Spiritual formation training in the Wheaton College PsyD program: nurturing the growth of servant-oriented practitioner-scholars.

Flanagan, Kelly S. ; Davis, Edward B. ; Pressley, Jana D. 等

The program goals and objectives of the Wheaton College Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) clinical psychology program flow from our mission statement, which focuses on Christian distinctiveness: a practitioner-scholar training model; commitment to professional practice as service to the Body of Christ and to underserved and marginalized persons; and an intentional community of faith emphasizing a balanced approach to spiritual, personal, professional, and interpersonal growth and development. Elsewhere our colleagues have described the clinical (Flanagan, Kahn, & Gregory, 2011) and research training (Gregory & McMinn, 2004) of students in the Wheaton College Psy.D. program also stemming from this mission. In the current article, we describe the spiritual formation training of Wheaton doctoral students. Building on our mission statement and drawing on faculty, student, and alumna perspectives, we identify spiritual formation as a critical aspect of our students' holistic training. We first highlight key assumptions about spiritual formation within our program. We then describe how faculty perceive spiritual formation as a holistic, relational-developmental process focused on training competent, service-oriented practitioner-scholars within an intentional community context. Students and an alumna then reflect on their spiritual formation experiences at Wheaton. Based on these reflections, we then highlight some of our program's strengths and growth opportunities in this training area. We conclude by offering general recommendations for spiritual formation training in Christian doctoral psychology programs.

Introduction: Key Assumptions and Distinctive Foci

Based on the work of Siegel (2012), Sperry (2013), and Willard (2006), we define spiritual formation as a developmental process that focuses primarily on facilitating spiritual growth but broadly on promoting holistic health, where health refers to "a state of optimal regulation and adaptive functioning of body, mind, [spirit,] and relationships" (Siegel, 2012, p. 459). In other words, stemming from our program's mission, we conceptualize spiritual formation as a holistic, relational-developmental process involving a balanced approach to promoting students' spiritual, personal, professional, and interpersonal growth and development. We assume spiritual formation is a distinct component of students' training and yet also permeates and is impacted by all other aspects of their training (e.g., clinical, research, and academic). In our training program, we strive to prioritize spiritual formation as central to our larger goal to holistically train competent practitioner-scholars.

Given our program's mission to foster an ever-growing commitment to serve the Church, the underserved, and the marginalized, one of the characteristics of spiritual formation training at Wheaton is our strong service-orientation. Specifically, we focus on nurturing the growth of servant-practitioner-scholars--that is, practitioner-scholars who view professional practice as service. We have the privilege of journeying with students during a particularly formative stage of life, as students respond to their calling to serve others. Here one of our program's core foci is cultivating our students' passion and skills for serving the "least of these" (Matthew 25:40, New International Version; see Matthew 25:31-46). This focus is evident within the classroom context and curriculum, collaborative research labs, and the activities of our intentional community of faith, as described in the next section.

Finally, we assume that spiritual formation is a developmental process embedded within interpersonal and community contexts (Sorenson, Derflinger, Bufford, & McMinn, 2004; cf. Pargament, Mahoney, Exline, Jones, & Shafranske, 2013). As Sperry (2013) has explained, spiritual formation is facilitated through a reflective process that transpires with someone who guides and embodies this process. Indeed, there is evidence that, within Christian doctoral psychology programs, the spiritual growth of students is primarily facilitated through meaningful and authentic relationships with faculty members who model a vibrant relationship with God (Sorenson et al., 2004). Further, stemming from our program's mission statement, we also believe our students' spiritual formation takes place within the broader context of a Christ-honoring training community and through the myriad relationships students have with their peers and with other key guiding figures in their lives. Therefore, another of our program characteristics is its strong focus on fostering intentional community.

In the next section, we provide faculty perspectives on spiritual formation within our community. We first offer an overview of how the program's structure is intended to facilitate the holistic, developmental process of our students' spiritual formation. We then describe how this process occurs across multiple levels of an intentional community.

Faculty Perspective

Holistic, Developmental Process

Classroom context and curriculum. Within the classroom, students' spiritual formation is encouraged in numerous ways, including devotions and prayer, small group interactions with others, and discussions of faith and orthopraxy. These classroom activities are a reflection of faculty members' spiritual formation, which emphasizes the need for us to continue to focus on our own growth and calling toward a Christ-like approach to professional practice as service. Indeed, some of the most meaningful and impactful classroom discussions occur as faculty and students authentically share about their spiritual formation journeys and professional practice; students often reflect upon the impact of faculty members' transparency on their spiritual formation (see Sorenson et al., 2004). One example of how our program provides opportunities for such transparency is by having core Psy.D. faculty come into a first-year class and share their spiritual formation narrative and personal approach to Christian integration.

