ABSTRACT
In his book Minding Spirituality, Randall Lehman Sorenson explored the relationship between psychoanalysis and religion. This chapter reviews his work, applauding his argument for recognizing the importance of spirituality, or the lack thereof, in the lives of psychotherapy patients. Because of a history within psychoanalysis of rejecting religion as regressive, therapists often overlook and fail to explore the spirituality of their patients. In some cases, psychoanalytic patients are even led to view religious faith as regressive and detrimental to mental health. Sorenson's work provides a corrective to these outdated and sometimes harmful attitudes about religion. Also noted by this author is Sorenson's omission in his research of and exploration of some of the genuinely harmful aspects of authoritarian, abusive, and cult-like religious communities.
