Clinical Integrative Practice: Second Issue

Abstract

This marks the second installment of the Clinical Integrative Practice (CIP) section of the Journal of Psychology and Theology (JPT). This section was created to meet the desire for more examples of how to "practice integratively." Rather than models of integration or the latest greatest Christian version of a particular theory, clinical integrative practitioners crave more showing and less telling. The CIP section exists within the long historic line of the in-depth clinical case study. Perhaps the integrative clinical case study is one of the most powerful ways to stimulate clinical integrative creativity and imagination (Strawn et al., 2018). So while there is an important, ongoing, ever increasing literature on clinical integration, there is still a need for more examples via clinical case studies.The CIP section of JPT is a once-to twice-yearly section of papers consisting primarily of case studies and critical integrative exchanges with psychotherapy theory and practice. The section will consist of a clinical case followed by a response.The case study presented by Dr Michael Vogel is a rich account of a long-term treatment of childhood trauma, gender nonconformity, and religious seeking. Vogel not only offers a moving account of a deeply interpersonal treatment but also lets the reader into his mind; a mind steeped in postmodern philosophy, relational psychoanalysis, and a postliberal theological framework. Dr Lina Ponder responds to this case advancing that Vogel is engaging in what she calls a "Culturally Informed Integrative Practice." She riffs on Vogel's work positing what kind of thinking and training (including supervision) may be necessary for creating this kind of therapeutic sensibility. Readers interested in intercultural work will be enlightened and challenged by these two articles.These two papers are examples of what will continue to be contained in this new section of JPT. The CIP section will consist of invited papers as well as unsolicited papers submitted directly to JPT and clearly marked for consideration in CIP. Our hope is that this section of JPT will be noted for its diversity of authors, clinical theories, theologies, and integrative methodologies.