GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO THE NIH
RELIGION SPIRITUALTY
AND HEALTH SCIENTIFIC
INTEREST GROUPS
WEBINAR. WE ARE SO
GLAD YOU ARE HERE FOR
WHAT PROMISES TO BE
A VERY INTERESTING
AND INFORMATIVE
PRESENTATION. MY NAME IS
JOAN ROMAINE, AND I
AM FOUNDER AND CHAIR
OF THE RELIGION
SPIRITUALTY AND HEALTH
SCIENTIFIC INTEREST
GROUP WHICH BEGAN
HERE AT THE NIH IN
OCTOBER 2020. BY WAY
OF POSITIONALTY, I WOULD LIKE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE MY
PRIVILEGE AS A CISGENDER
WHITE HETEROSEXUAL
MARRIED WOMAN WITH
ADVANCED DEGREES IN
PUBLIC HEALTH AND
PASTORAL COUNSELING
WHO LIVES ON LAND
THAT WAS ORIGINALLY
INHABITED BY THE
ALGONQUIAN PEOPLES, NAMELY THE
NACOTCHTANK AND
PISCATAWAY PEOPLES.
TODAY IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO
INTRODUCE OUR GUEST
SPEAKER, DR. JESSE
FOX FROM STETSON
UNIVERSITY IN DELAND,
FLORIDA. DR. FOX WILL
BE PRESENTING ON A
VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC
WHICH IS NEAR AND
DEAR TO MY HEART,
DEVELOPING RESEARCH TO
TRAIN MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS IN
SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS
COMPETENCIES.
AS BACKGROUND,
DR. FOX EARNED HIS
DOCTORATE FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL
FLORIDA AND HAS BEEN A COUNSELOR
EDUCATOR FOR TEN
YEARS EDUCATING AND
TRAINING MENTAL
HEALTH COUNSELORS. HE
SPENT SEVERAL YEARS
ON THE FACULTY AT
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY,
MARYLAND, IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF PASTORAL
COUNSELING BEFORE
JOINING STETSON IN 2017. HE HAS
EXPERIENCE WORKING
WITH A RANGE OF
CLINICAL POPULATIONS,
INCLUDING COLLEGE
COUNSELING, OUTPATIENT ADDICTION
TREATMENT, COMMUNITY
MENTAL HEALTH, AND
PRIVATE PRACTICE.
HE IS A PROJECT
LEADER FOR THE
SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS
COMPETENCY PROJECT WHICH IS A
$5.3 MILLION GRANT
FUNDED BY THE JOHN
TEMPLETON FOUNDATION.
SINCE 2020, DR.
FOX HAS SERVED AS THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THE EPISCOPAL
COUNSELING CENTER, A
NON-PROFIT COUNSELING
CENTER AT SAINT
BARNABUS EPISCOPAL
JUDGE SERVING THE
DELAND, FLORIDA,
COMMUNITY SINCE 1987.
DR. FOX MOST RECENTLY
HAS SERVED AS THE
PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR
SPIRITUAL ETHICAL
AND RELIGIOUS VALUES
AND COUNSELING, ALSO
KNOWN AS ASERVIC, A
SUBDIVISION OF THE
AMERICAN COUNSELING
ASSOCIATION. BEFORE
I TURN IT OVER TO
DR. FOX, I WOULD
LIKE TO ASK THAT
EVERYONE PLEASE
STAY MUTED WITH YOUR
VIDEOS OFF UNLESS
YOU ARE SPEAKING. WE
WILL HAVE TIME AT
THE END FOR QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS WITH DR.
FOX AND AS YOU CAN
SEE WE ARE RECORDING
THIS WEBINAR AND WE
WILL POST IT ON OUR
RSH-SIG WEBSITE AS
SOON AS WE ARE ABLE
AFTER THE TALK. SO
WITH THAT, IT IS MY
GREAT PLEASURE AND
HONOR TO TURN IT
OVER TO YOU, DR. FOX.
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU, JOAN.
AND THANK YOU TO
EVERYBODY WHO IS A PART OF THE
SCIENTIFIC INTEREST
GROUP. IT IS A GREAT
JOY TO ME TO ENGAGE
WITH YOU THIS
AFTERNOON AND TO
DISCUSS SOME IMPORTANT
QUESTIONS, SOME
IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
THAT HAVE HAPPENED
IN THE CONTEXT OF
TALK THERAPY OVER
THE LAST SEVERAL
DECADES LEADING UP
TO THE PRESENT. AND
SO I'M GOING TO BE
TALKING THROUGH SOME
OF THE FOUNDATIONAL
ISSUES THAT HAVE LED
UP TO OUR PROJECT, THE SPIRITUAL
RELIGIOUS COMPETENCIES PROJECT.
AND IN PARTICULAR
ABOUT HOW THAT MIGHT
INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT
OF RESEARCH
PROJECTS THAT FOCUS
ON TRAINING MENTAL
HEALTH PROVIDERS TO
BE RESPONSIVE TO THE
SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS
DYNAMICS IN THE
CONTEXT OF THEIR
MENTAL HEALTHCARE. SO
WITHOUT FURTHER
ADIEU I'M GOING TO GO
AHEAD AND SHARE MY
SCREEN. AND JOAN, IF
YOU CAN LET ME
KNOW IF YOU ARE ARE
SEEING THE PRESENTATION
BEFORE I MOVE
FORWARD.
>> YES, IT LOOKS
GREAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. BEFORE
I BEGIN JUST A
QUICK DISCLAIMER
THAT WHAT I WILL BE
SHARING ARE MY VIEWS
AND OBVIOUSLY DO
NOT NECESSARILY
REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES
OF HEALTH. SO TO
BEGIN THE TOPIC OF
DEVELOPING RESEARCH
AROUND TRAINING
SPIRITUAL RELIGIOUS
COMPETENCIES IN
MENTAL HEALTHCARE, I
THINK YOU ACTUALLY
HAVE TO GO BACK TO
THE FOUNDATIONS OF
TALK THERAPY. AND
SO I'M GOING TO BE
SUMMARIZING OVER A
HUNDRED YEARS OF
HISTORY, SO OBVIOUSLY
GOING TO BE LEAVING
SOME DETAILS OUT BUT
SUFFICE IT TO SAY AT
THE ORIGINS OF TALK
THERAPY WHICH IS
INCLUSIVE OF TERMS LIKE
COUNSELING AND
PSYCHOTHERAPY, I WILL USE
INTERCHANGEABLY
TODAY, HAS EVOLVED
CONSIDERABLY OVER
THE LAST HUNDRED
YEARS. I DO WANT TO
MENTION THE PERSON
OBVIOUSLY TO THE
RIGHT OF THE SCREEN
SIGMUND FREUD, ONE
OF THE FOUNDERS OF
WESTERN TALK THERAPY.
ALSO HAD A NUMBER
OF WORKS THAT HE
WROTE ABOUT FOUR WORKS
IN PARTICULAR
AROUND AMERICAN TALL
HEALTH AND RELIGION.
AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE
REFLECTED ON AND
POINTED OUT, THIS WAS
VIEWED AS SOMEWHAT
CONTENTIOUS OR
ANTAGONISTIC
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
SPIRITUALTY, RELIGION
AND MENTAL HEALTH.
OVER TIME TALK
THERAPY EVOLVED INTO
DIFFERENT SCHOOLS
AND SO FROM THE
ORIGINS OF PSYCHODYNAMIC
THEORY, MOVING
INTO BEHAVE YOU I
DON'T RECALLISM,
MOVING TO CLIENT
CENTERED, MOVING TO
RATIONAL MOTIVE;
GESTALT THERAPY, ET
CETERA, THERE WAS A SHIFT IN
DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT
THAT OCCURRED AFTER
THE ORIGINAL STARTING POINT OF
PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY.
SO FOR DECADES
MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS WHEN THEY
WANTED TO BE TRAINED WENT TO A
PARTICULAR SCHOOL
OF COUNSELING AND
PSYCHOTHERAPY TO
BE TRAINED UNDER A
LEADING FIGURE LIKE
FREUD, LIKE CARL
YOUNG, LIKE CARL
ROGERS, ET CETERA. AS
TIME PROGRESSED,
HOWEVER, THERE WAS A
SHIFT THAT OCCURRED.
WHICH I WILL TALK
ABOUT IN GREATER
DETAIL IN THE SLIDES TO
COME. BUT IF I CAN
SUMMARIZE THAT SHIFT
THERE IS A SHIFT
FROM THEORETICAL
ORTHODOXY COMPETITION LIKE IS
PSYCHODYNAMIC BETTER
THAN BEHAVIORISM OR
IS THAT BETTER THAN
CLIENT CENTERED? TO
EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICES. AND THERE'S
SOME PARTICULAR REASONS WHY THAT
HAPPENED. BUT THERE
WAS ALSO FOLLOWING
UPON THESE MASSIVE
MOVEMENTS THAT TOOK
PLACE IN WESTERN TALK
THERAPY, WAS ALSO
THE RISE OF MULTI
-CULTURISM THAT HAS
BEEN INCREDIBLY
INFLUENTIAL IN SHAPING
HOW MENTAL HEALTHCARE
IS CONCEPTUALIZED
AND DEPLOYED. ONE
OF THE MAJOR SHIFTS
THAT HAPPENED WAS
THAT WHEN SCIENTISTS
OF PSYCHOTHERAPY STARTED TO ASK
QUESTIONS LIKE WHICH THEORETICAL
ORIENTATION IS
BETTER AS COMPARED TO
OTHERS, THERE WAS A
UNIQUE FINDING THAT
CAME FORWARD. THE
PICTURE YOU SEE TO
YOUR RIGHT IS A
PICTURE FROM ALICE IN
WONDER LAND, THERE
IS A STORY IN ALICE
IN WONDER LAND
ABOUT THE DODO BIRD
HOLDING A COMPETITION
AMONGST THE
CHARACTERS IN THE
STORY. BUT THIS
COMPETITION IS
ACTUALLY FIXED FROM THE
OUTSET. SO AT THE END OF THE
COMPETITION, ALL OF
THE CHARACTERS ARE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTED
BECAUSE AS IT
TURNS OUT THEY ALL
WON THE RACE, THEY
ALL WON THE COMPETITION
AND THEY ALL
RECEIVED PRIZES. AND
THIS IS SOMETIMES
REFERRED TO IN
PSYCHOTHERAPY RESEARCH AS
THE DODO BIRD
VERDICT. THAT ACTUALLY
WHEN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS
OF PSYCHOTHERAPY
WERE COMPARED TO EACH
OTHER EMPIRICALLY,
THERE WAS A FINDING
THAT THERE WASN'T
ONE THAT WAS NECESSARILY
SUPERIOR TO ALL
THE OTHERS. NOW,
AS THAT HAS PLAYED
OUT THERE ARE CERTAIN
THEORIES THAT HAVE
STRONGER EFFECT ON
CERTAIN DYNAMICS,
CERTAIN DISORDERS,
BUT OVERALL WHAT
RESEARCH HAS SHOWN
IS THAT IT ISN'T ONE
PARTICULAR THEORY
THAT IS NECESSARILY
SUPERIOR. SO THAT
REALLY CHALLENGED HOW
COUNSELORS AND
PSYCHOTHERAPISTS WERE
THEN TRAINED. DO I
GO TO A PARTICULAR
SCHOOL OR DO I BECOME
MORE INTEGRATIVE
AND START MIXING AND
MATCHING DIFFERENT
THEORETICAL ORIENTATIONS?
