吃瓜爆料 Led Project Seeks to Integrate Spiritual Competencies in Mental Healthcare
Posted on October 28, 2021
Dr. Joseph Currier, a psychology professor at the University of South Alabama, looks forward to the day when mental healthcare includes a better understanding and appreciation of peoples鈥� religion and spirituality.
Over the next three years, he鈥檚 leading a national project, funded by a $5.2-million grant from the John Templeton Foundation, that will strengthen training, promote research, and coordinate efforts to integrate spiritual and religious competencies into graduate and post-graduate programs across the country.
The idea behind the project is that many clinicians lack the knowledge and experience to address spiritual and religious dimensions in the lives of their patients. The goal of the project is nothing less than 鈥淐atalyzing a Cultural Shift鈥� for better training and more effective clinical practices for persons from all spiritual backgrounds, including those who do not identify with any particular religion.
鈥淭here has been much progress in medical school and psychiatry residency programs to honor the role of spirituality in health. This is a similar pioneering effort for psychology and other mental health professions,鈥� Currier said. 鈥淭his is the first time there鈥檚 been a project of this magnitude for our professions.鈥�
South Alabama is the lead institution for the Spiritual and Religious Competencies Project, which is broken into four parts. These sub-projects involve a spiritually diverse group of nearly 20 professors and graduate students from Baylor University, Bowling Green State University, Stetson University, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the University of California, San Diego.
Three graduate students are working with Currier in Mobile. Megan Blanton, who鈥檚 earning her Ph.D. in clinical and counseling psychology, has more than 1,000 hours of experience as a mental health clinician. What she doesn鈥檛 have is much background in religion and spirituality.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not a central part of my life, which is why I think this is an even more valuable experience,鈥� Blanton said. 鈥淚n therapy, we explore very deep, personal issues of the mind and psyche. For people who are religious, these are some of the deepest parts of the heart and soul. To neglect that would be a disservice.鈥�
A website for the Spiritual and Religious Competencies Project 鈥� 鈥� describes plans for a spiritually integrated approach to mental healthcare.
Dr. Kenneth Pargament, an emeritus professor of psychology at Bowling Green University, has written several books on spiritually integrated therapy. He鈥檚 been a leader in the field for a half-century. Now he鈥檚 an enthusiastic participant in the nationwide project.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the culmination of decades of research that underscore the important connection between spirituality and mental health and well-being,鈥� Pargament said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also on the cutting edge, moving from research to practice, training people in mental health to be more expert in this area.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 been a real sea change in attitudes. When I started in the 1970s, there was a real skepticism and even antagonism about the need for training. But there鈥檚 been a real transformation since then. There鈥檚 greater openness and interest.鈥�
Currier reached out to Pargament when he began studies that led to his work with the competencies project.
鈥淚 was really impressed with Dr. Currier 鈥� he鈥檚 a rising star in this area of study,鈥� Pargament said. 鈥淲hen the possibilities for this project came up, he was the logical person to take the lead, given his expertise and productivity.鈥�
At South, Currier will be taking a sabbatical from teaching in the spring of 2022, which should make it easier for him to work on the competency program.
鈥淭his comes at a really opportune time for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檒l be able to do some travel. We have some meetings planned. I enjoy being the leader of the project. We have an amazing team that works well together. I have a do-whatever-it-takes attitude and deeply value the aims of this project.