Merging Faith and Therapy: A Look at Training Psychologists in Israel

In Israel, a unique training program for clinical psychologists is tackling a big question: how do therapists balance their personal beliefs with their professional work? This program brings together people from different religious and cultural backgrounds, including Ultra-Orthodox Jews, Arab Muslims, Ethiopian Jews, and secular Jews. The goal is to help them integrate their spiritual or religious identities with their psychology training. The program starts by making sure everyone feels included. It includes topics about spirituality and religion in the curriculum. This helps create a safe space for students to explore their beliefs. But it doesn't stop there. The program also pushes students to face the uncomfortable questions. For example, how do their beliefs shape their understanding of mental health? And how do they handle situations where their beliefs might clash with psychological theories? This approach has led to some interesting findings. Students often struggle with how psychology views religion and spirituality. They also face questions about their own identities and how they fit into the profession. The program helps them work through these tensions, making them better therapists in the long run. But why does this matter? Well, mental health services should be able to meet the needs of all kinds of people. By training therapists who understand and respect different beliefs, the program is helping to create a more inclusive mental health system. It's a step towards making sure everyone gets the support they need, no matter their background.