Psychological Analysis of Religious Experience Disturbances: Problems with Dependence from Authority and God Image Distortions

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Abstract

Current article presents a continuation of work dedicated to the problem of religious experience distortions, with which psychotherapist encounters while working with clients who share religious views. The focus is on the phenomena of substitution, which is defined as such a distortion of religious experience, where the person per- ceives it for himself as normal, spiritually mature and healthy condition. The prob- lem of codependence in the context of believer’s religious life is discussed, as well as the problem of God image distortions. Types of occurrence and negative outcomes of such problems for spiritual life of Christian are analyzed. The main causes of the discussed phenomena are pointed out. Recommendations for therapeutic work with such problems are given. Some conclusions about the preparation of Christian psy- chologists that work with religious clients are made.

General Information

Keywords: religious experience distortions, phenomena of substitution, psychotherapy of believers, Christian psychologist, codependency, God image distortions

Journal rubric: Psychology of Faith, Christian Psychology and Psychotherapy

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/cpp.2016240507

Funding. The research has been supported by a grant from the Russian Foundation for Humanities (grant № 15-06-10889 “Synergic-Phenomenological Approache in the Сonsulting Psychology”).

For citation: Filonik M.S. Psychological Analysis of Religious Experience Disturbances: Problems with Dependence from Authority and God Image Distortions. Konsul'tativnaya psikhologiya i psikhoterapiya = Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy, 2016. Vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 115–134. DOI: 10.17759/cpp.2016240507. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Maria S. Filonik, Research Fellow, Federal Institute for Educational Development, Psychotherapist and Teacher of the Association of Understanding Psychotherapy, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: fpc_grant@mail.ru

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