Within the curriculum, there are key courses and assignments that have been designed to address the formation of the person-of-the-therapist, with a significant focus on spiritual formation. During the first two semesters of the program, students participate in a year long professional development and ethics course sequence. The first semester focuses on professional development as an ethical Christian psychologist, whereas the second semester focuses more specifically on the Christian integration literature. In both semesters, writing assignments, readings, and class discussions explore topics related to vocational calling, personal vision for serving others, and intersections among personal, spiritual, and professional development.

Just as Foster (1998) suggests that the path of our spiritual growth itself "does not produce change; it only places us where the change can occur," (p. 8) we attempt to emphasize intentionality in students' path through their graduate years. Thus, in this course sequence, we emphasize self-understanding, awareness/presence, and intentionality. We pose self-reflection exercises focused on the spiritual dimension of the self (e.g., "Think of a time when a new experience or risk created space for transformation in your life"; "Think of a time when you took a risk of obedience to God's call and the result was disappointing"). We allow time for students to engage in self-reflection and then to discuss their reflections with each other. Often these reflections evoke important discussions in a supportive community context. For example, a reflection topic based on Matthew 22:28-30 ("What contributes to feelings of weariness currently? How are you burdened right now?") has frequently led to a discussion of ways that rest, solitude, and prayer might be integrated into the self-care and spiritual practices that often are essential for the health of Christian graduate students and clinicians. Through readings and a panel discussion with alumni, we also provide an opportunity for students to witness how students before them have followed their calling to serve the Church, the underserved, and the marginalized in their professional work.

A capstone assignment at the end of each semester of this course sequence requires students to write and submit a Professional Development Plan. A specific section of the Professional Development Plan, Personal/ Spiritual Formation, requires students to thoughtfully consider the ways in which they hope to personally and spiritually develop throughout their training, as well as practical plans for engagement in self-reflective and spiritual practices in the midst of a demanding academic and clinical training sequence. In the Spring semester, students add an additional section, Christian Integration, which describes their reflection on what it means to be a Christian psychologist, the impact of their own spiritual journey and calling on their professional role, specific experiences that have affected the way they currently approach integration, and their approach to integration at theoretical and praxis levels. The Professional Development Plan is then updated and reviewed with faculty each year throughout the program. The purpose of this ongoing review is to provide an opportunity for students to holistically examine their personal, professional and spiritual development in a relational, mentoring context.

The next developmental step built into the clinical curriculum includes an annual practicum seminar course, a standard practice for clinical psychology training programs. These seminar groups consist of a small group of peers at the same training level that meet weekly (Flanagan et al., 2011). Additionally, students meet individually with the faculty seminar leader throughout the year. The purpose of the practicum seminar is to bridge the classroom and clinical contexts, and to facilitate the personal, professional, and spiritual formation of each student, with an emphasis on how these three domains relate to being an effective Christian clinical psychologist. The focus on spiritual formation as a holistic, developmental process is reflected in the goals of the course: 1) To promote the development of students' clinical competencies, professional identity, the person-of-the-therapist (e.g., empathy, self- and other-awareness), and vocational mission and calling; and 2) To facilitate integration amongst the professional, personal, and spiritual domains of students' development, including the personal-professional (e.g., use of self in psychotherapy), spiritual-personal (e.g., spiritual health while in graduate school), and spiritual-professional (e.g., use of spiritual interventions in clinical contexts). As faculty, we have found it professionally and personally rewarding to journey with students through these seminar courses; this journeying has an enriching impact on our own spiritual formation. We are so grateful to be a part of a training community that values and encourages the type of reciprocal relationships necessary for the growth and development of all members of the community even within the classroom context.

