. (1977). Comparison of cognitive therapy and behavior therapy in the treatment of depression.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 45, 543–551.
53.
ShraugerJ.S., & SilvermanR.E. (1971). The relationship of religious background and participation to locus of control.Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 10, 11–16.
54.
SilvestriP.J. (1979). Locus of control and God-dependence.Psychological Reports, 45, 89–90.
55.
SimonsA.D., LustmanP.J., WetzelR.D., & MurphyG.E. (1985). Predicting response to cognitive therapy of depression: The role of learned resourcefulness.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 9, 79–89.
56.
SimonsA.D., MurphyG.E., LevineJ.L., & WetzelR.D. (1986). Cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy for depression.Archives of General Psychiatry, 43, 43–48.
57.
StovichR.J. (1985). Metaphor and therapy: Theory, technique, and practice of the use of religious imagery in therapy.Psychotherapy Patient, 1, 117–122.
58.
StricklandB.R., & ShafferS. (1971). I-E, I-E, & F.Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 10, 366–369.
59.
StruppH.H. (1978). Psychotherapy research and practice: An overview. In GarfieldS.L., & BerginA.E. (Eds.), Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change: An empirical analysis (2nd ed.; pp. 3–22). New York: Wiley and Sons.
60.
SwansonH.L. (1985). Effects of cognitive-behavioral training on emotionally disturbed children's academic performance.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 9, 201–216.
61.
TanS.-Y. (1987). Cognitive-behavior therapy: A biblical approach and critique.Journal of Psychology and Theology, 15, 103–112.
62.
TaylorF., & MarshallW. (1977). Experimental analysis of a cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 1, 59–72.
63.
TeasdaleJ.D., FennellM.J.V., HibbertG.A., & AmiesP.L. (1984). Cognitive therapy for major depressive disorder in primary care.British Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 400–406.
64.
ThurmanC.W. (1985a). Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral treatments in reducing Type A behavior among university faculty.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 32, 74–83.
65.
ThurmanC.W. (1985b). Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral treatments in reducing Type A behavior among university faculty—one year later.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 32, 445–448.
66.
WallsG. (1980). Values and psychotherapy: A comment on “psychotherapy and religious values.”Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48, 640–641.
67.
WesslerR.L. (1984). A bridge too far: Incompatibilities of rational-emotive therapy and pastoral counseling.The Personnel and Guidance Journal, 62, 264–266.
68.
WilliamsJ.M.G. (1984). Cognitive-behaviour therapy for depression: Problems and perspectives.British Journal of Psychiatry, 145, 254–262.
69.
WorthingtonE.L. (1986). Religious counseling: A review of published empirical research.Journal of Counseling and Development, 64, 421–431.
70.
ZajoncR.B. (1984). On the primacy of affect.American Psychologist, 39, 117–123.
71.
ZwemerW.A., & DeffenbacherJ.L. (1984). Irrational beliefs, anger and anxiety.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 31, 391–393.