IN THE EARLY
2000s, THE WAY THIS
STARTED TO SHOW UP
IN TRAINING PRACTICES
IS THE WHOLE
EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICE MOVEMENT IN
PSYCHOLOGY. SO
IN 2005 ESPECIALLY
POINTED APA
PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE
DEVELOPED A DEFINITION
OF WHAT AMOUNTS
TO WHAT ARE CALLED
EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICES. SO THIS
IS SOMETIMES REFERRED
TO AS THE THREE LEGGED STOOLS OF
EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICES. IT IS THE BEST
OF RESEARCH, IT IS
THE BEST OF CLINICAL
EXPERTISE, AND IT
IS THEN MATCHED AND
ADAPTED TO THE
PARTICULARS OF THE
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS,
CULTURE, AND PREFERENCES.
WHAT INFORMED
THIS MAJOR SHIFT FROM
THEORETICAL PURITY
ORTHODOXY TO THEN EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICES ARE FINDINGS
LIKE THIS THAT
YOU SEE IN FRONT OF
YOU. THIS PIE CHART
YOU SEE IS SOMETIMES
REFERRED TO AS
LAMBBERT'S PIE, THE
NAME OF THE FIGURE
YOU SEE THERE MICHAEL
LAMBERT. AFTER
LOOKING AT A SERIES
OF META ANALYSES,
REVIEWS OF RESEARCH
THAT HAD BEEN
CONDUCTED OVER DECADES
OF WORK, LOOKING
AT COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
OUTCOMES, LAMBERT
AND OTHERS LIKE JOHN
NORCROSS LANDED
AN ESTIMATION WHAT
ACCOUNTS FOR THE
HEALING EFFECTS OF
COUNSELING AND
PSYCHOTHERAPY. AND WHAT
YOU SEE IN THESE PIE CHARTS IS A
PERCENTAGE OF THE
EXPLAINED VARIATION OF
COUNSELING AND
PSYCHOTHERAPY OUTCOMES.
AND WHAT IMMEDIATELY
JUMPS OUT TO YOU IS
THAT 30% WHAT
ACCOUNTS FOR POSITIVE
CHANGE IN COUNSELING
PSYCHOTHERAPY ARE
THINGS THAT CUT
ACROSS THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVES. SO
COMPOUNDING FACTORS
ACCOUNT FOR THE
MAJORITY OF PSYCHO
THERAPY CHANGE
THAT COUNSELORS AND
PSYCHOTHERAPISTS
HAVE THE MOST DIRECT
EFFECT ON. IF YOU ZOOM INTO THAT
PICTURE, THAT'S THE
PIE CHART TO THE
RIGHT, THE PICTURE
THAT EMERGES IS THAT
ACTUALLY WHAT
CONTRIBUTES MOST TO THE
FACTORS IS THE
PATIENTS THEMSELVES.
THEIR PERSONALITY,
RESOURCES, LIFE
EXPERIENCES THEY HAVE
HAD. AND THEN THE
SECOND LARGEST
CONTRIBUTOR IS THE
THERAPY RELATIONSHIP.
THESE ARE THINGS
LIKE WHETHER OR NOT
THE CLIENT BELIEVES
THEIR COUNSELOR
CAN UNDERSTAND THE
NATURE OF THEIR
PROBLEMS AND PREDICTMENT
THEY FIND THEMSELVES
IN. A SMALLER
PORTION IS PARTICULAR
TREATMENT METHOD
THAT CUTS ACROSS
DIFFERENT THREE ARE
THECAL ORIENTATIONS
AND TO A SMALLER
EXTENT INDIVIDUAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
THERAPIST, A LOT OF
THIS GOES BACK TO
SOCIAL SKILLS. THE
THERAPIST ABILITY TO
READ SOCIAL QUEUES
SITUATIONS AND
RESPOND SMOOTHLY TO
THEM. SO THESE ARE
COMMON FACTORS
INCREDIBLY INFLUENTIAL TO
SHAPING WHAT IS THE
ENGINE THAT DRIVES
CHANGE IN PSYCHOTHERAPY.
ONE OF THOSE
MAJOR CONSTRUCTS
IS THE THERAPEUTIC
ALLIANCE. SO THE
THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE,
IT HAS DIFFERENT
DEFINITIONS DEPENDING
UPON VARIOUS THEORISTS, HOWEVER
GENERALLY THEORISTS
AGREE IT IS THESE
PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS.
ONE IT IS A POSITIVE
BOND MADE OF
TRADITIONAL CLIENT
CENTERED CONDITIONS
AND TECHNIQUES LIKE EMPATHY,
NON-JUDGMENT AND
GENUINENESS. ALSO THE
DEGREE TO WHICH A
CLIENT AGREES ON THE
TASK OR THERAPY. SO
THERE IS A SENTENCE
OF COLLABORATION
BETWEEN THE THERAPIST
AND THEIR CLIENT AS
THEY DO THEIR WORK
FOR AN HOUR. AND
THEN THE THIRD IS AN
AGREEMENT ON THE GOALS
OF PSYCHOTHERAPY.
SO THAT THERE'S A
COHESIVE DIRECTION
THAT BOTH THERAPIST
AND COUNSEL LOG AND
THE CLIENT CAN AGREE
ON THAT THESE ARE
THE THINGS TO PURSUE IN OUR TIME
TOGETHER. THESE
ARE SUMMARIZED IN A
QUOTE FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE
CONTEMPORARY
PSYCHOTHERAPISTS, YALOM.
WHEN HE IS WORKING
WITH CLIENTS AND
PATIENTS HE OFTEN
REPEATS THIS PHRASE
OVER AND OVER TO
HELP GROUND HIM IN
WHATEVER WORK HE'S
DOING. IT IS THE
RELATIONSHIP THAT
HEALS, IT IS THE
RELATIONSHIP THAT
HEALS, IT IS THE
RELATIONSHIP THAT
HEALS, AND SO ON. AS I
SAID, WHILE THIS WORK
WAS GOING ON THERE
WAS A SIMULTANEOUS
RISE IN THE INTEREST
OF WHAT IS NOW REFERRED TO AS
MULTI-CULTURAL
COMPETENCE IN COUNSELING.
MULTI-CULTURAL
COMPETENCE MOVES ONE
DEGREE FURTHER IN
THE EVIDENCE BASE
THREE LEGGED STOOL
TO FOCUS ON AND HONE
IN ON WHAT ARE THE
UNIQUE CLIENT AND
PATIENT PREFERENCES,
CHARACTERISTICS AND
VALUES THAT WILL BE
INFLUENTIAL TO THE
MENTAL HEALTHCARE
THEY RECEIVE. SO
MULTI-CULTURAL
COMPETENCE IS DEFINED
HERE. CULTURAL
COMPETENCE, THE ABILITY
TO ENGAGE IN ACTIONS OR RECITE
CONDITIONS THAT
MAXIMIZE THE OPTIMAL
DEVELOPMENT OF CLIENT AND CLIENT
SYSTEMS. MULTI
-CULTURAL COUNSELING
COMPETENCE IS
DEFINED AS COUNSELORS
ACQUISITION OF
AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE AN
SKILLS. NEEDED TO
FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY
IN A PLEURALLISTIC AND
DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.
WHICH INCLUDES
ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE INTERACT,
NEGOTIATE AND
INTERVENE ON BEHALF OF
CLIENTS FROM DIVERSE
BACKGROUNDS ON AN
ORGANIZATIONAL SOCIETAL LEVEL,
ADVOCATING EFFECTIVELY
TO DEVELOP NEW
THEORIES, PRACTICE POLICIES,
ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE, THAT ARE MORE
RESPONSIVE TO ALL
GROUPS. SO WHAT YOU
SEE WITH THE RISE IN
THE MULTI-CULTURAL
COMPETENCE MOVEMENT
IS A REAL ZEROING IN
ON GROUPS OFTEN LEFT
OUT OF THE WESTERN
MIDDLE CLASS AND
LARGELY WHITE CONSUMER
BASE OF MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES. THERE IS
A LOT IN THAT DEFINITION. SO
MULTI-CULTURAL
COMPETENCE IS FAR IN
SCOPE, BROAD IN SCOPE
AND FAR REACHING.
HOW IT IS TYPICALLY
BROKEN DOWN IN TERMS
OF TRAINING PROCESSES,
THIS COMES FROM
SOME OF THE
FOUNDATIONAL THEORISTS,
ARREDONDO AND
COLLEAGUES THAT REALLY
WERE THE FOUNDERS
OF THIS MOVEMENT AND
MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING.
BUT THE WAY THAT
THIS IS TYPICALLY PUT
TOGETHER IN SUCH A
WAY THAT IT CAN
ACTUALLY BE TRAINED IN
MENTAL HEALTH CLASSES, GRADUATE
TRAINING, IS
THROUGH A TRIPARTITE
NETWORK. THAT TRY
PARTITE FRAMEWORK
IS A PEDAGOGICAL THEORY THAT ALL
LEARNING TAKES PLACE
TOWARD COMPETENCE
IN THESE THREE
DOMAINS. THE AWARENESS
DOMAIN, THIS INCLUDES ATTITUDES,
BELIEVES, THE
KNOWLEDGE DOMAIN AND
LASTLY IN THE SKILLS
DOMAIN. WITH A
MULTI-CULTURAL
COMPETENCIES DID IS TOOK
EACH OF THOSE DOMAINS
THEN THEY MAPPED
THEM ON TO THREE
OVERARCHING DOMAINS.
