Counseling and Psychotherapy With Religious Persons: A Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Approach

Rating:
Summary: A Pleasant Surprise
Review: Albert Ellis, the third author of this book, is well known for his atheism and attacks on religion even to me, a school teacher. He's notorious. Leaders of my church have used him as an example of the dangers for religious believers in the secular world of psychology! What a surprise to see his name on a book about counseling religious people! It is clear that Nielsen and Johnson have had a mellowing effect on Ellis (though he apparently maintains his atheistic views). Their book provides a clear description of this therapy and a well thought through explanation for why it will work and how to use it with religious people. The book is, evidently, intended for counselors, and I'm only an interested observer, but it gave me confidence that religious people like me can find an approach that will respect my beliefs and not feed me a bunch of psychobabble and mumbojumbo. I found myself thinking that this could work. Most heartening about the book was finding that these psychologists took an honest look at religious principles and were even willing to look at scripture to help their religious clients get better.

Rating:
Summary: A Pleasant Surprise
Review: Albert Ellis, the third author of this book, is well known for his atheism and attacks on religion even to me, a school teacher. He's notorious. Leaders of my church have used him as an example of the dangers for religious believers in the secular world of psychology! What a surprise to see his name on a book about counseling religious people! It is clear that Nielsen and Johnson have had a mellowing effect on Ellis (though he apparently maintains his atheistic views). Their book provides a clear description of this therapy and a well thought through explanation for why it will work and how to use it with religious people. The book is, evidently, intended for counselors, and I'm only an interested observer, but it gave me confidence that religious people like me can find an approach that will respect my beliefs and not feed me a bunch of psychobabble and mumbojumbo. I found myself thinking that this could work. Most heartening about the book was finding that these psychologists took an honest look at religious principles and were even willing to look at scripture to help their religious clients get better.