Spiritual Interventions and Attachment - Seven Models for Clergy, Lay Ministers, and Mental Health Professionals

Spiritual Interventions and Attachment offers a variety of models of lay minister-driven spiritual interventions to which clergy from diverse religious backgrounds might consider referring their congregants. Each chapter reviews a specific model, providing a history, description, inclusion and exclusion criteria, training requirements, and a clinical illustration. The author also provides a critique of each model using attachment theory as the organizing framework.
All these models are designed to ease the overwhelming burden of clergy, who are unable to provide appropriately matched pastoral care to all their congregants who experience spiritual and emotional struggles. University course instructors, clergy, chaplains, pastoral counselors, lay ministers, and mental health professionals will benefit from this insightful book.

List of contents

1. Introduction Part 1: Models of Spiritual Intervention Conducted by Lay Ministers 2. Stephen Ministry: Carrying Each Other's Burdens 3. Spiritual Direction: An Invitation to the Practice of Contemplation 4. 12-Step Programs: Surrendering to the God of Our Understanding 5. Godly Play: Suffer the Little Children to Come unto Me Part 2: Models of Spiritual Intervention Conducted by Licensed Professionals 6. Using Drawing in a Spirituality Group to Discuss Mental Representations of God 7. Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy: Introducing Spirituality and Working Through Spiritual Struggles 8. Attachment-Informed Psychotherapy: Transforming Attachment Relationships to a Higher Power and to Parents 9. Final Reflections

About the author

Geoff Goodman, PhD, ABPP, is professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences in the Emory University School of Medicine and associate professor of psychology and spiritual care in Emory University's Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He holds board certifications in clinical psychology and psychoanalysis from the American Board of Professional Psychology.

Product details

• Authors: Goodman Geoff
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 20.03.2026
• EAN: 9781041019510
• ISBN: 978-1-041-01951-0
• No. of pages: 232
• Illustrations: schwarz-weiss Illustrationen, Raster,schwarz-weiss, Zeichnungen, schwarz-weiss, Tabellen, schwarz-weiss
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Education > Social education, social work; RELIGION / Spirituality, RELIGION / Counseling, RELIGION / Christian Ministry / Pastoral Resources, PSYCHOLOGY / Psychotherapy / Counseling, RELIGION / Christian Ministry / Counseling & Recovery, Psychotherapy, Psychoanalytical and Freudian psychology, Psychoanalytical theory (Freudian psychology), Social counselling and advice services, Counselling & Advice Services