This book highlights spiritually integrative research and demonstrates the evolution of a national partnership of psychologists and chaplains. Insights will enhance chaplain-researcher partnerships, illumine intersections among spirituality and psychological distress, and demonstrate approaches for inquiring about individuals’ spiritual lives.

Spiritual Care in Psychological Suffering: How a Research Collaboration Informs Integrative Practice highlights spiritually integrative research and demonstrates the evolution of a national partnership of psychologists and chaplains collaborating for optimal results. Interdisciplinary teams are the gold standard in spiritual care provision, and this book orients the purpose and promise of such collaboration for research and practice. Recent work in the psychology of religion and spirituality has emphasized the importance of relational spirituality, distinctions between harmful and helpful effects of religion and spirituality on mental health, and the relevance of spiritual struggles for psychological well-being; however, these dimensions have not been examined in the context of a collaborative and culturally diverse partnership, nor have they been comprehensively examined in psychologically distressed populations. This volume seeks to make an important contribution to the psychology of religion by providing an in-depth look at translating integrative research into integrative practice in a population that has experienced significant psychological suffering. It is hoped that insights from this volume will contribute the following: foster more rewarding chaplain-researcher partnerships; offer a deeper understanding of the intersections among spiritual experience, virtues, and psychological distress; and demonstrate approaches for inquiring about individuals’ spiritual lives in the midst of psychological suffering.

Acknowledgments

Introduction – Alexis D. Abernethy, PhD

Part 1: Developing a Collaborative Interdisciplinary Partnership

1. Visioning an Integrative Partnership – Mark Eastburg, PhD and Winston E. Gooden, PhD

2. Forging a Collaborative Research Partnership between Chaplains and Psychologists – Karl Van Harn, DMin, Janet S. Carter, MDiv, and Alexis D. Abernethy, PhD

Part 2: Integrative Research Findings

3. Practice Insights Informing Research - Religious Comfort Spiritual Care by Chaplains – Alexis D. Abernethy, PhD, Karl Van Harn, DMin, and Janet S. Carter, MDiv

4. Spiritual Struggles and Considerations in Spiritual Care – Mary Jacob Mathew, PhD and Alexis D. Abernethy, PhD

5. The Impact of Religion and Spirituality on the Presence and Absence of Meaning in Life in Recovery from Mental Illness – Joseph M. Currier, PhD, Hannah M. Hinkel, MA, and Sarah Salcone, BA

6. The Virtues of Patience and Gratitude as Protective Factors in Mental Illness - Sarah A. Schnitker, PhD

7. Interpersonal Forgiveness of Others, Perceived Divine Forgiveness, and Self-Forgiveness: Psychological and Spiritual Implications – Lindsey Root Luna, PhD, Charlotte van Oyen Witvliet, PhD, and Heather Jones, PsyD

8. Clinical and Conceptual Insights Informing Research: Suicidality and the Afterlife – Marwan S. Tabbara, MD

Part 3: Conclusion: Principles for Optimizing Integrative Collaborations

9. Building Collaborative Research and Clinical Partnerships: Spiritual and Relational Work – Alexis D. Abernethy, PhD

10. Diversity and Social Justice as a Critical Lens for Integrative Partnerships: Implications for Future Research - Alexis D. Abernethy, PhD

About the Contributors