Abstract
<jats:p>An Introduction to Clinical Psychology of Religion This work aims to address clinical psychology of religion, which is situated at the intersection of clinical psychology and the psychology of religion, in its conceptual, theoretical, and practice-oriented dimensions. The study examines, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the relationship between religious experience and psychological functioning, its interaction with psychopathological processes, and its place within clinical assessment and intervention processes. In the book, the manifestations of religious experience in the clinical context are addressed on the basis of the concepts of clinical psychology, assessment processes, and classifications related to psychopathology. In addition, the individuals processes of stress, health, and adaptation are also evaluated. This approach demonstrates that religious experience is not merely a normative or theological phenomenon, but also a psychological dimension that needs to be understood within a clinical framework. While the work addresses religious experience within the conceptual and phenomenological framework of clinical psychology, it neither reduces it to a purely psychopathological symptom nor excludes it from the domain of clinical assessment. In this respect, religious experience is positioned within the psychological integrity of the individual. The work also discusses intervention methods based on psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, and humanistic approaches, and examines the function of religious and spiritual elements within the psychotherapy process. In this context, religious coping styles, meaning systems, and value orientations are considered as important resources within the therapeutic process. In addition, by including neuropsychological topics such as neuroplasticity and epigenetics, the biopsychological background of religious experiences is illuminated. In conclusion, this work presents a holistic approach to understanding religious experience in a clinical context and aims to reveal the interdisciplinary nature of clinical psychology of religion. Keywords: Clinical psychology of religion; Religion and mental health; Religious coping; Psychopathology; Clinical assessment; Spirituality in psychotherapy</jats:p>