AND THESE INCLUDES
COUNSELORS AWARENESS
OF OWN CULTURE AND
BIASES, COUNSELORS
AWARENESS OF CLIENTS REVIEW, AND
THIRDLY, A CULTURALLY
APPROPRIATE
INTERVENTION
PROCESS TO WORK WITH
CLIENTS. IT IS DOING
THAT ALL THE WHILE
BALANCING WHAT YOU
SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE
OF THE SCREEN IN THOSE THREE
CONCENTRATION CIRCLES, OF BASIC
PSYCHOLOGICAL PARADIGM
THAT THERE IS AN
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL TO
ALL PSYCHOLOGICAL
PROCESSES, THERE IS
A GROUP LEVEL TO ALL
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES.
AND THEN THERE
ARE UNIVERSAL LEVELS
TO PSYCHOLOGICAL
PROCESSES LIKE THE ABILITY TO BE
SELF-AWARE, USE
SYMBOLS, ET CETERA. THAT
ARE UNIQUE TO THE
HOMOSAPIEN SPECIES.
HOW THIS IS THEN
BROKEN DOWN, I CAN'T
GET INTO EACH ONE OF
THE MULTI-CULTURAL
COMPETENCIES BECAUSE THERE
ARE MANY OF THEM,
BUT TO GIVE YOU AN
EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS
CUTS ACROSS THOSE
THREE TRIPARTITE FRAME WORKS AND
KNOWLEDGE DOMAINS
IS LIKE THIS. SO IN
THE FIRST DOMAIN
ATTITUDES AN BELIEFS IT
INCLUDES CULTURALLY
SKILLED COUNSELORS
BELIEVE CULTURAL
SELF-AAWARENESS AND
SENSITIVITY TO
ONE EEN'S CULTURAL
HERITAGE IS ESSENTIAL,
THAT LEADS TO A
KNOWLEDGE DOMAIN
THAT A CULTURALLY
SKILLED COUNSELOR HAS
SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT THEIR OWN RACIAL
CULTURAL HERITAGE
AND HOW PERSONALLY
PROFESSIONALLY
AFFECTS DEFINITIONS
AND BIASES OF
NORMALITY AND
ABNORMALITY MANY THE
COUNSELING PROCESS.
AND THEN THIRD,
SKILLS. THESE
INCLUDE THINGS LIKE
CULTURALLY SKILLED
COUNSEL LOGS SEEK OUT
EDUCATION,
CONSULTATION, TRAINING,
EXPERIENCES TO IMPROVE THEIR
UNDERSTANDING AND
EFFECTIVENESS AND
WORKING WITH
CULTURALLY DIFFERENT
POPULATIONS. OVER TIME AS
MORE SCHOLARS LOOKED
AT THE EMPIRICAL
SIDE OF THE MULTI
-CULTURAL COMPETENCIES,
THEY NOTICED THAT
THERE WERE SOME
LIMITATIONS. ONE
LIMITATION IT IS VERY
DIFFICULT TO STUDY SUCH A BROAD
OVERARCHING CONSTRUCT LIKE
MULTI-CULTURAL
COMPETENCE. SO THIS
SHOWED UP IN WAYS
PARTICULARLY IN TYING
MULTI-CULTURAL
TRAINING INTO CLIENT
OUTCOMES. SO SOME
SCHOLARS STARTED TO
WONDER IF THERE MIGHT
BE A COMPLIMENTARY
WAY THAT MIGHT BE
A LITTLE BIT MORE
FEASIBLE TO STUDY
SCIENTIFICALLY. THE
FRAMEWORK THAT HAS
NOW BECOME VERY
POPULAR IN TRAINING CIRCLES IS
MULTI-CULTURAL ORIENTATION. SO
MULTI-CULTURAL
ORIENTATION IS THOUGHT OF
AS A COMPLIMENTARY
FRAMEWORK TO THE
MULTI-CULTURAL
COMPETENCIES, AND IS
CONSIDERED A WAY OF
BEING AS OPPOSED TO
A WAY OF DOING. THIS
-- THE FRAMEWORK
HAS THREE ELEMENTS
ATTACHED TO IT.
CULTURAL HUMILITY,
THIS IS CONSIDERED
THE ORGANIZING VIRTUE
OF MULTI-CULTURAL
ORIENTATION. IT IS
MADE UP OF A HIGH
DEGREE OF SELF
-AWARENESS, PARTICULARLY
AROUND ONE'S LIMITATIONS
AS A COUNSELOR
TO CULTURALLY
ENGAGE WITH DIVERSE
POPULATION. THEN THE
ABILITY TO MAINTAIN
AN OPEN INTERPERSONAL
STANCE AND POSTURE
TOWARD THE CLIENT.
THERE ARE TWO OTHER
ELEMENTS, CULTURAL
OPPORTUNITIES, SO IN
THE MIDST OF WORKING
WITH CLIENTS FROM
CULTURALLY DIFFERENT
BACKGROUNDS, THERE
ARE OPPORTUNITIES
TO ENGAGE WITH THE
CLIENTS SURROUNDING
THEIR CULTURE. AND
THEN THIRDLY, THE
DEGREE OF CULTURAL
COMFORT ONE EXPERIENCES. THIS IS
CHARACTERIZED FROM A
RANGE OF FEELING AT
EASE, OPEN TO FEELING
PUT OFF, WORRIED
OR ANXIOUS ABOUT THE CLIENTS'
CULTURE. ALL OF-SET
THE STAGE FOR THE
TERM THAT I AM
FOCUSING ON, THAT IS
SPIRITUAL AN RELIGIOUS
COMPETENCIES.
WHILE THE MULTI
-CULTURE COMPANIES WERE
DEVELOPED, THERE WAS
ALSO A SIMULTANEOUS
PARALLEL MOVEMENT
THAT HAPPENED WITHIN
THE ASSOCIATION THAT
I SERVED IN FOR THE
LAST TEN YEARS,
THE ASSOCIATION FOR
SPIRITUALETHCAL AND
RELIGIOUS VALUES AND
COUNSELING. WHAT
WAS NOTED IS THAT IN
THE MULTI-CULTURE
COMPETENCIES, AT
LEAST WHEN THEY FIRST
BEGAN, THEY WERE
PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON
RACE AND ETHNICITY.
SO THIS LAST MANY
SCHOLARS WONDERING
HOW THIS MIGHT THEN
RELATE TO THE DOMAIN
OF NOT JUST SPIRITUALTY BUT ALSO
SENSUALITY, GENDER
IDENTITY. SO IN 1995,
A SURVEY THEY CALLED
FIRST ON COUNSELING
AND SPIRITUALTY. OUT
OF THAT SUMMIT THEY
DEVELOPED THE FIRST
SET OF COMPETENCIES
THEN ENDORSED BY THE
AMERICAN COUNSELING
ASSOCIATION IN 1999.
AFTER A PERIOD OF
ROUGHLY TEN YEARS,
THE ASERVIC LEADERS
RECOGNIZED THAT
THE ORIGINAL SET OF
COMPETENCIES HAD
SOME SIGNIFICANT
SHORTCOMINGS AND
LIMITATIONS, AND
ACTUALLY CONVENED
A SECOND SUMMIT ON
SPIRITUALTY. IT IS
FROM THAT SECOND
SUMMIT WE NOW HAVE THE CURRENT
COMPILATION OF
RELIGIOUS SPIRITUAL
COMPETENCIES FROM
ASERVIC. AND THE
WEBSITE THERE WILL
TAKE YOU TO THEM. TO
SUMMARIZE, THAT I ARE ABOUT THE
AWARENESS KNOWLEDGE
AN SKILLS IN THE
SPIRITUAL RELIGIOUS
DOMAINS THAT SUPPORT
CLINICIANS FROM
SERVING CLIENTS IN
VARIOUS TRADITIONS.
THEY CUTS ACROSS 13
COMPETENCIES THAT
COVER SIX DOMAINS FROM
CULTURAL WORLD
VIEW FROM THE WHOLE
HELPING PROCESS
DIAGNOSIS AN TREATMENT.
AGAIN I CAN'T GO
INTO ALL BUT I WILL
GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES.
SO CULTURAL AND
WORLD VIEW. THE
PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR
RECOGNIZES THAT
CLIENTS BELIEFS ABOUT
SIR SPIRITUALTY
RELIGION ARE CENTRAL TO
HIS OR HER WORLD VIEW
AND CAN INFLUENCE
PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTION. IN
EXAMPLE FROM ASSESSMENT
COMPETENCIES.
DURING THE INTAKE AND
ASSESSMENT PROCESS
THE PROFESSIONAL
COUNSELOR STRIVES TO
UNDERSTAND THE CLIENT SPIRITUAL
RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE GATERRING
INFORMATION ABOUT
THE CLIENTS OR OTHER
SOURCES. AND THIRDLY,
DIAGNOSIS AND
TREATMENT. PROFESSIONAL
COUNSELOR CAN
THERAPEUTICALLY APPLY
THEORY AND CURRENT
RESEARCH SUPPORTING
INCLUSION OF A
CLIENT SPIRITUAL OR RELIGIOUS
PERSPECTIVE AND
PRACTICES. SINCE THAT
TIME, THERE HAVE BEEN
OTHER COMPETENCIES
THAT HAVE ALSO
SHOWN UP ACROSS OUR
DISCIPLINES. I WON'T
BE ABLE TO COVER
ALL THE EXAMPLES,
BUT I WANT TO MENTION
SIMILAR COMPETENCIES,
SHOWED UP IN
MEDICINE, PSYCHIATRY,
MARRIAGE AND
FAMILY THERAPY, AND
WHAT YOU SEE NOW IN
FRONT OF YOU COMPETENCIES FOR
PSYCHOLOGISTS. SO OUR COLLEAGUE
(INDISCERNIBLE) AND
OTHERS CONDUCTED A
DELPHI STUDY
PUBBISHED WILL 2013 --
PABULARRED IN 2013 LOOKING AT --
PUBLISHED IN 2013 LOOKING AT 184
PSYCHOLOGIST VIEWS
WHAT IS SPIRITUAL
RELIGIOUS COMPETENCY.
