Exploring the Acceptance and Challenge of Integrating Psychotherapy and Pastoral Counseling among the Church Clergy in Sarawak

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 78, 429 - 442, 20.09.2025

Chai Foong Lee , Jamayah Saili Salmah Mohamad Yusoff

https://doi.org/10.17066/tpdrd.1358254

Abstract

This research article attempts to explore the acceptance and challenge of integrating Psychotherapy and Pastoral Counseling among the church clergy in Sarawak and also aimed to contribute to the limited body of related literature in Sarawak setting. This research adopts qualitative research design and six senior church leaders from six different denominations were interviewed. Observed barriers and relevant models of integration of the two counseling approaches in the literature were studied and identified as background knowledge and as interviewing resources to conduct the research. The generated results reflected the transparency and cooperation of the clergy in addressing and navigating towards fostering a greater degree of integration of Pastoral Counseling and Psychotherapy in the local church setting, though not without caution and resolution to ascertain theological clarity so as not to fall into ambiguity and compromise Biblical values. Psychotherapy techniques were generally not only deemed useful to explore deeper the emotional and mental issues of church clients but also deemed necessary to prevent the temptation to resort to quick spiritual fix-up. The clergy was also resolute in stating that critically disturbed cases which had spiritual origin could only be tackled by spiritual intervention of fasting, praying and delivering ministry, e.g. demonic oppression and possession. Such, and other challenges, were identified as distinctively separating and uniting factors to be recognized in order to ensure effective and selective integration.

Keywords

Acceptance , Challenge , Integrating , Pastoral Counseling , Psychotherapy , Clergy

Supporting Institution

Supervisor’s Declaration: I,Salmah Bıntı Mohamad Yusoff , Hereby Certify That The Work Entitled, Explorıng The Acceptance And The Challenge Of Integratıng Psychotherapy And Pastoral Counselıng Among The Clergy In Sarawak Was Prepared By The Aforementioned Or Above Mentioned Student, And Was Submitted To The “Faculty” As A *Partial/Full Fulfillment For The Conferment Of Master Of Scıence Counsellıng, And The Aforementioned Work, To The Best Of My Knowledge, İs The Said Student’s Work

Project Number

Explorıng The Acceptance And The Challenge Of Integratıng Psychotherapy And Pastoral Counselıng Among The Clergy In Sarawak Lee Chai Foong Sarjana Sains Kaunseling 2020

