Kenneth I. Pargament: Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy: Understanding and Addressing the Sacred

The search for a unified field theory has been the quest of more than one lifetime. Einstein sought such a theory to explain the relationship between classical physics and quantum mechanics. Classical physics closely describe the laws that operate between matter and energy in the world we are used to, such as those that describe the motions of footballs, airplanes, planets. Quantum mechanics closely describes the laws that operate at the subatomic level between electrons, protons, and the ever-growing list of other tiny subsections of what we know as matter and energy. The problem has been that no theory has been found yet that can explain both classical and quantum theory at the same time. Even Einstein was unable to find that common explanation before he died. The author begins his preface by stating that he too has tried, and so far been unsuccessful, at finding a unified field theory for the psychology of religion. This book, he says, is the result of his efforts to work towards such a theory. The text he has written seems to be an attempt to create a unified theory of spirituality and psychotherapy. The author connects spirituality with religion by stating that ‘‘the most critical function of religion is spiritual in nature... the desire to form a relationship with something we consider sacred’’ (Pargament 2007, p. 11). As she uses the text, the reader may also reflect that, although the most important psychological function of religion may well be spiritual, other economic, social and political functions of religion may be equally important. The book itself is divided into two major sections, ‘‘Understanding the sacred’’ and ‘‘Addressing the sacred.’’ In both sections, the author gives a theoretical rationale for why and how spirituality can be integrated into psychotherapy. Throughout the book, the author provides case studies that help illustrate his main points. In Sect. 1, the author suggests that psychotherapists ‘‘need a map to guide us through spiritual territory’’ (Pargament 2007, p. 29). For the author, the key concept in the map appears to be that ‘‘spirituality starts and stops with the sacred’’ (Pargament 2007, p. 29). The sacred is defined as a significant object that gives order and coherence to the individual’s life. The author gives examples of the search for the sacred that the author’s clients have engaged in. A model for this search includes such stages as discovery, struggle, disengagement, and transformational coping. Such stages may especially help beginning therapists in structuring and conducting their assessments and interventions. Particularly timely today is the chapter on problems of spiritual pathways. In this chapter is a discussion of forms of what the author calls ‘‘spiritual dis-integration,’’ including spiritual extremism, hypocrisy, and inauthenticity. The number of people who identify themselves as religious is greater than ever before in world history, with over two-thirds of the almost 6.7 billion people living today now affiliated with a religion (Armstrong 2006). Conflict between religions and conflict between religion and the secular world, often fueled by fundamentalist extremism, is viewed by many observers as characteristic of the present age (Feldman 2005; Goldberg 2007; Harris 2006). A theory of spirituality that incorporates the concepts of spiritual integration and disintegration certainly can help inform psychotherapy with religious populations. In Sect. 2, the author describes spiritually integrated psychotherapy as an ‘‘approach to treatment that acknowledges and addresses the spirituality of the client, D. S. Derezotes (&) College of Social Work, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA e-mail: David.Derezotes@socwk.utah.edu