Psychology and Faith

We live in a psychological age. More people see psychotherapists than ever before and psychological theories, terms, and concepts have become fixtures of American culture and language that regularly impact people's lives and relationships. At the same time, most Americans believe in a higher power, identify with a religion, and experience a personal relationship with God. There can be no question that the interface of psychology and faith has real consequence for people, especially people of faith. Yet very few psychologists or therapists are educated or trained in religious and spiritual matters, and clergy are generally not formally trained in psychology. Dr. Jeffrey Reber is a rare exception. He has spent the better part of 25 years studying the interface of psychology and faith as a formally trained theoretical-philosophical applied social psychologist and licensed therapist who has also held several clerical positions. Jeff understands, professionally and personally, the tension, biases, conflicts, and benefits at play in the relational dynamic of these two worldviews and knows their impact on the people trying to navigate them, including people in the therapy clinic, sitting in the pews at church, and everywhere in between. If you have ever felt like your faith could be better appreciated by a therapist or a psychology professor or that your church leaders should take the science and psychology of mental health more seriously, then this is the podcast for you!