CBT and Christianity: Strategies and Resources for Reconciling Faith in Therapy

While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically–supported treatment, many behavioral and analytical psychotherapists also recognize the healing potential of religious belief. CBT and Christianity offers CBT therapists an authoritative, practical, and comprehensive resource for counseling clients with an allegiance to the Christian faith. This innovative new treatment approach compares the teachings of Jesus to contemporary cognitive and mindfulness–based therapies, describing a variety of successful assessment and treatment approaches with Christian clients by incorporating the teachings of Jesus into logical thinking, schema modification, and committed behavior change. Clarity is further enhanced through a variety of specific examples, descriptions of generic methods, and supplemental resources provided by the author. By combining effective treatments with sensitivity to religious convictions, CBT and Christianity offers innovative insights into the spiritual and psychological well–being of clients with Christian beliefs.

List of Figures

List of Boxes

List of Tables

About the Author

Author s Preface

Part 1 Rationale for the Use of the Teachings

of Jesus in CBT

1 Introduction

Topics in Chapter 1

A historical view of spirituality, religion and psychotherapy

The development and dominance of cognitive therapy as a psychotherapy

The importance of Christianity in the West

The appreciation of the role of non ]specific factors in psychotherapy

Interest in the Buddhist technique of mindfulness

Findings relating religious adherence to positive mental and physical health

The growing respect for cultural and individual differences

The decline of logical positivism and the rise of postmodernism

and social constructionist theory

The question of a logical connection between cognitive therapy

and the teachings of Jesus

A general outline of the book

2 Introduction to Cognitive Therapy

Topics in Chapter 2

General aspects of psychotherapy

The basis of cognitive therapy

Beck s cognitive therapy

Rational emotive (behaviour) therapy

Schema therapy

Similarities amongst the three main schools of cognitive therapy

3 The Context of the Teachings of Jesus

Topics in Chapter 3

Why we should consider the teachings of Jesus

The records of Jesus the person

The location of the teachings of Jesus

The approach taken in this book towards the teachings of Jesus

The historical context of the New Testament

The social context of the New Testament

Stages in the early dissemination of the teachings of Jesus

Jesus own context

The written Gospels

Conclusion

4 What Did Jesus Teach: A Biblical Scholarship Approach

Topics in Chapter 4

The purpose of the chapter

Problems with direct use of the Gospels

Summary of factors influencing the content of the Gospels

The historical Jesus and the Jesus of faith (and the inerrancy of scripture)

Biblical scholarship: Tracking the words and deeds of Jesus

Conclusions about Jesus life, circumstances and characteristic behaviour

Jesus teachings as conveyed in words

The proverbial sayings (apophthegms/aphorisms)

Other kinds of sayings

Conclusion

5 Comparison of Jesus Teaching with Cognitive Therapy:

Part I: Logic

Topics in Chapter 5

Content and process of thinking

The nature of logic

Logic in cognitive therapy

Logic in the teaching of Jesus

A method for comparing cognitive therapy with the teachings of Jesus

Jesus references to the use of logic

Conclusions

Comparison of Jesus logic with cognitive therapy

6 Comparison of Jesus Teaching with Cognitive Therapy:

Part II: Content

Topics in Chapter 6

The content of cognitive therapy

The content of Jesus deeds

The content of Jesus teachings as reported by experts

The implicational content in Jesus teachings

Relationship of themes identified in the teachings of Jesus

to cognitive therapy

Part 2 Approach to Using the Teachings of Jesus

in CBT with Christians

7 A Schema ]Centred Model of Psychological Dysfunction

Topics in Chapter 7

A schema ]centred model of psychological dysfunction

Assessment

Assessment as therapy

Choosing the intervention

Using the results of assessment in conjunction with the rest

of this book

8 New Life in Cognitive Therapy

Topics in Chapter 8

Reasons for seeking therapy

Ways of doing therapy

The need to address Christian issues in therapy

Preliminary considerations for doing cognitive therapy with Christians

Use of the scriptures in cognitive therapy

Ways of using scripture in cognitive therapy

Making choices

Commitment

Is it appropriate for a Christian to use logic?

Using logic like Jesus

Jesus view of logical errors

Values

Conclusion

9 Introduction to Content Interventions

Topics in Chapter 9

Overview of content intervention

Working with propositional content

Working with implicational content

Part 3 Resources for Using the Teachings of Jesus

in CBT with Christians

10 Jesus and the Value of People

Topics in Chapter 10

Teachings relevant to the value of people

Social inclusion

Implicational work

Interpersonal considerations

The value of people

Loving

Conclusions

11 Relationship to God, the World and the Future

Topics in Chapter 11

God, the world and the future

Acceptance and trust versus fear and anxiety

Knowing the future

Spiritual versus material concerns

The relationship of Jesus teachings to the Jewish Law: Principle

versus literal/old versus new

The inconsequential becomes greatly valuable

12 The Christian s Behaviour

Topics in Chapter 12

The relevance of Jesus teaching to the Christian s behaviour

Commitment, allegiance, readiness

What is important versus what is not important

Assumption of status

Asking for desires/praying

Prophecy, signs, logic

The relationships amongst intention, fantasy, action and responsibility

Conclusions

13 Following Jesus: The Ongoing Dialectic

Topics in Chapter 13

Dialectics in clinical psychology

Consistency between cognitive therapy and the teaching of Jesus

Assessment for treatment

Commitment to therapy

Using logic like Jesus

Values

Content interventions

Tensions in the content of Jesus teaching

Resolution

Appendix 1: Life History Questionnaire

Appendix 2: Christian Values Rating Scale

Appendix 3: Some Useful Sets of Commentaries

References

Index

Michael L. Free is a Clinical Psychologist working with adults and adolescents in individual and couples therapy. He is a former lecturer in Clinical Psychology at Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. He is the Author of Cognitive Therapy in Groups (Wiley–Blackwell, Second Edition, 2007).