Building Bridges Between Spirituality, Psychotherapy, and Science

Dr. Scott Richards

PSYCHOLOGIST • SCHOLAR • EDUCATOR • AUTHOR

For more than four decades, I have explored the intersection of spirituality, psychotherapy, and science—helping to restore meaning, depth, and the soul to mental health care.

Early Influences

I grew up in a family where emotional struggle was real. My father lived with depression for many years. His suffering awakened in me a deep compassion and a lifelong question: Why do people suffer with mental illness–and how can we help?

A Turning Point: 1979

As an undergraduate student at Brigham Young University, I sat in a classroom listening to the prominent psychologist, Allen Bergin, argue that religion had been pushed to the fringe of clinical psychology and that it should be at the center. In that moment, I sensed both the truth of his concern and the magnitude of the task ahead. I resolved to spend my life helping bring spirituality back into the heart of psychology.

Graduate Training at the University of Minnesota

I pursued my doctoral training in counseling psychology at the University of Minnesota, one of the leading psychology programs in the world. There I was influenced by mentors who valued rigorous science and an openness to truth. My training grounded me in research methods and the practice of psychotherapy–and affirmed my conviction that psychology must address the whole person, including the spirit or soul.

A Research Focus Emerges

Over the years, my research has explored the relationship between spirituality, religion, mental health, and psychotherapy, and the conditions that foster healing, positive mental health, and human flourishing. My work has been supported by grants from the John Templeton Foundation and has engaged collaborators, universities, and treatment facilities around the world.

Leader

Fellow and former President of APA Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality; Fellow of the APA Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy.

Researcher

Recipient of several prestigious grants from the John Templeton Foundation to advance research on spiritually integrated psychotherapies.

Scholar

Author and editor of 7 books and over 70 journal articles and book chapters about religion, mental health, and spiritually integrated psychotherapy.

Educator

Teacher, consultant, and mentor to students, clinicians, and organizations about the integration of spirituality into psychotherapy research and practice.

Dissent from Freud is the public engagement platform for my ongoing work to explore the relationship between spirituality, psychotherapy, and science. Through writing, podcasting, filmmaking, online education, and conversations with colleagues around the world, I hope to make these ideas accessible to everyone interested in spirituality, positive mental health, and human flourishing.

LEARN

We provide training resources and opportunities to help practitioners develop competency in spiritually integrated treatment.

DISCOVER

We provide researchers with tools and services to enhance their research studies about spiritually integrated treatment.

CONNECT

We help researchers and practitioners connect with other professionals working to integrate spirituality into psychology and psychotherapy.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Stay connected for podcast, blog, memoir, documentary, YouTube video updates, online course announcements, and news relevant to the movement to integrate spirituality into mainstream mental health care.

“I believe the future of psychology lies in integrating the best of science with the deepest wisdom of the world’s great spiritual traditions. My desire is to share resources with mental health professionals, clergy, and the public that promote healing, positive mental health, and spiritual flourishing.” – Scott Richards