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Christian Psychology alive

rituality by a secular health psychologist. For References:
those who hold a strong spiritual orientation, Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation
they welcome the opportunity to share how it (CCHSA) (2005). CCHSA‘s accrediation program am-
bulatory care standards, 5th ed.
plays a role in their life and coping with pain, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Orga-
or has been negatively affected by their pain ex- nizations (JCAHO) (2009). Accreditation standard: Be-
perience. For example, just this past week I saw havioral healthcare, chapter: provision of care, treatment,
a client with chronic headache and brain inju- and services.
ry, who, when asked about how her spirituality Koenig, H. (2003). Chronic pain: Biomedical and spiri-
tual approaches. Binghamton, NY: Hawthorn Press.
had been impacted by her condition, indicated Miller, L., & Kelley, B. S. (2005). Relationships of religio-
with surprise that despite consulting countless sity and spirituality with mental health and psychopatho-
health specialists for her health concerns over logy. In R. F. Paloutzian & C. L. Park (Eds.), Handbook of
many years, she had never been asked about this the psychology of religion and spirituality (pp. 460-478).
very important aspect of her life. What ensued The Guilford Press.
was a deeper conversation about how her health
problems had contributed to a faith crisis that
unfortunately had led to a withdrawal from her
community of believers, but through which she
had begun to explore a deeper relationship with
God and His possible purpose in her life. I had
the privilege of hearing her faith journey, and
encourage her to continue this process.

In the field of chronic pain, I have found that for
clients with a strong faith orientation, spiritua-
lity is a fundamental aspect of their coping with
pain and its impact on their lives, and finding
meaning and purpose within their suffering.
This is particularly true when pain is severe and
has led to significant functional limitations. For
my Christian clients, Harold Koenig‘s (2003)
handbook for coping with chronic pain from
a Christian perspective, which is based in his
own personal journey with pain, is a wonderful
resource. It is one I often give to my Christian
clients. Encouraging spiritual development and
spiritual coping has been therapeutic for many.
I personally have found it extremely fulfilling
to practice psychology with the freedom to
integrate my spiritual values into my practice
when I feel it is appropriate for the patients I
see. And, my fulfillment is in part due to the
support and openness I experience from my
health employer to actually do so. Indeed, I
find it is an exciting and enriching season to be
Christian psychologist in secular healthcare in
the Canadian landscape.

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