References

• Abu-Raiya, H., Pargament, K. I., Krause, N., & Ironson, G. (2015). Robust links between religious/spiritual struggles, psychological distress, and well-being in a national sample of American adults. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 85(6), 565–575.
• Backus, W. D. (1985). Telling the truth to troubled people. Bethany House Publishers.
• Barlow, D. H. (1994). Psychological interventions in the era of managed competition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 1(2), 109–122. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2850.1994.tb00014.x
• Burke, M. T., Chauvin, J. C., & Miranti, J. G. (2005). Religious and spiritual issues in counseling: Applications across diverse populations. Brunner-Routledge.
• Clebsch, W. A., & Jaekle, C. R. (1994). Pastoral care in historical perspective. Jason Aronson.
• Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE.
• David, D. (2004). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT): The view of a cognitive psychologist. In Rational emotive behaviour therapy (pp. 130–157). Routledge.
• Fergusson, D. (2013). Theology and therapy: Maintaining the connection. Pacifica, 26(1), 3–16.
• Foster, J., Horn, D., & Watson, S. (1988). The popularity of integration models, 1980–1985. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 16(1), 3–14.
• Gonsiorek, J. C., Richards, P. S., Pargament, K. I., & McMinn, M. R. (2009). Ethical challenges and opportunities at the edge: Incorporating spirituality and religion into psychotherapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(4), 385–395. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016488
• Grimm, J., Barnett, K., Bassett, R., Pearson, S., Cornell, A., & Morton, S. (2012). Revisiting the issue of influential sources in the integration of psychology and theology: More than a decade summary. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 40(1), 5–15.
• Illueca, M. (2018). Interdisciplinary perspectives on spirit possession and deliverance ministries. Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, 72(4), 269–277.
• Jensen, C. A. (2003). Toward pastoral counseling integration: One Bowen oriented approach. Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, 57(2), 117–129. https://doi.org/10.1177/154230500305700203
• Jolene, J. (2022, March 16). Sarawak needs more psychologists and counsellors. New Sarawak Tribune. https://www.newsarawaktribune.com.my/sarawak-needs-more-psychologists-and-counsellors/
• Jonas, W. B., & Rosenbaum, E. (2021). The case for whole-person integrative care. Medicina, 57(7), 677. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57070677
• Koenig, H. (2016). Religiously integrated cognitive behavioral therapy for major depression in chronic medical illness: Review of results from a randomized clinical trial. Health and Social Care Chaplaincy, 4(1).
• Kubie, L. S., & Frank, J. D. (1961). Persuasion and healing. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 133(6), 561–566. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005053-196112000-00018
• Leavey, G., Loewenthal, K., & King, M. (2007). Challenges to sanctuary: The clergy as a resource for mental health care in the community. Social Science & Medicine, 65(3), 548–559. Lim, J., & Chuah, K. H. (2020). Psychotherapy and Christianity. In Research anthology on rehabilitation practices and therapy (pp. 1286–1296). IGI Global.
• Lloyd, C. E., & Hutchinson, J. (2022). “It’s easy to dismiss it as simply a spiritual problem”: Experiences of mental distress within evangelical Christian communities—A qualitative survey. Transcultural Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634615211065869
• Lloyd, C. E., & Waller, R. M. (2020). Demon? disorder? or none of the above? A survey of the attitudes and experiences of Evangelical Christians with mental distress. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 23(8), 679–690. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2019.1675148
• Miller, G. (2012). Crossing the border: Pastoral theology and psychotherapy. The Expository Times, 124(4), 157–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/0014524612464317
• Myers-Shirk, S. E. (2009). Helping the good shepherd: Pastoral counselors in a psychotherapeutic culture, 1925–1975. Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Narramore, S. (1997). Psychology and theology: Twenty-five years of theoretical integration. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 25(1), 6–10.
• Norcross, J. C., & Goldfried, M. R. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of psychotherapy integration (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Okoruwa, P. (2022). Book review: The pastor as counselor: The call for soul care by David Powlison. Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, 76(4), 309.
• Palmer, S., & Woolfe, R. (Eds.). (1999). Integrative and eclectic counselling and psychotherapy. SAGE.
• Paukert, A., Phillips, L., Cully, J., Romero, C., & Stanley, M. (2010). Systematic review of the effects of religion-accommodative psychotherapy for depression and anxiety. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 41(2), 99–108.
• Post, B., & Wade, N. (2009). Religion and spirituality in psychotherapy: A practice-friendly review of research. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(2), 131–146.
• Renear, M. (1976). Gestalt therapy and the sacramental experience. Journal of Pastoral Care, 30(1), 3–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/002234097603000102
• Saunders, G. (1992). Bishops and Brookes: The Anglican Mission and the Brooke Raj in Sarawak 1848–1941. Oxford University Press.
• Snodgrass, J. (2009). Toward holistic care: Integrating spirituality and cognitive behavioral therapy for older adults. Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging, 21(3), 219–236. https://doi.org/10.1080/15528030902803913
• Sperry, L. (2013). Distinctive approaches to religion and spirituality: Pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, and spiritually integrated psychotherapy. In K. I. Pargament, A. Mahoney, & E. P. Shafranske (Eds.), APA handbook of psychology, religion, and spirituality (Vol. 2): An applied psychology of religion and spirituality (pp. 223–238). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/14046-011
• Tan, J. H. (2012). Brookes, the British, and Christianity: Christian missions and the state in Sarawak, 1841–1963. Genesis Books.
• Tan, S.-Y. (2003). Integrating spiritual direction into psychotherapy: Ethical issues and guidelines. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 31(1), 14–23.
• Trader, A. (2011). Ancient Christian wisdom and Aaron Beck’s cognitive therapy: A meeting of minds. Peter Lang.
• Van Ness, P. H., & Larson, D. B. (2002). Religion, senescence, and mental health: The end of life is not the end of hope. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 10(4), 386–397. https://doi.org/10.1097/00019442-200207000-00005
• Walters, O. S. (1971). Psychodynamics and the Holy Spirit. Journal of Religion & Health, 10(3), 246–255. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01532604
• Woldemichael, M., Broesterhuizen, M., & Liègeois, A. (2013). Christian pastoral care and psychotherapy: A need for theoretical clarity. Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, 67(4), 1–13.
• Yeo, A. (1993). Counselling: A problem-solving approach. Armour Publishing.