Finally, all students participate in a capstone course during their final spring semester prior to pre-doctoral internship. This advanced course is co-taught by a psychology professor and a theology professor, with the intention of engaging students in thoughtful and reflective discourse on the integration of psychology and classic doctrines of theology. The specific focus of this class is more on praxis than at the beginning of graduate school as students have more experience and knowledge to bring to discussion. It focuses on reflections on "beginnings and endings" of students' time in the program (Psalm 121:8) and how God has walked with them through their personal and spiritual formation as soon-to-be clinical psychologists. Thus, students are asked to articulate their journey and goals within the servant-practitioner-scholar model of our program with a focus on justice, mercy, grace, and responsibility for others. The faculty who teach this course are greatly impacted and rewarded by students' reflections on their spiritual formation throughout their time in the program.

Collaborative research labs. Students' spiritual formation, particularly as it relates to their vocational mission and calling, also is impacted by their involvement in our collaborative research labs. Starting during their second year in the program, all students are required to be an active member of a research lab. These labs are meant to encourage mentoring between faculty and students and between cohorts of students. Connections among students' spiritual, personal, and professional development are encouraged in various ways. All our research labs provide students with an avenue to focus on their missional calling to serve others in their professional role, particularly with respect to serving the Church, the underserved and the marginalized. As a faith-based program, an understanding of biblical justice as consistent with the major tenets of social justice (distributive, procedural, and interactional justice) is taught. Our program has developed a particular focus in how we promote a social justice orientation through the vehicle of research labs. As emphasized by Vera and Speight (2003), conducting research that is socially relevant and collaborative with underserved communities can serve as a key component in the shaping of a social justice orientation in trainees. At Wheaton College, opportunities in research labs provide exposure to social issues in the context of mentoring relationships; these opportunities aim to significantly influence students toward a social justice orientation via exposure to injustice and the influence of significant others (e.g. mentors, peers) (Caldwell & Vera, 2010). Research teams also provide opportunities for students to develop their relationships with the broader professional community and faith-based organizations through engagement in conferences and collaborative work. These relationships will provide a foundation for students' ongoing development post-graduation as Christian clinical psychologists who are committed to professional practice as service.

Intentional Community

With regard to our broader training context, it is important to note that the final point of our mission statement emphasizes community. There are several levels of this community that may influence students' spiritual formation.

Mentoring relationships. First, mentoring relationships between students and faculty members and staff are a significant priority within the program. Given our assumption that spiritual formation is a relational-developmental process, we view mentoring relationships as critical for promoting students' growth. These mentoring relationships take many different forms (e.g., academic, clinical, research, and spiritual mentoring) and occur in many different contexts (e.g., classes, research groups, teaching/research assistantships, and over lunch or coffee/tea). Though our workweeks are full, all faculty members set office hours aside and enjoy meetings with students to discuss various aspects of their development that promotes the health of body, mind, spirit, and relationships (spiritual formation). When we are at our best in our mentoring role, we seek to follow the Holy Spirit's lead in providing guidance and space for students' discernment, growth and development.

When students enter our program they are commonly young adults who have a solid sense of their faith beliefs; however, they are attempting to integrate faith as a holistic part of who they are as persons and professionals. We consistently observe that the students drawn to this program have a strong orientation toward biblical justice, and a sense of personal mission and calling to serve others as a clinical psychologist. Thus, we find it natural to focus on students' spiritual formation and join them at this stage in their journey as they grow in their understanding of compassion, justice, hope and grace. It is a privilege to partner with them in their spiritual formation journey. Their passion inspires and motivates us as we seek to purposefully provide mentorship and opportunities for spiritual growth.

Cohort model. We also attempt to scaffold the development of cohesive student cohorts that will provide a forum for the relationships needed for spiritual development. It is our prayerful hope that each cohort will serve as a source of support for each other's ongoing spiritual formation, both during and long after their time in the program. Thus, we facilitate regularly scheduled "cohort meetings" where we can process things occurring for the students as a group. Also, at the beginning of each academic year, faculty, staff and the first-year PsyD cohort take part in a retreat that involves a community service project. This day represents a wonderful way for us to get to know this unique cohort of students and to live out together our program's strong emphasis on missional service. In general, the intent of these types of cohort activities is to foster the growth and nurturance of a sense of community (e.g., intracohort cohesion) in order to support students' ongoing spiritual formation.

Program community. We also provide time during the academic year for the program community as a whole. This community encourages growth in the lives of each of the community members including students, faculty, and staff. We select a verse to focus on during the year that relates to our spiritual calling (e.g., Romans 12:12-13; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; Hebrews 10:23-24). We hold regularly scheduled "community gatherings" in which we pray together, worship together, celebrate and grieve together, and discuss relevant matters occurring in the life of our training community. These gatherings can be meaningful and enriching; however, attendance at the gatherings varies widely, largely depending on the particular time in the semester and students' year in the program (e.g., the fewer schedule constraints and demands on first- and second-year students result in their greater attendance at these gatherings).

