Clinical Psychology

Psychology & Spirituality Concentration

Purpose

The Psychology & Spirituality concentration has the following goal: To prepare students to assess and treat clients who consider their problems as having a spiritual core, along with integration of this preparation for working with all clients. To provide students an opportunity to focus on the integration of psychological theory and practice with the student’s own spiritual understanding and growth. To prepare students to know how to develop a practice that will engage this population of clients with spiritually-based problems. To use this spiritually-based understanding in practice with all populations.

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Consideration

• The concentration emphasizes the significance and value of integrating culture, race, gender, and sexual orientation in understanding spiritually committed clients.
• Graduates will be educated and trained in areas related to the understanding and treatment of clients aware of, and struggling with, spiritual issues.
• The concentration supports membership in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, a certification organization for practitioners integrating psychology and spirituality.

Course Requirements

The Psychoanalytic Psychology concentration requires the satisfactory completion of the
Psy.D in Clinical Psychology program semester credit hour, Professionalization Group, Comprehensive Examination, five Clinical Competency tasks, and internship requirements listed under “Program Requirements” earlier in this section. Students in this concentration are required to fill the electives requirements portion of the program with the following courses:

Advanced Intervention Elective Requirement — Students Are Required to Take the Following

• PP8683 Existential Psychotherapy - 3 credits
• Advanced Intervention Elective Requirement - 3 credits
• Basic Intervention Elective Requirement - 3 credits

Diversity Elective Requirement — Students Are Required to Take the Following

• PP8682 Psychotherapy and Spirituality- 3 credits
• Diversity Elective Requirement - 3 credits

General Elective Requirement — Students Are Encouraged to Take the Following

• PP8651 Skills Laboratory in Health Psychology: Mediation- 3 credits
• General Elective Requirement - 3 credits

Clinical Training:

Practicum

Students in the concentration take a regular Psycho diagnostic Practicum. If possible, the Psychotherapy Practicum should be taken in a site that treats clients with spiritual issues/ concerns. If possible, it is recommended that a licensed clinical psychologist who focuses on
the integration of psychology and religion supervise the student.

Internships

Students enrolled in the concentration are encouraged to intern at a site that assesses and treats clients with spiritual concerns. A licensed clinical psychologist who focuses on the integration of psychology and religion will supervise all sites.

Clinical Research Project

Students in this concentration investigate a topic related to psychology and spirituality.

Core Faculty	Adjunct Faculty
Dr. Brighid Kleinman, Coordinator	Gary Phillips, S.T.D
	Gary Walls, Ph.D.

***Please contact Dr. Leah Horvath with questions.