FROM THAT STUDY,
THEY WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY 16
COMPETENCIES. AND
AGAIN, I CAN'T GO
THROUGH ALL BUT HERE
ARE SOME EXAMPLES.
PSYCHOLOGISTS
DEMONSTRATE APPRECIATION
RESPECT, SPIRITUAL RELIGIOUS
PERSPECTIVES KNOWLEDGE,
EMPATHY RESPECT,
PSYCHOLOGISTS
RECOGNIZE THE SPIRITUAL
AND RELIGIOUS
BELIEFS EXPERIENCES
DEVELOP AND CHANGE
OVER THE LIFE SPAN.
THIRDLY, SKILLS.
PSYCHOLOGISTS HELP
CLIENTS EXPLORE AND ACCESS THEIR
SPIRITUAL OR RELIGIOUS
STRENGTHS AND
RESOURCES. SO THESE
ARE THE MAJOR SHIFTS
THAT HAD HAPPENED
OVER TIME BUT I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT TO
ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT
WHILE THIS WAS
HAPPENING, THERE ARE SOME
MAJOR MOVEMENTS THAT
TOOK PLACE OVERALL
IN LOOKING AT SPIRITUALTY
AND HEALTH. SO
IN OTHER WORDS IT IS
NOT ENOUGH JUST TO
SAY THAT BECAUSE CLIENTS MAYBE
INTERESTED IN A
GIVEN TOPIC THAT THIS
THEN BECOMES SOMETHING
THAT IS RELEVANT
TO PSYCHOLOGICAL
CARE. BUT THERE ARE
VERY GOOD REASONS WHY SPIRITUAL
RELIGIOUS COMPETENCE
TOOK ON THE SHAPE
THAT IT DID, WHILE
OTHER MOVEMENTS WERE
TAKING PLACE
EMPIRICALLY SPEAKING. SO
WHAT YOU SEE IN
FRONT OF YOU IS THE
CURRENT BREAKDOWN
OF THE RELIGIOUS
LANDSCAPE IN THE
UNITED STATES. A FEW
THINGS THAT JUMP OUT
TO YOU AS YOU LOOK
AT THAT LIST,
APPROXIMATELY 70% OF THE
U.S. POPULATION
IDENTIFIES WITH ONE
MAJOR WORLD RELIGION.
ADDITIONALLY,
ABOUT 30% OF U.S.
ADULTS BELONG TO THE
RELIGIOUSLY UNAFFILIATED.
THIS INCLUDES
ATHEISTS, AGNOSTIC
AND A CATEGORY THAT
MAKES UP 20% OF THE
U.S. POPULATION, THE
NOTHING IN PARTICULAR.
AND I WANT TO
JUST TAKE A MOMENT
AND REFLECT ON THAT
DEMOGRAPHIC THAT
YOU SEE IN FRONTS OF
YOU. RELIGIOUS IDENTITY
CAPTURES IN PART
SOME OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
DYNAMICS AND
WHY THAT MIGHT BE RELEVANT TO
PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE.
BUT IF YOU REALLY
START TO LOOK DEEP
INTO RELIGIOUS
IDENTITY, IT BECOMES
VERY COMPLICATED
VERY QUICKLY. SCOTT
RICHARDS REFLECTED
ON THIS DYNAMIC AND
SAID THAT ONCE YOU
START TO STUDY
CLIENTS RELIGIOUS AND
SPIRITUAL PROCESSES,
YOU QUICKLY REALIZE
THIS IS ONE OF THE
MOST DIVERSE AREAS OF
HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY. SO
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT
LIST OF REPRESENTED
TRADITIONS, YOU CAN
RECOGNIZE THAT THOUGH
CLIENTS FROM ONE
TRADITION MAY IDENTIFY WITH ONE
IDENTITY, WHETHER
PROTESTANT CATHOLIC,
ET CETERA, THEY MAY
NOT EMBRACE THE SAME
TEACHINGS, THEY
MAY HAVE DIFFERENT
METAPHYSICAL PERSPECTIVES
IN WHICH THEY
BASE THEIR PERSPECTIVE
ON THE RELIGION
AT HOME. SO ONCE WE
START TO LOOK DEEPLY
INTO RELIGIOUS
DEMOGRAPHICS LIKE THIS,
WE QUICKLY REALIZE THAT ONE IS A
COMPLICATED LANDSCAPE,
AND TWO, IT IS
VERY DYNAMIC. SO THE
20% THAT BELONG TO
CATEGORY CALLED
NOTHING IN PARTICULAR,
ARE MADE UP OF A
VERY DIVERSE BODY OF
PERSPECTIVES. THESE
CAN INCLUDE PEOPLE
WHO ARE DECONVERTING
FROM RELIGION, WHO
MAY HAVE HAD
RELIGIOUS TRAUMA THAT
CAUSED DI CONVERSION,
IT COULD BE PEOPLE
WHO ARE RAISED IN
SPIRITUAL BUT NOT
RELIGIOUS CONTEXT.
IT COULD ALSO INCLUDE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE
HYBRID IDENTITIES,
IDENTIFY AS BUDDHISTS
AND CATHOLICS FOR
INSTANCE AT THE
SAME TIME. SO THIS
PICTURE, IT IS VERY
COMPLICATED. WITNESS
YOU START TO LOOSE
LOOK AT SOME OF THE
WORK DONE ON
SPIRITUALTY AND HEALTH
THERE, IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TAKE AWAYS
THAT INFORM RELIGIOUS
AND SPIRITUAL
COMPETENCE. SOME
SPEAKERS THAT YOU HAVE
HAD BE PART OF YOUR
GROUP IN THE PAST
LIKE KOENIG, HAVE
BEEN LOOKING CLOSELY
AT THESE FIGURES
OF HOW SPIRITUALTY
HEALTH RELATE TO
EACH OTHER AND BY AND
LARGE THEY FOUND THAT
THERE TENDS TO BE
A POSITIVE CORRELATION
BETWEEN THE TWO,
NOT IN EVERY
INSTANCE, MINORITY OF
STUDIES AND CASES,
THERE ARE NEGATIVE
CORRELATIONS. BUT
THE MAJORITY OF THESE
STUDIES TEND TO POINT
TOWARDS A POSITIVE
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SPIRITUALTY,
RELIGIOUSTY AND
HEALTH METRICS. A
COLLEAGUE OF MINE
RALPH PIEDMONT HAS
DONE ENORMOUS AMOUNT
OF WORK LOOKING AT
PERSONALITY AND HOW
IT RELATES TO HEALTH
AND MOW THAT RELATES
TO SPIRITUALTY AND
RELIGIOUSTY. RALPH'S
WORK FOUND THAT
SPIRITUALTY IS ITS OWN UNIQUE
PERSONALITY
DIMENSION, SOME UNIQUE
SOURCE OF MOTIVATION,
THAT'S NOT BETTER
EXPLAINED BY YOUR
TENDENCY TO HAVE AN
OPEN PERSONALITY TOWARD NOVEL
EXPERIENCES, FOR
INSTANCE. FURTHERMORE
WHAT RALPH HAS
FOUND IS THAT OVER A
SERIES OF STUDIES
OVER THE PAST 25
YEARS, THAT SPIRITUALTY
CONSISTENTLY
PREDICTS POSITIVE
EMOTION, MEANING,
PURPOSE, GENERAL WELL
BEING, AND IF YOU
JUST LOOK AT THAT
LIST OF CONSTRUCTS,
THESE ARE ALL THINGS
THAT ARE RELEVANT
TO MENTAL HEALTH AND
WELL BEING. THE
SAME IS ALSO TRUE
OF RELIGIOUSTY, WHAT
RALPH HAS FOUND
IS RELIGIOUSTY IS
PRIMARILY NEGATIVELY
RELATED TO NEGATIVE
AFFECT MEANING IT
HAS A STABILIZING
CAPACITY AS PEOPLE
GO THROUGH THEIR
RITUALS, THEY GO
THROUGH THE PROCESSES
THAT ARE PART OF
THEIR RELIGION THAT IS
STABILIZES NEGATIVE
AFFECT IS WHAT IT
SEEMS TO INDICATE. AND THIS IS
GENERALIZABLE ACROSS
RELIGIOUS IDENTITY
SO IT IS NOT JUST LOOKING AT ONE
PARTICULAR RELIGIOUS
GROUP, THIS SEEMS
TO BE A COMMONALITY
THAT CUTS ACROSS
DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS
IDENTITIES. WHICH
WOULD SUGGEST THERE IS A THIRD
EXPLAINING FACTOR
OF WHY WILL IS THIS
CONNECTION TO
SPIRITUALTY AND HEALTH.
WHEN YOU LOOK DOWN
THE ROAD AND COME TO
THE PRESENT, WHAT
WE HAVE FOUND TOO
LOOKING AT RELIGIOUS
AND SPIRITUAL
INTERVENTIONS IN COUNSELING AND
PSYCHOTHERAPY
SPECIFICALLY, THESE ARE
RANDOMIZED CONTROL
TRIALS, THAT ARE
COMPARING TRADITIONAL
PSYCHOTHERAPY
STRATEGIES LIKE
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL
THERAPY, AND THEN
THEY ARE COMPARING
THEIR AFFECTS TO ACCOMMODATING
THERAPIES. SO IN SOME
OF THESE STUDIES,
WHAT IS DONE IS A
COMPARABLE TRADITIONAL
TREATMENT CDT IS THEN
ACCOMMODATED TO A
PARTICULAR RELIGION
LIKE CHRISTIAN CBT
SO THE CONCEPTS OF
CHRISTIANITY ARE
INFUSED IN THE MAIN
TREATMENT. LOOKING
AT STUDIES OVER
97 AN DOCUMENTIZE
CONTROL TRIALS INCLUDING
7,000 PATIENTS,
JOSH HOOK AND COLLEAGUES
HAVE FOUND NOT
ONLY ARE SPIRITUAL RELIGIOUSLY
ACCOMMODATIVE
THERAPIES ON PAR WITH
TRADITIONAL
THERAPIES IN TERMS OF
REDUCING THINGS LIKE DEPRESSION,
ANXIETY, ET CETERA,
BUT THEY ALSO BOOST
SPIRITUAL WELL BEING
WHICH TRADITIONAL
PSYCHOTHERAPIES DON'T
FOCUS EXPLICITLY
ON. IT IS ALSO BEEN
FOUND OVER TIME
HERBERT BENSON WAS
THE FIRST TO STUMBLE
UPON THIS FINDING
BUT IT IS ALSO NOW
BEEN TESTED IN IN A
VARIETY OF CONTEXTS,
THAT WHEN A CLIENT
OR RESEARCH SUBJECT
COMBINES A INTERVENTION LIKE A
FORGIVENESS INTERVENTION, OR A
MEDITATION INTERVENTION,
WHEN THAT IS
COMBINED WITH HIGH SCORES ON
SPIRITUALTY, RELIGIOUSTY,
THAT IT HAS A
MODERATING AFFECT OR
POTENTIATING EFFECT
FOR THAT INTERVENTION.
