Navigating spiritual and religious identities in psychotherapy: Lessons from a multicultural clinical psychology masters training program in Israel.

Abstract

The longstanding tension between psychology and religion/spirituality poses significant challenges for therapists who are themselves religious or spiritual, especially when integrating these dimensions into their professional practice. This study explored how trainees from diverse religious, spiritual, and cultural backgrounds navigate the intersection of their professional and religious identities within a culturally sensitive clinical psychology training program in Israel. Using qualitative thematic analysis of semistructured interviews with 30 of the program graduates-including Ultra-Orthodox Jews, Arab Muslims, Ethiopian Jews, immigrants from the former Soviet Union, and secular Jews-we identified four central tensions: the historical and contemporary attitudes of psychology toward religiosity and spirituality; religious society's view of the profession of psychology; questions related to spiritual and religious identity; and challenges with professional identity formation. The training program addresses these tensions by fostering "familiarity" through inclusion of spirituality and religion in the curriculum and a diverse faculty/student body. On this secure basis, the program encourages "productive discomfort" by having students sit with the tensions between their religious/spiritual identities and psychological perspectives. The findings offer valuable insights into how culturally sensitive training programs can support therapists in navigating these complexities, thereby enhancing spiritual and religious competence in psychotherapy. This study contributed to understanding the specific needs of therapists undergoing such training and underscores the importance of embracing spiritual and religious dimensions within mental health services and training. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).