Religious issues in psychotherapy

Religious belief is important to a large proportion of our population. It has been found to be a potent neutralizer of death anxiety. Religion and psychotherapy shave values relating to self-actualization. It is the responsibility of psychotherapists to be aware of their own ambivalences and biases; to assess the significance of religious belief in the lives of their clients; to clarify conflicting views and values of client and therapist; to treat the client's psychodynamic problems; and respectfully to refer spiritual problems outside the domain of psychotherapy to the client's minister. An illustrative example from the author's practice is included.