SO PEOPLE FOR
INSTANCE WHO MEDITATE
REGULARLY BUT THEY
ALSO ENGAGE IN A
RELIGIOUS PRACTICE, OR
THEY ALSO SCORE
HIGH ON A SPIRITUAL
TRANSDEN SENSE
INDEX WILL REPORT
LOWER SCORES ON
DEPRESSION AS COMPARED
TO PEOPLE WHO SCORE
LOWER ON SPIRITUAL
TRANSSEN DENSE,
FOR INSTANCE, IT
IS ALSO LOOKED AT
FROM THE CONTEXT OF
STRUGGLES AND CRY
CEASE. THERE'S 32
LONGITUDINAL
STUDIES THAT LOOK AT
RELIGIOUS SPIRITUAL
STRAGGINGS AND HOW
THEY MAY UNIQUELY
PREDICT THINGS LIKE
DEPRESSION, TRAUMA,
ET CETERA. WHAT
THESE STUDIES HAVE FOUND IS THAT
RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL
STRUGGLES HAVE A
UNIQUE PATHWAY OF
DISTRESS OR THEY CAN
EXACERBATE EXISTING
TRAUMAS THAT PEOPLE
HAVE EXPERIENCED.
FURTHERMORE, IF
THESE SPIRITUAL
RELIGIOUS STRUGGLES ARE
NOT DIRECTLY ADDRESSED
AND REMAIN ACTIVE
IT CAN ACTUALLY
SABOTAGE THE PROCESS OF
HEALING FOR PEOPLE. SO FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF RESOURCES FROM
PERSPECTIVE OF
STRUGGLES, RELEVENCE TO
HEALTHCARE AND
THEREFORE RELEVANT TO
SPIRITUAL RELIGIOUS
COMPETENCE. BUT ALSO
WHEN CLIENTS ARE
SURVEYED, CLIENTS ALSO
SPEAK DIRECTLY HOW
THESE DYNAMICS PLAY A
ROLE IN THEIR MENTAL
HEALTH AS WELL AS
MENTAL HEALTHCARE.
SO OUR COLLEAGUE
HOLLY OXHANDLER
AND COLLEAGUES IN
NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE
PUBLISHED A COUPLE
OF YEARS AGO ASK
CLIENTS ABOUT THEIR
SPIRITUALTY, THEIR
MENTAL HEALTH, AND
THEN ALSO ABOUT THE
PROCESS OF SEEKING
MENTAL HEALTHCARE.
THE NUMBERS YOU SEE
IN FRONT OF YOU,
MAJORITY OF MENTAL
HEALTH CONSUMERS, AT
LEAST IN THIS STUDY,
STATED THAT THEY
VIEW THEIR RELIGION
AND SPIRITUALTY AS
DIRECTLY RELEVANT
TO THEIR MENTAL
HEALTH. THEY SAID
RELIGIOUS SPIRITUAL
BELIEFS TO REBUTTAL
TO MENTAL HEALTH,
CAPACITY TO COPE
TO DIVERSITIES AND
TRAUMAS THEY EXPERIENCE.
THEY CAN EDGE
COURAGE PEOPLE TO
PURSUE HEALTH, MENTAL
HEALTH SPECIFICALLY.
SO ALL OF THESE
FIGURES MATCH VERY
CLOSELY WITH WHEN WE
LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHIC
INFORMATION OF
THE NATION OVERALL.
WHAT WE DO IS
MAJORITY OF MENTAL
HEALTH CONSUMERS ONE,
HAVE A RELIGIOUS
SPIRITUAL TRADITION,
AND THEN ALSO VIEW
THEIR SPIRITUALTY AS
CONNECTED TO OR
RELEVANT TO THEIR MENTAL
HEALTH. THEY ALSO
ASK CLIENTS WERE YOUR
RELIGIOUS SPIRITUAL
BELIEFS BROUGHT UP
IN THERAPY? A MINORITY
OF CLIENTS SAID
THAT IT WAS. SO WHEN
WE LOOK CLOSER AT
THOSE NUMBERS, THE
MAJORITY OF THE THE
TIME IT APPEARS THE
CLIENTS ARE THE ONES
RAISING THIS DYNAMIC.
FOR A MINORITY,
IT IS BROUGHT UP BY
THE THERAPIST. OF
AGAIN, A SMALLER
MINORITY SAID THAT IT
WASN'T BROUGHT UP
BUT THEY WISH THAT
THEY HAD DISCUSSED
IT WITH THEIR MENTAL
HEALTH PROVIDER.
LASTLY, ABOUT 22% SAID
NO AND THEY WERE
GLAD THAT IT WASN'T
DISCUSSED. SO
THESE ARE IMPORTANT
DYNAMICS TO BEAR IN
MIND WHEN IT COMES
TO RELIGIOUS AND
SPIRITUAL COMPETENCE
A. IT ISN'T SIMPLY
EVERY MENTAL HEALTH
CLIENT IS SEEKING INCLUSION OF
SPIRITUALTY IN THEIR
TREATMENT PROCESS.
FOR SOME THEY WOULD
ACTUALLY PREFER IT
NOT BE INCLUDED. ALL
OF THAT IS RELEVANT
FOR COMPETENCY.
DETERMINING WHEN IS THE
APPROPRIATE TIME AND
WHEN IT IS NOT THE
APPROPRIATE TIME. TO
ENGAGE SPIRITUALTY
IN THE COUNSELING
PROCESS. SO IF I CAN
SUMMARIZE THESE
RESEARCH FINDINGS AND
HOW THEY THEN RELATE
TO SPIRITUAL AND
RELIGIOUS COMPETENCY,
THEY ARE THE SIX
MAJOR TAKE AWAYS,
SPIRITUALLY RELIGION
ARE COMMON, THEY ARE
SALIENT TO DIVERSE
IDENTITIES, THEY ARE
MULTI-DIMENSIONAL,
THEY INVOLVE A DIVERSE
ARRAY OF BELIEFS
EMOTIONS BEHAVIORS AND A
PLEURALLISTIC
SOCIETY WITH MULTIPLE
RELIGIONS. THEY
ARE MULTI-LEVEL, CAN
ENGAGE AT THE
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, IT CAN
AFFECT HOW FAMILY
DYNAMICS FUNCTION, HOW
INDIVIDUALS RELATE
TO THEIR COMMUNITIES
AS WELL AS SYSTEMS
AND SOCIETY. FLEXION
SPIRITUAL AND
RELIGIOUS PROCESSES ARE
FACTORS OF INDIVIDUAL
DIFFERENCES SO
PEOPLE CAN BE MORE
OR LESS DEVOUT TO A
RELIGION, BE PART
OF RELIGION OR NOT
PART OF RELIGION,
THEY CAN EXPLAIN
PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES
OVER AND ABOVE
OTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS LIKE
PERSONALITY AND
CONTROLLING FOR OTHER
THINGS LIKE SOCIAL
SUPPORT. LASTLY
SPIRITUALTY AND RELIGION ARE
MULTI-VALENT, SO
THEY ARE POSITIVE AND
THEY ALSO HAVE NEGATIVE
IMPLICATIONS FOR
PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH
AND WELL BEING. SO
THESE SIX MAJOR
REASONS I THINK HELP
PROVIDE SOLID RATIONALE
FOR THE CONCEPT
OF SPIRITUAL AND
RELIGIOUS COMPETENC
IES. AND SOME AGENCIES
AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL RESPONDED TO
THIS INFORMATION. AND
NOW INCLUDES
SPIRITUALTY AS PART OF
THEIR WELLNESS MODELS.
SO THE MODEL YOU
SEE IN FRONT OF YOU
IS FROM SAMHSA AND
SO IN 2006 SAMHSA
ADOPTED SPIRITUALTY
INTO ITS WELLNESS
MODEL, DUE TO THIS
INCREASING AWARENESS OF THE
INTERCONNECTIONS
BETWEEN HEALTH AND
SPIRITUALTY AND
SPECIFICALLY MENTAL
HEALTH. SO I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT
I ALSO HIGHLIGHT WHAT
DO CLINICIANS SAY?
CLINICIANS HAVE
RECOGNIZED THAT THE
MAJORITY OF CLIENTS
NOW SEEK THIS TYPE
OF HELP AND THE
MAJORITY OF CLINICIANS
ALSO SAY IT IS
RELEVANT TO CLIENT WELL
BEING. SO WHAT IS
THE PROBLEM, IN OTHER
WORDS? THE PROBLEM
IS IS THAT WHEN WE
ALSO SURVEY
CLINICIANS ABOUT THEIR
PRACTICES, FEWER
THAN 50% ACTUALLY
REPORT DOING A FULL
BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL AND
SPIRITUAL ASSESSMENT
WITH EACH OF THEIR
CLIENTS. THIS IS
REFERRED TO NOW AS THE
TRAINING GAP IN
SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS
COMPETENCY. WHAT WE HAVE COME TO
RECOGNIZE IS THAT
THROUGH MULTIPLE
STUDIES THAT HAVE
COME OUT OVER THE LAST
20 YEARS, IS THAT NO SPIRITUALTY
RELIGION HAD BECOME
MORE SAIL YEN TO
MENTAL HEALTH AND
WELL BEING -- SALIENT
TO MENTAL HEALTH AND
WELL BEING. THERE
IS A NOTICEABLE LACK
OF TRAINING THAT
OCCURS ACROSS
PSYCHOLOGY SOCIAL WORK,
COUNSELING, AND
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
THERAPY. SO THIS
IS NOT NECESSARILY
SOMETHING THAT IS
ANY ONE PERSON'S
FAULT. THIS IS ACTUALLY PROBABLY
SOMETHING THAT IS
PRETTY COMMON WHEN
SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS
COME OUT, WHEN THEY
ARE IMPLEMENTED THERE
CAN BE DECADES OF
TIME WHERE THOSE
FINDINGS DON'T MAKE IT
INTO THE HANDS OF
PRACTITIONERS. SO THE
GAP BETWEEN WHAT
WE NOW KNOW ABOUT
SPIRITUALTY AND
RELIGION AND HOW THAT
RELATES TO HEALTH
IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE
BEHIND THE SPIRITUAL RELIGIOUS
COMPETENCIES PROJECT
THAT I WORK ON.
