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Catholic Christianity and Mental Health: Beliefs, Research and Applications
This book is for mental health professionals, clergy, researchers, and laypersons interested in the relationship between religion, spirituality and mental health in Catholics. A concise description of Catholic beliefs, practices, and values is followed by a review of research conducted in Catholics, and then by recommendations for practice based on research, clinical experience, and common sense. The author is a physician researcher who has spent over 30 years investigating the relationship between religion and health, and directs Duke University’s Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health. He is also a clinician who for decades has treated clients with a wide range of emotional disorders using a faith-based approach. In this well-documented and highly cited volume, he brings together over 100 years of research (from Durkheim onward) that has examined how religious faith impacts the mental health of those who call themselves Catholics, and explains what this means for those who are seeking to provide hope, meaning, and healing to members of this faith tradition.
68 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 5, 2017
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About the author
Harold G. Koenig
111 books10 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Harold George Koenig
Harold George Koenig
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 18, 2025
Rating: 3.5 stars
As a clinical psychology student and a practicing Catholic, I found it interesting to engage with my faith while being introduced to its foundational components.
If you're looking for a book to explore this topic in an introductory way, this is a solid starting point. However, if you already have some background or experience in the subject, you may want to consider other titles that explore the topic in greater depth.
That said, I was left wanting more in terms of practical detail. The author's recommendations are quite surface-level and lack concrete examples of how they might play out in a therapeutic setting. Still, I don’t regret reading the book—especially considering it can easily be read in a single sitting.
As a clinical psychology student and a practicing Catholic, I found it interesting to engage with my faith while being introduced to its foundational components.
If you're looking for a book to explore this topic in an introductory way, this is a solid starting point. However, if you already have some background or experience in the subject, you may want to consider other titles that explore the topic in greater depth.
That said, I was left wanting more in terms of practical detail. The author's recommendations are quite surface-level and lack concrete examples of how they might play out in a therapeutic setting. Still, I don’t regret reading the book—especially considering it can easily be read in a single sitting.
Displaying 1 of 1 review