This article reviews recent advances in the domain of psychiatry and religion that highlight the double-edged capacity of religion to enhance or damage health and well-being, particularly among psychiatric patients. A large body of research challenges stereotyped views of religion as merely a defense or passive way of coping, and indicates that many people look to religion as a vital resource which serves a variety of adaptive functions, such as self-regulation, attachment, emotional comfort, meaning, and spirituality. There is, however, a darker side to religious life. Researchers and theorists have identified and begun to study problematic aspects of religiousness, including religiously-based violence and religious struggles within oneself, with others, and with the divine. Religious problems can be understood as a by-product of psychiatric illness (secondary), a source of psychiatric illness (primary), or both (complex). This growing body of knowledge underscores the need to attend more fully to the potentially constructive and destructive roles of religion in psychiatric diagnosis, assessment, and treatment. In fact, initial evaluative studies of the impact of spiritually integrated treatments among a range of psychiatric populations have shown promising results. The article concludes with a set of recommendations to advance future research and practice, including the need for additional psychiatric studies of people from diverse cultures and religious traditions.

For individuals like most participants in this study (Christians), incorporating spirituality/religion into counseling for anxiety and depression was desirable.

This article reports on the first empirical attempt to analyze "sacred moments" in the therapist-client relationship, and their implications for the client, the provider, and the therapeutic alliance. In the first study, 58 mental health providers from a large school of medicine completed a survey that asked them to describe an important moment in their work with a client over the past year. They then responded to questions about (a) the degree to which they attributed sacred qualities to the important moment; (b) predictors of the sacredness of these moments; and (c) consequences of these moments for the client, provider, and therapeutic alliance. More than half of providers (55.5%) indicated that their important moment in treatment was sacred. Perceptions of the sacredness of the moment were strongly correlated with greater perceived client gains, therapeutic relationship gains, provider gains, and work motivation. These findings were largely replicated in a second study of 519 clients who had been in mental health treatment during the past year. Sacred moments in treatment represent a potentially important resource that may contribute to the well-being of providers, clients, and the therapeutic relationship. More generally, these findings point to the value of attending to the spiritual dimension of the relationship between providers and clients.

Studies of religious belief and psychological health are on the rise, but most overlook atheists and agnostics. We review 14 articles that examine differences between nonbelievers and believers in levels of psychological distress, and potential sources of distress among nonbelievers. Various forms of psychological distress are experienced by nonbelievers, and greater certainty in one's belief system is associated with greater psychological health. We found one well-documented source of distress for nonbelievers: negative perceptions by others. We provide recommendations for improving research on nonbelievers and suggest a model analogous to Pargament's tripartite spiritual struggle to understand the stresses of nonbelief.

Rogers' theory of the diffusion of innovation may explain the recent spread of academies. When beginning or reexamining existing academy programs, institutions should consider goals, application process, benefits offered to members as well as the institution, expendable resources, and means of support, because the final product depends on the choices made at the beginning.