Posted by Nikola Jelovac (62.101.0.91) on December 09, 2007 at 09:08:46:

In Reply to: Synthesis of the Methods of Christotherapy posted by Bernard Tyrrell on November 07, 2007 at 19:47:33:

As I reported in October, I've attended an interesting interdisciplinary congress in Graz, Austria: "Religiosity in psychiatry and psychotherapy". http://www.rpp2007.org/

I wanted to say something about it, but had now time till now. First of all I hope that Fr. Tyrrell's disease is getting better. I thank him for these postings. He cites Benner like this:

"One important factor in the current separation of psychotherapy and spiritual guidance is that spiritual guides and psychotherapists would have to be equally competent in the healing and growth principles of Christian spirituality and psychology. Such a person would have to be able to discern, in regard to a particular case, what combination of spiritual and psychological means should be employed at each of the various stages of growth and healing processes. However, while it may be rare for a single person to have such competence, there is no compelling reason why it could not be developed."

Now back to the Congress: some of the main issues were whether the religiosity may be useful in psychiatry and psychotherapy at all (or is it sometimes counterproductive) and whether a religious patient needs a religious therapist. Another highlight for me was the presentation of the theory and practice of hagiotherapy by a Croatian theologist and priest Prof. Ivancic (all his works have been translated into German). As you see, there was a "scientific" medical part of the program and a "theological" or "mixed" one. This second part was severely criticized during the last general discussion. Prof. Ivancic (who also has organized a network of "centers for spiritual help" in Austria and Germany) was reproached to do sometimes a job which belongs to medicine and psychiatry.

I personally believe that it is possible to unite these to activities: as Prof. Benner says all we need are competent persons and a developed theoretical system. I believe also that there is no practical reason of separating psychotherapy and spiritual counselling and that these two approaches should be combined by competent therapists in the process of healing and personal growth of a patient/client.

I thank God for giving us such persons as Prof. Tyrrell who give as the theoretical and practical framework for doing so.

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