Broader community involvement. Finally, we support students' broader community involvement, including their involvement in the Wheaton College community (e.g., cross-disciplinary symposia and events with the Bible and Theology department, graduate school chapel and small groups, prayer groups) and the surrounding local community (e.g., active involvement in a local church or service organization). We view these types of community involvement as other potential sources of and supports for students' spiritual formation while they are in graduate school.

Student Observations

Desire for Personal and Professional Growth

My (Sanders) personal decision to attend a distinctly Christian institution to pursue a doctoral degree in psychology included a great deal of thought and discussion not only about the psychological credentials of the school, but also how the institution would impact me and form me spiritually and as a person. This decision was founded in the belief that my daily life and occupation could not be separated from my faith and spiritual life. In order to have the opportunity to continue my spiritual development in intentional ways, I chose to attend Wheaton due to the program's focus on the development of the entire person. I wanted not only to become competent in the field of psychology but also to become a more developed person as a whole. It is clear that spiritual development is always occurring; I experience spiritual formation in a number of explicit and intentional ways, including the curriculum and setup of classes, my relationships with professors and peers, and the guidance of practicum seminar leaders in processing practicum experiences.

First, Wheaton is very intentional with their required curriculum, which includes Bible and theology. In my first two years at Wheaton, I have taken classes such as Spirituality, Church History, and Theological Anthropology. In the busyness of a graduate program, it can be easy for me to view these classes simply as additional work. Yet, these classes explicitly deal with matters of faith, theology, and worldview. They remind me that my faith and beliefs have roots that go back much further than I often realize. These classes have enabled me to explore this heritage at a deeper level, fostering a better understanding of how I view the world. The professors in the psychology department are also very intentional about including discussions about faith within the psychology classes. Discussions within these classes challenge my peers and me to evaluate what we believe and how to take our beliefs and integrate them with this new information.

The willingness of professors at Wheaton to struggle with students over these questions is testament to the fact that spiritual formation never truly ends.

Relationships with my professors and peers have been another crucial piece to my spiritual development. Throughout my first year in the program I regularly met with professors during office hours to further discuss the process of how our faith and the field of psychology fit together. During these conversations, I realized that spiritual development is not only reading scripture, praying, and attending church, but these things and so much more, developing through specific practices but also throughout our daily and weekly activities. My peers have also pushed me and challenged me in a variety of ways. My classmates and I come from a myriad of backgrounds and Christian faith traditions, and unique and varying life experiences, which greatly impact how we view the world and how we understand God and scripture. There are many times where we disagree with one another; however, we are blessed that these disagreements come from a place of curiosity and a desire to understand one another. They have pushed me to critically analyze what I believe and why, and to embrace it as my own. The relationships I have developed with my professors and my fellow students have been one of the most impactful ways I have developed spiritually during my time in grad school.

A third way spiritual development happens at Wheaton is through our practicum training sites and the guidance we receive from the program. During the fast tempo that often characterizes practicum training sites, it can be difficult to find time to process how training impacts me spiritually. In the program's Practicum Seminars, we are able to gain feedback as well as support from our peers and professors. At practicum we experience things that we have only discussed theoretically or hypothetically in class. In class it may be easy to discuss, for example, how Christians should view and treat someone with a severe pathology but it can be much more difficult to actually carry this out when all of the week's commitments are running through my mind and the only reason I am still consciously aware of my surroundings is due to the copious amounts of caffeine I have consumed throughout the day. Seminar gives me a place to discuss the theoretical in real experiences when situations are not clear-cut and everything is just a little bit messier than the case study that was discussed in class. This setting has given me a place to discuss my spiritual development and how to live out my faith in moral and ethical ways. In summary, my decision to attend a program that would help me grow holistically was easy and has been rewarding. However, the difficulty has been figuring out how to make this happen, which is discussed by my peers below and in the concluding sections of this article.

