Spiritual diversity: multifaith perspectives in family therapy.
This paper addresses the growing diversity and complexity of spirituality in society and within families. This requires a broadly inclusive, multifaith approach in clinical training and practice. Increasingly, individuals, couples, and families seek, combine, and reshape spiritual beliefs and practices--within and among faiths and outside organized religion--to fit their lives and relationships. With rising faith conversion and interfaith marriages, the paper examines challenges in multifaith families, particularly with marriage, childrearing, and the death of a loved one. Clinical guidelines, cautions, and case examples are offered to explore the role and significance of spiritual beliefs and practices in couple and family relationships; to identify spiritual sources of distress and relational conflict; and to draw potential spiritual resources for healing, well-being, and resilience, fitting client values and preferences.
Walsh
Froma
F
Center for Family Health and School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60606, USA. fwalsh@uchicago.edu
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001364:Awareness; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005195:Family Relations; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012067:Religion; D029181:Spirituality; D013315:Stress, Psychological