1. Spiritual Resources in Families and Family Therapy
Samaritan Institute Annual Conference
August 6, 2011
Morning Part 1
Froma Walsh, PhD
Mose & Sylvia Firestone Professor Emerita,
School of Social Service Administration, The University of Chicago

2. Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Beings Holistic Orientation to Practice
Spirituality:
Involves streams of experience that
flow through all aspects of life:
--- family and cultural heritage
-- personal belief systems and practices
Influences beliefs about suffering and
pathways in healing and resilience
Can nourish and heal; can be harmful

3. Religion
Organized, institutionalized belief system:  Shared moral values, codes for living  Contemplative Practices (e.g. Prayer, meditation)  Rituals, sacred texts, music  Faith Community, Clergy  Belief in God, Higher Power, Universal Spirit  Belief in Afterlife - Spiritual passage

4. Spirituality Transcendent, personal beliefs and practices
Active investment in daily life and relationships
Fosters meaning, wholeness, harmony
Deep Connection with all others, nature, universe
Most experience within organized religion:
The heart and soul of religion (Pargament)
Religious or not, can find spiritual nourishment:
Humanistic Values
- Contemplative Practices
Communion with Nature
Creative / Expressive Arts
Service to others; Social Activism
- Intimate Bonds, Kinship, Fellowship

9. Where the spirit does not work with the hands
There is no art
-- Leonardo DaVinci

10. Connection, Compassion, Service, Activism

11. Religious / Spiritual Trends in U.S.
 Spiritual Diversity; non-Christian faiths
 Formal Affiliation, Membership, Attendance
 Personal spiritual values, practices
44% do not follow religion of family upbringing
 Conversion
 Interfaith couples – Multi-faith families
 Seekers vs. accepters: search for meaning,
purpose, harmony, connection
 Choose, combine varied beliefs & practices to fit lives
& relationships:
“Religious linguini” “Spiritual Smorgasbord”

12. Multi-faith Perspective: The God of our many understandings
Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson

13. Beliefs & Practices in U.S.
90% Report religion/spirituality is important in their lives
1/3 : Most important part of their lives
95% Believe in God; higher power--varied conceptions
90% Pray at least weekly; 3/4 pray daily
75% Relationships are strengthened by religion in the home
93% of homes have a bible, but:
58% didn’t know 5 of Ten Commandments
10% thought Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife

14. Spirituality Across the Family Life Cycle:
Rituals, Rites of Passage:
e.g. Baptism, Bar/bat mitzvah
Marriage / Commitment Vows
Raising children
Young Adulthood
Middle, Later life
Death and Dying

20. Raising Children Value of shared spiritual experiences
In the home; daily life; rituals, practices
Holidays, rites of passage, remembrance
Involvement in faith community--spiritual home
In nature; community service; activism
Discussion of ethical, spiritual issues
Parenting: Practice what you preach! Congruence
Spare the rod: Nurture, Protect, Guide
Changing Gender Roles

21. Traditional
Family
Model
&
Gender
Roles

22. Later Life --Deepening Spirituality
Striving for Family Integrity

23. Death, Loss, & Spiritual Connection
Patzquaro, Michuacan, Day of the Dead.

24. Rituals that Connect with loved Ones

25. Spiritual Inquiry in Clinical Practice
Explore meaning, salience of spirituality in clients’ lives and relationships.
Religious Identification, Affiliation
“Lived Experience” of Religion / Spirituality
-- In Everyday life -
Expressed in couple / parent-child bonds
-- In Facing Adversity
-- Family of Origin - "chosen family"
-- Cultural - Spiritual Roots
Marginalization, discrimination?
-- Spiritual Journey – future direction ?

26. Concerns about sin, punishment, afterlife / karma
II. Explore: Have religious/spiritual issues contributed to suffering, relational conflict or cut-off?
Concerns about sin, punishment, afterlife / karma
Non-observance: religious precepts, rituals
E.g. Baptism; Funeral, burial rites
Justifying Denigration, Abuse of women; children
Condemnation of homosexuality, abortion, suicide
Non-acceptance of interfaith marriage
Spiritual void; alienation from family, cultural roots
Anger at God for injustice (e.g. death of a child)
Assumptions, homilies offered by others

27. Religious & Spiritual Concerns and Conflicts in Family Relations
Spiritual superiority
Triangling God into conflicts
Patriarchal Precepts used to justify
Gender-based Denigration, Abuse
Heterosexist Orthodoxy
LGBTQ Sexual Orientation, Same-sex Couples
Raising children

28. Interfaith Couples, Multi-faith Families Complications & Conflicts
Opening Communication, Mutual Understanding
Appreciating Commonalities and Honoring Differences
Vs. Righteous, one way, condemnation of other
Finding Ways to Incorporate Valued Elements of Varied Faith Traditions in Shared Life
“Spiritual Linguini” –
Creating New Recipes

29. III. Potential Resources for Healing, Resilience:
Deep faith: for comfort, courage, strength, hope, perseverance
Relationship with God, Higher Power, Guiding Spirit
Transcendent Values to guide path
Contemplative Practices: prayer, meditation; rituals
Faith community: “Spiritual home” – involvement, support
Spiritual counsel, guidance - pastoral advisors, faith healers
Spiritual connection with nature
Spiritual nourishment, expression through the arts
Deepen relational bonds; heal wounds
Possibilities for Reconciliation; Forgiveness
Compassion and commitment to Social action

30. Healing Power of Prayer, Meditation in Relationships
Reducing stress, anxiety
Facing death, dying; bereavement
Healing relational conflicts
In couple and family sessions
Coaching relational change between sessions; repair family-of-origin wounds
 emotional reactivity
 centered focus; listening; genuine relating
 compassion for the other; mutuality

31. Facilitating Efforts for Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Wounded Relationships By making peace with our parents, we have a chance to make real peace within ourselves Thich Nhat Hahn If you want to see the brave Look at those who can forgive Bhavagat Gita Hindu Song of God

32. Clinical Guidelines (1)
Appreciative Inquiry: the meaning & significance of spiritual beliefs and practices in clients’ lives;
related to presenting problems, coping, & resilience.
Explore spiritual concerns that may contribute to suffering or block healing, adaptation (e.g. guilt, anger at God for injustice; worry about punishment for sins).
Facilitate communication, understanding, and mutual respect on religious / spiritual differences, relational conflicts (e.g. interfaith marriage or conversion).
Facilitate compassion and possibilities for reconciliation / forgiveness in wounded relationships

33. Clinical Guidelines (2)
Identify clients’ spiritual resources (current, past, & potential) that might support healing and resilience.
Multi-faith Perspective: Respect for clients’ varied spiritual pathways; non-religious views: Explore, encourage resources fiting their beliefs & preferences
Therapists: Examine own religious/spiritual roots; spiritual journey; awareness of own issues or biases. Caution not to impose spiritual values or assumptions on clients.
Build links between clinical and pastoral resources for referral, consultation, & collaboration

34. -- Indigenous tribal perspective
Spirituality: Deep connection within the self and with all others All of nature is in me; and a bit of myself is in all nature.
-- Indigenous tribal perspective

35. Families are Sanctuaries of Life and Love