THIS WAS A 5.3 MILLION
-DOLLAR GRANT FROM
THE JOHN TEMPLETON
FOUNDATION. THE
PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT
IS TO IMPROVE THE
MENTAL HEALTHCARE
PROCESS THAT CAN
PROMOTE HUMAN
FLOURISHING BY ENSURING
THAT EVERY MENTAL
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
ATTENDS TO THEIR
CLIENTS FAITH OR
SPIRITUALTY AND
CLINICAL PRACTICE. OUR
PROJECTS HAS FOUR OVERARCHING
INTERLOCKING SUB
PROJECTS. THE FIRST
HEADED UP BY MY
COLLEAGUES, MICHELLE
PIERCE AS WELL AS KEN
HAVE FINISHED DATA
COLLECTION IMPLEMENTING
A SPIRITUALTY
COMPETENCY TRAINING
PROCESS FOR MENTAL
HEALTHCARE
PROFESSIONALS ACROSS 20
PROGRAMS WITH
STUDENTS DOING THEIR
CLINICAL WORK. THE
SECOND PROJECT I LEAD
HAS BEEN INVOLVED
IN RECRUITING A
DIVERSE SET OF
PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATORS
WHO ARE WORKING ON
11 SEPARATE RESEARCH
PROJECTS WHICH I
WILL SHOW YOU IN A
MINUTE, SIMULTANEOUSLY
ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. THE THIRD
SUB PROJECT IS
LOOKING AT A NATIONAL
SET OF FACULTY WHO
ARE CURRENTLY
TRAINING MENTAL HEALTH
PROVIDERS TO LOOK
AT THEIR VIEWS,
BEHAVIORS AND NEEDS
AND TRAINING AND
RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL
COMPETENCY, THAT
IS HEED UP BY DR.
HOLLY OXHANDLER AND
THE FOURTH IS SUB
PROJECT 4 WHICH IS
LOOKING AT HOW
HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS
OVERALL FUNCTION AS
THEY RELATE TO THIS
TOPIC. THAT IS HEADED UP BY OUR
COLLEAGUE CASSANDRA
VIETEN. ONE OF THE
MAJOR FINDINGS THAT
CAME OUT OF OUR SUB
PROJECT PARTI IS THISCULAR
PARTICULAR STRATEGIC
GOAL. ONE THING WE
NOTICE WITH TRAINERS, EDUCATORS
SUPERVISORS, A NUMBER
OF PEOPLE ACROSS
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
WHETHER OR NOT
THEY ARE ENTHUSIASM
ON THIS TOPIC OR NOT
ENTHUSIASTICKIC
ABOUT THE PROPECK IS
THERE IS A LACK OF METHODS TO
INCORPORATE INTO THEIR
MENTAL HEALTHCARE
TRAINING ENVIRONMENTS.
SO THIS INCLUDES
THE LACK OF
PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGIES,
TEACHING GUIDELINES,
METHODS, CERTAIN
LANGUAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE USED,
BENCHMARK ASSESSMENTS,
THAT CAN BE
INFUSED INTO EXISTING TRAINING
PARADIGMS. SO WHAT
I'M GOING TO WALK
YOU THROUGH IS HOW
OUR PARTICULAR SUB
PROJECT IS ADDRESSING
THIS CRITICAL
STRATEGIC NEED. THE WAY WE HAVE
CONSTRUCTED THIS
RESEARCH PROCESS IS TO
HAVE THIS LOGIC MODEL
IN THE FOR FRONT
-- FOREFRONT. COMING
OFF WHAT I SHARED
AT THE BEGINNING
OF MY TALK WHERE
THERE'S MASSIVE
MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE
TAKEN US TO THE PRESENT
IN PSYCHOTHERAPY
TRAINING, WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE SPIRITUAL
RELIGIOUS COMPETENCY
IS NOT SIMPLY A
REDUNDANT PROCESS
WE ARE ASKING MENTAL
HEALTH PROVIDERS TO
ENGAGE IN. SO THE
LOGIC MODEL YOU SEE
IN FRONT OF YOU IS
KEEPING THAT SET OF
CONTROLS IN MINDS.
SO WE EXPECT TO SEE
WHEN PEOPLE ENGAGE
IN TRAINING PROCESS
OF SPIRITUALTY AND
RELIGION, IN COUNSELING AND
PSYCHOTHERAPY, WE
WOULD EXPECT TO SEE
THAT THEIR SCORES
ON SPIRITUAL AND
RELIGIOUS COMPETENCY
INCREASE. HOWEVER
WHAT OUR PROJECT
STARTING TO MOVE INTO,
IS TO MAKE THE
CONNECTION WHETHER OR NOT
WHEN A PSYCHOLOGIST
COUNSELOR OR SOCIAL
WORKER, ET CETERA, IS TRAINED IN
SPIRITUAL RELIGIOUS
COMPETENCY, IF THAT
HAS A MEASURABLE
EFFECT ON THE WORK THEY
DO WITH THEIR CLIENTS,
SO THAT DIRECT
LINE TO CLINICAL
OUTCOMES WOULD BE OUR
RESEARCH OR HYPOTHESIS.
AT THE SAME TIME
WHAT WE ALSO BELIEVE
IS TRUE, IS THAT
THERE WILL ALSO BE
AN INDIRECT PATHWAY,
SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS
COMPETENCE WILL
MOVE THROUGH AND
THAT WILL BE THROUGH
MULTI-CULTURAL
ORIENTATION. THEN LEADING
TO CLINICAL OUTCOMES.
SO KEEPING THAT
IN THE BACKGROUND,
I WANT TO WALK
THROUGH IN THE TIME
I HAVE REMAINING THE
CURRENT PROJECTS
THAT WE ARE WORKING
WITH. TO GIVE YOU AN
EXAMPLE HOW THIS IS
BEING CONDUCTED. SO
THE FIRST PROJECT
TEAM SPIRITUAL
RELIGIOUS COMPETENCY
TRAINING FOR VETERANS
AFFAIRS MENTAL
HEALTH TRAINING
DR. HARRIS AND DR.
KONDRATH ARE ROLLING
OUT A TRAINING
PROJECT IN THE VA
MEDICAL SYSTEM IN
MAINE. THIS PROJECT
IS ONE A FEASIBILITY
PROJECT THAT HAS MULTIPLE TIME
COMMITMENTS IN TERMS
OF THE TRAINING
PROCESS THAT THEY
ARE TESTING. AND THEN
THEY ARE ALSO TESTING
DEGREE TO WHICH
CLIENTS AND PATIENTS
FEEL BENEFITS FROM
THIS TRAINING IN
THE VA. THE NEXT SUB
PROJECT IS HEADED UP
BY DR. RANIA AWAAD,
STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
HER SUB PROJECT
HAS DEVELOPED A
TRAINING TO IMPROVE THE
COMPETENCY OF MENTAL HEALTHCARE
PROVIDERS TO WORK WITH MUSLIM
POPULATIONS. SO
HER PROJECT HAS SIX
OVERALL TRAINING
MODULES THAT HER TEAM
HAS DEVELOPED AND
IS CURRENTLY ROLLING
OUT ACROSS SEVERAL
MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN
THE COUNTRY ACTUALLY NOTICE
POINT TO TEST WHETHER OR NOT HER
TRAINING PROCESS
IMPROVES THE CULTURAL
COMFORT OF CLINICIANS
TO WORK WITH
MUSLIM PATIENTS AND
CLIENTS. THE THIRD
SUB PROJECT CLINICIAN
RESISTANCE TO
ENGAGE WITH RELIGION
AND SPIRITUALTY AND
THERAPY, IDENTIFYING
AND UNDERSTANDING
BARRIERS IS HEADED
UP BY DR. DEAL AND
DR. MAGYAR RUSSELL.
THIS FROM APOLOGETIC
INTERVIEWS TRAINEES
WHAT MAKES IT
DIFFICULT FOR THEM
TO THINK ABOUT OR
IMAGINE ENGAGING THE PROCESS OF
RELIGIOUS SPIRITUAL
COMPETENCY TRAINING.
THEY ARE ALSO DELVING
INTO IF THERE ARE
WAYS IN WHICH
PROFESSORS SUPERVISORS,
MAY ACTUALLY BE ADDING
TO THE RESISTANCE
THEY EXPERIENCE IN
TERMS OF THE OPENNESS
OF STUDENTS TO THE
TOPIC IN GENERAL. THE
NEXT SUB PROHEADED UP BY DR.
CALLAHAN AND DR.
DIMMICK IS LOOKING AT A
RAINING PROCESS OF
FIVE SKILL DOMAINS,
FUNCTIONAL SKILL
DOMAINS NOT NECESSARILY
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE
BUT WAYS IN WHICH
CLINICIANS ENGAGE
WITH THEIR CLIENTS IN
THE COUNSELING AND
PSYCHOTHERAPY PROCESS
UTILIZING ACTOR
SCENARIOS THEY THEN
RECORD AND THEN TEST
WITH STUDENTS IN
THEIR TRAINING CLINIC
AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF NORTH TEXAS. AND
IT IS A MEASURED
DEGREE WHICH
COMPETENCY RELATES TO
CLINICAL OUTCOMES IN
THEIR CLINIC. THE
NEXT SUB PROJECTS
FROM DR. GUTIERREZ AND
DORALS, HOW CENTERING
PRACTICES LIKE
MEDITATION CAN IMPROVE SPIRITUAL
RELIGIOUS COMPETENCY
TRAINING. SO THEY
ARE USING ONE OF THE
TRAININGS THAT IS
HEADED UP BY DR.
