Catholic therapists adapted spiritual interventions to fit the cultural values of their clients.

Catholic therapists frequently encouraged prayer, trust in God, and listening to the heart during treatment.

Clients experienced reductions in both spiritual and psychological distress during treatment.

Spiritual and psychological distress were closely intertwined throughout treatment.

Today, I share additional findings from the Enhancing Practice-Based Evidence for Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapies project. This post focuses on a study of Catholic therapists and clients in 13 countries by Wonjin Sim and her colleagues, published in the APA journal Psychotherapy (Sim et al., 2022). Their findings offer valuable insights for psychotherapists who wish to integrate faith and spirituality into their work. I thank Dr. Sim for her permission to share these findings.

The study examined the process and outcomes of spiritually integrated psychotherapies (SIPs) conducted by Catholic therapists in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Although research on spiritually integrated psychotherapy has increased in recent years, most studies have been conducted in North America and with predominantly White Christian samples. This study provides insight into how SIPs are practiced internationally and whether they are associated with changes in clients' spiritual and nonspiritual distress.

The researchers used a practice-based evidence design rather than a randomized clinical trial. Therapists conducted therapy as they normally would, without a treatment manual or experimental manipulation. The study included 34 Catholic therapists practicing in 13 countries (Uganda, India, Korea, Mexico, Italy, Kenya, the Philippines, Malta, Vietnam, Myanmar, Belarus, the Czech Republic, and Colombia) and 359 clients who participated in 4,380 therapy sessions.

Most therapists were priests or nuns who had received training in spiritually integrated psychotherapy at the Pontifical Gregorian University’s Institute of Psychology in Rome or through alumni........

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