Essay - Philosophical Dilemmas in Clinical Psychology My Religious Orientation is One...

PHILOSOPHICAL DILEMMAS IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

My religious orientation is one of my greatest challenges, as a therapist. I consider *****self an "objectively moral atheist," which means that I do not believe in the existence of any so-called "supreme being," or "God." I believe that m*****al behavior can be defined, understood, taught, and practiced utterly without reference to any supreme *****ing. As an objectively moral atheist, my actions are dictated purely by objective concepts such as fairness, equity, equality *****d by ***** respect for basic principles of human rights and dignity.

Many of the conflicts and issues in my patients' lives either relate directly to, or require addressing a perv*****sive sense of inner guilt and shame which originates, to some degree, in their Judeo-Christian religious upbringing. Therefore, I have had to develop a method of addressing these psychological issues in a m*****nner that fulfills ***** professional and ethical obligations as a ther*****pist, without inspiring unnecessary conflicts with the personal religious beliefs of my patients.

***** ***** professional opinion as a mental health expert, I am inclined ***** agree ***** the view expressed by renowned psychologist Nathaniel Br*****en, who details the prerequisites to the development of healthy self-esteem, outlining the inter- relationships of its components and ***** overwhelming consequences of ***** retardation.

According to Branden, instilling a belief in young children during the course of ***** developing psychological ***** and their initial perception of reality, ***** events ***** take place on earth ***** determined (entirely or in part) by the will ***** God, undermines their development of self-responsibility, a necessary component of healthy *****.

Similarly, teaching that an omnipotent consciousness is aware of, and more significantly, that it (God) exercises approval ***** disapproval of every **********, indeed, of every thought of one's life, plants the seeds of guilt and shame at our psychological core. This is precisely the antithesis of self-acceptance, self love, and the internal psychological safety ***** harmony which, itself, is a prerequisite to any genuine expression ***** warmth and benevolence *****ward others.

***** detriment that theistic religions represent to human self-esteem lies primarily in the psychological effects of believing ***** ***** life is subject to the control ***** judgment of a*****her consciousness. In Branden's words, it is absolutely crucial ***** a he*****lthy psychological orientation that an individual believe *****:

I am responsible for my choices and my actions. Not responsible as the recipient of moral bl*****e or *****, but responsible as the chief causal agent in ***** life and *****. Further, ***** ***** acceptance of my basic aloneness and acceptance of responsibility ***** the attainment ***** my own goals." (Br*****en; p.54)

Part of ***** practice, dealing with shame-based *****sues and unwarranted guilt, ********** the ability to address some clinical issues directly, but within a framew*****k that is cons*****tent with certain underlying *****. For instance, I differentiate certain types ***** "sin" from others, in order to ***** behaviors that ***** believe are harmful ***** my patients in a ***** sense, *****out ch*****llenging beliefs that are not connected to their clinical