MICHELLE PIERCE AND
THEN ADDING A
CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE
COMPONENT TO ONE OF
THE CONDITIONS OR
ARMS OF THE RANDOMIZE
CONTROL TRIAL,
THEY ARE HEN TESTING
THAT TRAINING ON
CLINICAL OUTCOMES.
THE NEXT SUB PROJECT
WITH DR. ROSMARIN,
MCCLEAN HOSPITAL
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
MEDICAL SCHOOL IS
TESTING A 90 MINUTE
IN PATIENT PSYCHO
EDUCATION GROUP
CURRICULUM THAT HE
DEVELOPED PILOT TESTED
BEFORE AND IS NOW
LOOKING AT A TRAINING
PROCESS THAT HE
HAS DEVELOPED IN
TERMS OF IMPROVING
THESE SPIRITUAL AND
RELIGIOUS COMPETENC
IES OF COUNSELORS,
PSYCHOLOGISTS SOCIAL
WORKERS IN IN
PATIENT MENTAL HEALTH
TREATMENT. DR. ARNOLD
IS USING THAT SAME
TRAINING BUT THEN
EXTENDING IT TO
PSYCHIATRIC RESIDENCY
AND CHAPLAIN
RESIDENCIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
PENNSYLVANIA MEDICAL
SCHOOL. THE NEXT
SUB PROJECTS SPIRITUAL
AND RELIGIOUS
COMPETENCIES IN
COUPLES AND FAMILY
THERAPY, HEADED BY
DR. SELLS AND DR.
RIPLY, THIS TRAINING
PROJECT IS ZEROING
IN ON SPECIFICALLY FAMILY COUPLE
DYNAMICS AROUND SPIRITUALTY AND
RELIGION. THEIR
PROJECT HAS A BUILT IN
DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS
FROM BEGINNING
COMPETENCE TO MORE INTERMEDIATE
COMPETENCIES TO
WORK WITH FAMILIES
AROUND RELIGIOUS AND
SPIRITUAL DYNAMICS.
THE NEXT SUB PROJECT,
DR. VAN ORMAN AND
DR. VANHARN LOOK
AT UNIQUE TRAINING
PROCESS IN A OUTPATIENT
MENTAL HEALTH
TREATMENT ORGANIZATION
AND THEY ARE
RANDOMIZING CLINICIANS
TO GO THROUGH
THIS TRAINING PROCESS
AND THEN IN REAL
TIME MEASURING THEIR
OUTCOME AND WORK
WITH THEIR CLIENTS. THE NEXT SUB
PROJECTS HEADED BY
DR. WADE IS UTILIZING
WHAT IS CALLED SKILL
SETTER TRAININGS
WHICH ARE VIDEO
VIGNETTES THAT ASK
TRAINEES TO WORK
WITH THE VIDEOS AND
THEN RECORD THEIR
RESPONSES AS IF THEY
WERE THE CLINICIAN
WORKING WITH THE
CLIENT IN THE CASE
VIDEO. THEY ARE USING
A PEER CONSULTATION
GROUP WITHIN THEIR
INSTITUTION TO SEE
IF MEETING ON A
REGULAR BASIS WITH
PEERS INCREASE
SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS
COMPETENCY AND
THEN LASTLY, DR.
WINKELJOHN BLACK ARE
USING THE SKILL SETTER
VIDEO PROCESS TO
TRAIN STUDENTS IN
DELIBERATE PRACTICE
THAT INCREASES
THEIR MULTI-CULTURAL
ORIENTATION AS RELATES
TO RELIGION AND
SPIRITUALTY. AND DR.
BLACK ALSO LOOK AT
CLIENT AND PATIENT
OUTCOMES. SO EACH ONE
OF THESE TRAINING
METHODS WE HAVE
CAREFULLY SELECTED,
AND WE HAVE DONE
THAT BASED OFF FIVE
-- EXCUSE ME, SIX
CRITERIA. WE THINK
EACH ONE OF THESE
TRAINING METHODS
IS CONSISTENT WITH
ETHICAL STANDARDS
WITHIN MENTAL HEALTH
DISCIPLINES. THEY
ARE INCLUSIVE OF
DIVERSE SPIRITUAL
RELIGIOUS IDENTITIES,
THEY ARE BASED ON
THE BEST AVAILABLE
EVIDENCE OF WHAT
WORKS, COMMON FACTORS
OF WHAT WORKS. THEY
ARE FREE OF ULTERIOR
RELIGIOUS OR NON
-RELIGIOUS AGENDAS. THEY
ARE CONSISTENT
WITH MULTI-CULTURAL
COMPETENCE. AND THEN
LASTLY, EACH ONE OF
THESE TRAINING
PROCESSES CAN BE EASILY
INFUSED INTO
EXISTING PARADIGMS OF
MENTAL HEALTH
TRAINING. ALL OF THESE
RESOURCES THAT I JUST
WENT THROUGH WITH
EACH ONE OF OUR SUB
PROJECT TEAMS, THESE
TRAINING METHODS AND
RESOURCES WILL BE
MADE AVAILABLE FOR
ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO
ACCESS WITHOUT CHARGE.
SO A BIG PART OF
OUR PROJECT IS
EMPOWERING OTHER PEOPLE
WHO MAY NOT CONSIDER
THEMSELVES TO BE
EXPERTS, THEY MAY BE -- MAY EVEN
CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE
NON-ENTHUSIASTS
OF THIS TOPIC, TO
RECOGNIZE ITS
IMPORTANCE BUT ALSO HAVE
RESOURCES AND AVENUES
OF TRAINING TO BE
ABLE TO GET UP TO
SPEED IN ORDER TO
TRAIN THEIR OWN
STUDENTS TO WORK WITH
CLIENTS AROUND THESE
ISSUES. WITH THAT,
I WILL STOP MY PART
OF THE COMMENTS AND
I WILL BE HAPPY TO
ADDRESS QUESTIONS.
>> GREAT, DR. FOX.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
SUCH AN ENRICHING
PRESENTATION. I KNOW
THERE MUST BE MANY
QUESTIONS. WE HAVE
ABOUT SIX MINUTES
AND WE CAN GO OVER A
LITTLE BIT BUT THAT
WAS JUST REALLY
EXCELLENT. SO THANK
YOU. I KNOW THERE
ARE A COUPLE OF
THINGS IN THE CHAT, I
JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF
CLARIFICATION IS
NEEDED, I SEE CHAPLAIN
MIKE SUSSMAN HAD A
QUESTION. MIKE, DO
YOU WANT TO RUN THAT
QUESTION OR ARE YOU
CLEAR?
>> I THINK I'M
SATISFIED WITH THE
ANSWER, I SEE OTHER
QUESTIONS THERE THAT
I'M HAPPY TO DEFER TO.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU.
I KNOW ANN, DR. ANN
BERGER RAISED HER
HAND. WHY DON'T YOU GO
WHILE I'M SCROLLING
IN THE CHAT AND
LOOKING FOR ANYTHING
ELSE OUTSTANDING.
>> YOU ARE MUTED.
>> EXCELLENT LECTURE,
THANK YOU, VERY
MUCH. QUESTION IN
ALL OF THESE I KNOW
THERE ARE DIFFERENT
STUDIES THAT ARE
BEING DONE, DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS. BUT ARE
IN ANY OF THEM LOOKING
AT LANGUAGE USE,
QUESTIONS USED FOR
THE MENTAL HEALTH
PROVIDER TO LEARN HOW TO ASK IN
DIFFERENTIATING RELIGION
AND SPIRITUALTY?
BECAUSE THEY ARE
DIFFERENCE AND THAT'S
PROBABLY ONE OF
THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES
TEACHING THIS.
>> ABSOLUTELY. YES.
AND THE ANSWER IS
YES. SO WHEN WE
GATHERED ALL THESE
PROJECT TEAMS TOGETHER,
ACTUALLY ABOUT
ALMOST EXACTLY A YEAR AGO WE MET
TOGETHER, WE TALKED
THROUGH QUESTIONS
LIKE THAT. SO WHEN
THE TOPIC OF RELIGION
AN SPIRITUALTY IS
BROACHED, WHAT ARE THE
SPECIFIC PHRASES THAT
ARE USED, WHAT ARE
THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
THAT ARE ASKED.
SO THE ANSWER IS YES, BUT IT IS
COMPLICATED. RIGHT?
BECAUSE ONE THING WE
HAVE RECOGNIZED I
THINK OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL DECADES IS
THAT IN EMPIRICAL
TERMS, IN MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING
CONTEXT, IT IS VERY
COMMON TO DEFINE
SPIRITUALTY IN ONE
WAY AND RELIGIOUSTY
IN ANOTHER WAY. SO
SO THOSE DON'T ALWAYS
LINE UP WITH THE
GENERAL POPULATION. SO
SPIRITUALTY CAN BE
SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE
IDENTIFY AS THEIR
RELIGIOUSTY, VICE
VERSA, RIGHT? BUT IN ALL OF THE
ASSESSMENT TOOLS AND
INVENTORIES IN OUR
SUB PROJECTS, WE ASK
OUR TEAMS TO THINK
THROUGH SOME COMMON
SET OF PHRASES.
THAT COULD BE
INCORPORATED. AGAIN,
RECOGNIZING THAT
CLIENTS BRING TO THOSE
TOPICS A VARIETY OF
MEANINGS. HOWEVER,
BUT TO HAVE EXPLICITLY THE TERM
SPIRITUALTY RELIGIOUSTY, YOU
CONSIDER YOURSELF
TO BE A SPIRITUAL
PERSON, YOU CONSIDER
YOURSELF TO BE A
RELIGIOUS PERSON. WE
TALK LIEU THOSE SO
THAT WE HAVE A COMMON
LANGUAGE SET THAN
WHEN WE LOOK AT
OUTCOMES ACROSS PROJECTS
WE WOULD HAVE A
GREATER CONSENSUS ABOUT
STARTING POINT ABOUT
THOSE TWO CONCEPTS.
SO IN SHORT, YES,
WE DID THINK THROUGH
THOSE DYNAMICS.
SPENT QUITE A BIT OF
TIME OVER THE PROS
AND CONS OF DIFFERENT
PHRASINGS.
>> SO ARE FROM QUESTIONS ABOUT
MEANINGFUL END POINTS?
>> COULD YOU SAY THAT AGAIN.
>> ARE THERE QUESTIONS
ABOUT MEANING,
PURPOSE, EXISTENTIAL ISSUE?
