Interdisciplinary Book and Film Reviews

COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY:        A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE      By  Siang-Yang Tan      Reviewed by  Geoffrey W. Sutton In Counseling and Psychotherapy, Tan offers an evaluative review of leading theories and techniques from a Christian perspective. In addition, he describes key features of a Christian approach to counseling and psychotherapy. Having accomplished these two purposes, his book serves as a unique and helpful companion to other recent efforts to integrate the Christian faith and psychological science with the practice of counseling and psychotherapy (e.g.,  Integrative Psychotherapy by McMinn & Campbell  ). Tan organized 17 chapters into three distinct parts. Part one consists of three chapters, which cover basic issues in counseling and psychotherapy. Part two provides an overview of ten major theories and techniques of counseling and psychotherapy. Part three include...

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy   for Christian Clients   with Depression: A Practical, Tool-Based Primer By Michelle Pearce, Ph.D. Reviewed By    Geoffrey W. Sutton I received Pearce’s book from the Templeton Press for the purposes of review. I submitted the review manuscript in 2016 to the Journal of Psychology and Theology , which was then reviewed and subsequently accepted for publication, March 1, 2017. I will provide links to the academic review below. Michelle Pearce, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Maryland. Her book provides a useful summary of cognitive-behavioral therapy and shows how it may be adapted to help Christian clients draw upon Bible practices and teachings to cope with depression. I graduated from a school (University of Missouri-Columbia) where cognitive behavioral psychotherapy was the mainstay of treatment. But, like others from my era, we found ou...

Lay Counseling is a handbook for paraprofessional services. Although the focus is on Christian counseling, the book is important for all clinicians. In this post I review some key features of the book. Lay Counseling is the kind of book that anyone who works in the field of mental health should consider because it provides current information about the counselors, programs, and services that are part of a support network beyond the world of licensed providers. The book offers an explicitly Christian approach to mental health services. The reason it should be read by those outside the Christian community is because Christianity is the world's largest religion and many Christians who seek counseling wish to see a Christian provider. Since many providers are not licensed mental health providers, it is important to understand who is doing what when it comes to this large informal network of paraprofessionals. _______________________________________________ LAY COUNSELING...

HELPING GROUPS HEAL LEADING SMALL GROUPS  IN THE PROCESS OF  TRANSFORMATION By    Jan Paul Hook    Joshua N. Hook   Don E. Davis Reviewed by Geoffrey W. Sutton As I was reading this book, I had an occasion to experience many of the points the authors made in a group where a speaker disclosed some troubling news. Those of us present naturally felt supportive and I had the impression, the process promoted growth and healing. I found myself reflecting on the authenticity of the book. The authors, using the first person "I," refer to a healing cycle composed of six steps, which cover most of the chapters in the book. In each chapter, the authors include sections on psychological science and Christianity to show how their model is compatible with science and faith. Each healing step is explained along with an example of growth experiences of fictitious group members. The authors offer several tips and strategies to help leaders deal ...

  FORGIVENESS THERAPY AN EMPIRICAL GUIDE FOR RESOLVING   ANGER AND RESTORING HOPE By       Robert D. Enright &      Richard P. Fitzgibbons, Reviewed by      Geoffrey W. Sutton In the last few decades, forgiveness books and research studies have multiplied. Fortunately for clinicians, Enright and Fitzgibbons have provided a comprehensive work that is clinician focused with reviews of supportive research. I was glad for the opportunity to review this update by one of the world’s leading forgiveness researchers. My interest in forgiveness, particularly but not exclusively Christian forgiveness, began during my work as a psychotherapist. More recently I have been involved in several research projects focused on, or inclusive, of forgiveness. My point is that the psychology of forgiveness is important to both clinicians and academics. And forgiveness is a process of value to peopl...

The Book: Couple Therapy:  A New Hope-Focused Approach By Jennifer S. Ripley  and  Everett L. Worthington Jr. Reviewed by Geoffrey W. Sutton My connection to Couple Therapy I’ve studied hope in Christian samples for several years and find it a powerful motivational dimension of human functioning. Level of hope predicts counseling outcomes. The contents of this book fit well with my view of couple counseling. Disclosure: I know both authors but I got my book from the Encounter Journal for purposes of writing a review. What’s Couple Therapy About? Couple Therapy is an approach to couple therapy grounded in the belief that a Christian’s faith in God leads to hope and that this combination of faith and hope can lead to loving relationships. The book is written for professional counselors, pastors, and lay counselors, but the authors also note that married couples may benefit from the principles and interventions c...