Religion in the therapy room

Giles Fraser explores the parallels and overlaps between spirituality/religion and psychotherapy.

Professor Josh Cohen is a psychotherapist, who believes that God can be a problematic figure in the therapy room.

Joining the discussion with Giles is Dr Jeremy Holmes, British Psychiatrist and author of -The Spirit of Psychotherapy- which examines the parallels, contrasts, and overlaps between the secular world of psychotherapy and the realm of spirituality. Dr Rania Awaad; Stanford University Professor, Psychiatry, Islamic Law & Theology. And Canon Leanne Roberts; Church of England priest and psychotherapist (Jungian) Dean of Clergy well-being for the Diocese of Southwark.

In 2023 the NHS recorded 1.76 million referrals to their talking therapies programme in England. The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy say their membership has risen by 27% since 2020. However, you can now access services from therapists within Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and many more of the faiths.

Can therapeutic models replace religion as a way of exploring and understanding our inner worlds? Is religion an awkward spectre in a therapy room? What’s the difference between religion as something dealt with dispassionately and a therapist who bills themselves as a religious psychotherapist ?

Producer: Rebecca Maxted & Bara'atu Ibrahim Assistant Producer: James Leesley Editor: Tim Pemberton