>> YES. SO SOME OF
THE PROJECTS, IT
DEPENDS UPON THEIR
PARTICULAR SITE, WHAT
IS TYPICALLY INCORPORATED
INTO A BATTERY
ASSESSMENT. BUT SOME
DO HAVE EXISTENTIAL
ISSUES WRAPPED INTO
THEIR ASSESSMENT.
THEIR ASSESSMENT
TOOLS. I THINK THE
UNIQUE PART OF WHAT
WAS ADDED IN OUR SUB
PROJECTS IS THE
EXPLICIT CONNECTION AND
FOCUS TO MULTI-CULTURAL
ORIENTATION. AND
MULTI-CULTURAL
ORIENTATION IN THE SENSE
OF TYING THAT EXPLICITLY TO
WHETHER OR NOT THE CLINICIAN IS
RESPONSIVE TO OR AVOIDING OF THE
CLIENT'S SPIRITUAL AN RELIGIOUS
PROCESSES.
>> THANK YOU, DR.
FOX. BEING MINDFUL OF
THE TIME AND SEEING
THERE IS A FEW
THINGS IN THE CHAT
AND WANTING TO HAVE A
FEW MINUTES OF
CLOSING, I KNOW JOHN
POLLACK HAD -- JOHN,
ARE YOU CLEAR ON
YOUR QUESTION? DO
YOU HAVE CLARITY? THERE WAS SOME
DIALOGUING BETWEEN JOHN AND
MIKE.
>> I'M NOT ENTIRELY
SURE. IT APPEARED TO
ME THAT AT LEAST IN
WHAT I CAUGHT ON TO
WAS THAT A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN MEDITATION
AND RELIGIOUS
PRACTICES OR SOMETHING
ALONG THOSE LINES.
AND MY COMMENT WAS IS
THAT SEEMS TO ME TO
BE A FALSE DICHOTOMY
IN THAT THEY ARE REALLY
MORE OF A OVERLAPPING
AND SO RATHER THAN
ONE OR THE OTHER. SO
JUST YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT.
>> YEAH. NUMBER OF
RESPONSES. I THINK
YOU ARE ARE DEFINITELY
ON TO SOMETHING
THERE. THERE IS A
WHOLE HISTORY TO THIS
OF THE DEGREE TO
WHICH MINDFULNESS
MEDITATION CAN BE
DETACHED FROM A
RELIGIOUS PRACTICE
IN WHICH IT FINDS ITS
ORIGIN. RIGHT? SO THIS WAS QUITE
EXPLICITLY DONE IN
THE APPLICATION OF
MINDFULNESS. SO JOHN
POLLACK SPEAKS VERY
CANDIDLY AN TRANSPARENTLY
ABOUT WHEN HE
INTRODUCED THE TERM
MINDFULNESS INTO THE
MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL
SCHOOL IN WHICH HE
WAS IN AT TIME, HE
WAS CAREFUL NOT TO
INCLUDE BUDDHIST FILL
LOSS SOPHY IN ANY
WAY CONNECTED TO IT.
HE'S VERY EXPLICIT
THAT HE WAS WORRIED
ABOUT ITS RECEPTION,
AMONG HIS MEDICAL
SCHOOL COLLEAGUES AS
BEING TOO NEW AGE,
TOO RELIGIOUS TO BE
SOMETHING OF USE
FROM THE MEDICAL
SYSTEM. PARTICULARLY ABOUT ITS
RELATIONSHIPS TO
MENTAL HEALTH. FAST
FORWARD 30, 40 YEARS,
WE ARE NOW I THINK
ENGAGING IN THIS
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW
MUCH IS THAT REALLY
DIFFERENTIATED IN
PRACTICE? AND SO SOME
IN THE MINDFULNESS
SCHOOLS WOULD SAY
IT HAS BEEN REMOVED
TOP SUCH AN EXTENT
IT IS NO LONGER
MINDFULNESS. AND
OTHERS WOULD SAY IT
HASN'T. SO THERE'S
REAL DEBATE AROUND
THE DEGREE TO WHICH A TERM LIKE
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
CONTEMPLATION,
CONTEMPORARY
PRACTICES ARE SEQ JUST
TECHNOLOGY, SOMETHING
YOU PRACTICE
VERSUS A BIGGER PART
OF YOUR IDENTITY, A
BIGGER PART OF
YOUR LIFE OVERALL.
>> I STILL THINK
THAT THE DICHOTOMY
SETUP IS NOT
PARTICULARLY USEFUL EVEN
WITHIN MANY TRADITIONS THAT THE
MINDSFULNESS APPROACH
TO MEDITATION IS
NOT ALL THERE IS.
SO SOMETHING FROM MY
CHURCH GROUP ON TYPES
OF MEDITATION, WE
HAD FIVE SESSIONS.
SO I THINK THERE ARE
SOME PLACES WHERE IF ONE TUCK
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION, THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT IS
-- WE HAVE TOTALLY
SECULAR AND AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE EVIL
POWERS TO SLIP IN.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> SO I THINK THAT
LANGUAGE IN AND OF
ITSELF, IF IT IS
THE ONLY -- IF IT IS
THE ONLY GAME IN
TOWN, THEN I THINK IS
PROBLEMATIC.
>> YEAH, I WOULD
AGREE. I GREW UP IN
MANY A TRADITION
THAT WOULD HAVE SAID
JUST THAT. SO I
TOTALLY AGREE. I THINK
ONE THING THAT IS
IMPORTANT IS TO BE
ABLE TO LOOK AT THINGS
SCIENTIFICICALLY
TO EXPLORE THEM
THROUGH THE METHODS OF
SCIENCE, RECOGNIZING
THE LIMITATIONS OF
THE SCIENTIFIC
METHOD TO BE ABLE TO
ADDRESS METAPHYSICAL
REALITIES. WHILE AT
THE SAME TIME NOT DIMINISHING OR
DEVALUING THE
THEOLOGICAL PHILOSOPHICAL
UNDERPINNINGS OF ANY PRACTICE.
>> I COULD CONTINUE
BUT IT IS 3:04 SO I
WILL STOP.
>> SAME HERE. WE
HAVE TO TALK MORE.
>> THIS IS REALLY
GREAT. I'M CONCERNED
THAT WE ARE AFTER 3
P.M. SO WHAT I WOULD
LIKE TO ENCOURAGE
IS IF PEOPLE HAVE
QUESTIONS FOR DR.
FOX, DR. FOX, IF THAT
IS OKAY WITH YOU,
THEY CAN REACH OUT TO
YOU DIRECTLY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. YEAH.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO
JUST KIND OF THANK
YOU AGAIN AND THANK
ALL THE PARTICIPANTS
AND GIVE A COUPLE OF
CLOSING REMARKS AND
SOME REMINDERS FOR
OUR NEXT MEETING.
JUST AGAIN, TO
REITERATE, THAT WAS A
FANTASTIC PRESENTATION
AND CERTAINLY A
LOT OF THOUGHT
PROVOKING AND LOTS TO
DIGEST MATERIAL THAT
YOU PRESENTED. I'M
HAPPY YOU ARE ALLOWING
US TO SHARE YOUR
SLIDES. I WILL POST
THEM IN OUR TEAM
PORTAL. IF ANYONE
WOULD LIKE A COPY I
CAN EMAIL -- JUST
EMAIL ME AND I WILL
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A
COPY. LEARNED A LOT
AND APPRECIATED
THIS, I HOPE EVERYONE
ELSE DID TOO. JUST
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR
SHARING SO GENEROUSLY
OF YOUR TIME AND
EXPERTISE WITH
US. WE WILL HAVE A
RECORDING ON OUR
WEBSITE AS SOON AS IT
IS AVAILABLE AND IF
I MAY JUST TAKE A
MINUTE TO GIVE
EVERYONE A FEW UPDATES
FOR SAVE THE DATES.
COMING UP ON TUESDAY
SEPTEMBER 19TH WE
WILL BE HOLDING A
RSH-SIG WORKSHOP
ON THE NIH CAMPUS
DURING THE NIH RESEARCH
FESTIVAL. PLEASE
CHECK OUT THE
INTRAMURAL RESEARCH
FESTIVAL WEBSITE FOR
MORE INFORMATION ON
THAT. WE WILL TRY
BOTH IN PERSON AND BY
ZOOM SO FOR THOSE
OUTSIDE THE AREA WE
WILL TRY TO MAKE
IT SO THAT YOU CAN
PARTICIPATE AS WELL.
THEN WE ARE VERY
EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE
THAT DR. KENNETH
PARGAMONT WILL PRESENT FOR US IN
OCTOBER, OCTOBER
17TH, T IT WILL BE IN
THE NIH WEBSITE
AND NIH CALENDAR OF
EVENTS. HE WILL BE
TALKING ABOUT THE
TALK HE PREPARED
WHICH IS GOING TO BE
CALLED SHAKEN TO
THE CORE, SPIRITUAL
STRUGGLES AS A VITAL
TOPIC FOR CLINICAL
RESEARCH AND
PRACTICE. I ENCOURAGE
EVERYONE TO MAKE ROOM
ON THEIR SCHEDULE
FOR THAT, I'M SURE
IT WILL BE FANTASTIC
AS WELL. AND KEEP
IN TOUCH WITH US. I
WILL ENCOURAGE
EVERYONE TO BE IN TOUCH
WITH US, WITH THE
WORK YOU ARE DOING THE
QUESTIONS YOU HAVE,
THE IDEAS ABOUT
FEEDBACK FOR US, LET'S
WORK TOGETHER. WE
ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO
HEARING FROM YOU. IF
YOU WOULD LIKE TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR
GROUP WE HAVE A
WEBSITE, IF YOU GOING T
RELIGIOUS SPIRITUALTY
AND HEALTH SIG AT
NIH YOU WILL FIND
US, OR IF YOU SEARCH
THE NIH WEBSITE, IT IS UNDER THE
INTEROFFICE OF
INTRAMURAL RESEARCH
SCIENTIFIC INTEREST
GROUP. SO THANK YOU
AGAIN, DR. FOX, AND
ALL OF YOU FOR BEING
HERE WITH US. I KNOW
I LOVED HAVING THIS
TIME TOGETHER. I WISH
WE COULD TALK FOR
ANOTHER HOUR OR TWO.
BUT HERE WE ARE.
HAVE A NICE DAY,
EVERYONE. STAY SAFE.