Addressing Spiritual and Religious Coping in Psychotherapy An Overview of the Western Studies

Spiritual and religious beliefs and practices contain an enormous therapeutic potential, which is shown by research held in the West. What prevents therapists from addressing this sphere with their clients? What are the barriers, strategies and conditions of integrating spiritual into psychotherapy? The scientific and empirical foundation of research analyzed in current paper gives an example ofan alternative to unproductive discussions on an abstract level in ideological-confrontational style on the evidence based and scientific level. The positive and negative side of such instrumental and behavioristic approach to spirituality is outlined. A task of generating a whole and methodologically funded model of the process of spiritual coping is beingraised.