Spiritual Energy of Islamic Prayers as a Catalyst for Psychotherapy

• DOI: 10.1007/s10943-013-9780-4
• Publication Date: 2013-10-05T07:54:09Z
• Authors: Hani M. Henry
• Keywords: Psychotherapy; Religion and Psychology; Mental Disorders; 05 social sciences; Humans; Female; Spirituality; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences; Middle Aged; Islam

Islamic prayers can produce spiritual energy that may yield many psychological benefits, such as amelioration of stress and improvement in subjective well-being, interpersonal sensitivity, and mastery. Islamic prayers can also be integrated into mainstream therapeutic interventions with religious Muslim clients, and this integration can mobilize, transform, and invigorate the process of psychotherapy. This paper provides methods that can be used for the explicit integration of Islamic prayers into traditional psychotherapy. Further, the paper offers strategies for avoiding potential pitfalls that may hamper this process. Finally, a case study illustrating this therapeutic integration and its psychological benefits will be presented.