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“Doing My Profession is also Part of Worship”: How Clinical Psychologists Address Aspects of Spirituality and Religion in Indonesia

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Abstract

This study aimed to explore how Indonesian clinical psychologists (CPs) address aspects of spirituality and religion (SR), particularly their attitudes towards and experience of it, on the mental health context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 43 CPs in public health centres in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia. Data were analysed using deductive thematic analysis and they generated ten sub-themes which were merged into three central themes. The first theme was experiences related to SR, particularly in Indonesian sociocultural context. The second theme concentrated on participants’ clinical experience related to SR integration into clinical practice. The last theme highlighted the effort made by participants to create holistic mental health services. The originality of this study was represented by the interview quote in the title, “Doing my profession is also part of worship”. It was found that SR is part of culture and belief among Indonesian people, including CPs and mental health treatment clients. In summary, participants genuinely acknowledged that they were not able to completely detach SR from their professional practice. However, participants also pointed out that they were different with spiritual–religious healers (SRHs) and favourably welcomed future collaboration with credible SRHs. This positive attitude embodied a holistic care approach that recognises the diverse biopsycho-social-spiritual needs of clients. Therefore, professional organisations and psychology faculties should establish regulations and education of SR in psychology curricula and conventional psychotherapy to achieve this holistic mental health services in Indonesia.

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Availability of Data

The data which support the findings of this study are available from the author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Data of this study is part of the author’s doctoral thesis on CAM among clinical psychologists in Indonesia. The author thanks the Indonesian Clinical Psychology Association (IPK HIMPSI) for the permission to collect data and psychologists who participated in the interviews. The author thanks Annie E. Pohlman, PhD, for the invaluable feedback and discussion.

Funding

The author is supported by Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education Scholarship (LPDP RI) for the doctoral degree at the University of Queensland (20150122082410). The views expressed are the author’s own.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Room 303, McElwain Building, St Lucia, 4072, Australia

    Andrian Liem

  2. Indigenous Mental Health Research Centre, St Lucia, 4072, Australia

    Andrian Liem

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  1. Andrian Liem
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Correspondence to Andrian Liem.

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This research was approved by the School of Psychology Ethics Review Committee, the University of Queensland (#16-PSYCH-PHD-08-JH).

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Liem, A. “Doing My Profession is also Part of Worship”: How Clinical Psychologists Address Aspects of Spirituality and Religion in Indonesia. J Relig Health 59, 1434–1457 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00880-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00880-0

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