Towards a biopsychosociospiritual approach to psychological distress

This paper draws on the author’s clinical and academic experience, and discusses the inadequacies of a number of current explanatory models (biological, psychological, cognitive, social and sociological) in attempting to reach a satisfactory explanation of the human condition. Drawing on the author’s experience as a psychotraumatologist and trauma psychotherapist, it is argued that existing models only go so far in describing a person’s experience and in providing a basis for therapy. A biopsychosociospiritual model is therefore introduced where the spiritual element allows for the spiritual dimension of human experience to be addressed in psychological formulation and therapy. Biopsychosociospiritual models of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress are proposed. It is argued that a biopsychosociospiritual frame of understanding provides an additional and much needed layer with which to work both from the client’s and the therapist’s perspective.