An Introduction to Clinical Psychology of Religion
This work aims to address clinical psychology of religion, which is situated at the
intersection of clinical psychology and the psychology of religion, in its conceptual,
theoretical, and practice-oriented dimensions. The study examines, from an
interdisciplinary perspective, the relationship between religious experience and
psychological functioning, its interaction with psychopathological processes, and
its place within clinical assessment and intervention processes. In the book, the
manifestations of religious experience in the clinical context are addressed on
the basis of the concepts of clinical psychology, assessment processes, and classifications
related to psychopathology. In addition, the individual’s processes of
stress, health, and adaptation are also evaluated. This approach demonstrates
that religious experience is not merely a normative or theological phenomenon,
but also a psychological dimension that needs to be understood within a clinical
framework. While the work addresses religious experience within the conceptual
and phenomenological framework of clinical psychology, it neither reduces it to
a purely psychopathological symptom nor excludes it from the domain of clinical
assessment. In this respect, religious experience is positioned within the psychological
integrity of the individual. The work also discusses intervention methods
based on psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, and humanistic approaches, and
examines the function of religious and spiritual elements within the psychotherapy
process. In this context, religious coping styles, meaning systems, and value
orientations are considered as important resources within the therapeutic process.
In addition, by including neuropsychological topics such as neuroplasticity
and epigenetics, the biopsychological background of religious experiences is illuminated.
In conclusion, this work presents a holistic approach to understanding
religious experience in a clinical context and aims to reveal the interdisciplinary
nature of clinical psychology of religion.
Keywords: Clinical psychology of religion; Religion and mental health; Religious
coping; Psychopathology; Clinical assessment; Spirituality in psychotherapy