Faithful Friend and Unexpected Obstacle

Though in general, spiritual formation does not begin and end with the time spent in a graduate program, it is heavily influenced by the many experiences that accompany such training. To that end, the doctoral program at Wheaton has been both a faithful friend, and at times, an unexpected obstacle in my (Jackson) journey toward spiritual growth and development. As previously stated, at its core, the Wheaton program desires to facilitate the spiritual growth of its students; however, the mechanism of this growth often varies between students. For example, some students may report that they have been most significantly impacted by the discussion of spirituality in classes (i.e. devotional passages, assigned papers, class dialogue) whereas others may note that they have greatly benefited from mentoring relationships or informal discussions between peers.

My personal spiritual formation in the doctoral program has been shaped by a combination of these factors. It can best be described as an equally rewarding yet tumultuous journey that has brought me to a place of greater understanding of myself as a spiritual being, dearly loved by God and created for service to God and others. At times, I have greatly benefited from the intentionality with which we have been introduced to theological constructs and heroes of the faith through course material. Additionally, on numerous occasions, I have sought out opportunities to grapple with the ways in which my spirituality influences me culturally, personally, and professionally with the help of trusted professors and colleagues. However, despite its best intentions, as a rigorous doctoral program, Wheaton leaves little time for these and many other spiritual disciplines. Saying "yes" to time spent in contemplative prayer, or at a small group meeting may often mean saying "no" to a research group opportunity or spending a bit more time preparing for an exam. Consequently, in a community that emphasizes spiritual growth as well as academic and professional excellence, I have often felt the tension between meeting academic expectations at the expense of my spiritual needs as well as the weight of needing to do both excellently at all times. Nonetheless, as a trusted professor and mentor encouraged me, I have begun to prioritize the things that feed my soul--allowing for the transparency that recognizes that I simply cannot "do it all." Although it is certainly true that the Psy.D. program can improve upon the way that it fosters and facilitates spiritual growth, I have grown to treasure the invaluable tools that I have received while in the program. I have appreciated the opportunity to embrace my own imperfection and that of my colleagues and peers in a community of people learning to practice grace-filled lives of service.

"For Christ and His Kingdom"

The powerful mantra "Wheaton College: For Christ and His Kingdom" greatly influenced my decision to attend the Psy.D. program. I (Kent) hoped for two things in making the decision to attend Wheaton: to know God more and to better understand human beings as created image-bearers of God. My desire was, and still is, that God would use the sanctifying atmosphere of Wheaton College and my academic pursuits to equip me to serve others, especially His church (Psalm 90:17; Phil. 2:12-13).

Like my colleagues above, I have benefited spiritually from the Psy.D. program's multifaceted approach to spiritual formation, which includes instruction in the spiritual disciplines, program-wide gatherings, office hours with professors, classroom discussion, class content, and regular reflection. I am continually impressed by the availability of my professors and their compassion and interest regarding my spiritual, personal, and professional growth. In the midst of a grueling doctoral pace, these fruitful and open relationships with professors breathe life into a rigorous and, at times, rather arduous process. I have especially valued times when my professors have shared about their personal journey in spiritual formation. I also value the honest and open feedback I receive from my faculty. Whether it is offered in a one-on-one meeting during office-hours or through more structured evaluations, their feedback is consistently encouraging, honest and helpful.

Though my experience in the program has been very positive overall, I feel some opportunities for spiritual growth are missed. As someone very interested in the integration of Christianity and psychology, especially explicit integration, I do not always feel there is a forum for the questions I would like to ask. I would appreciate more formal opportunities to help me explore more deeply the ways by which God desires to demonstrate his glory in and through psychological science and practice. Paul's words to the church in Colossae reflect the intentional community I believe God desires for the Psy.D. program (Colossians 3:16-17).

Alumna Observation

Growth through Community and Vulnerability

If I (Carter) were not a person of faith, I would likely believe that I stumbled into the PsyD program at Wheaton College. However, within the context of my faith, it is clear that the clumsy steps I took to get to Wheaton were purposefully orchestrated because God had work to do in my life. From my experience at Wheaton, I am forever changed, and not just because I am trained and prepared to practice as a clinical psychologist. My time at Wheaton truly fostered my spiritual development. In the two years since I graduated, I have contemplated the agent of this growth. Though there is not a single agent, the authentic community I found at Wheaton was imperative.

I was particularly challenged with the concept of imago Dei and how views on this concept influence the work of a clinical psychologist. As with most matters within integration, there is no simple explanation of this concept; yet, my inclination is that being made in the image of a triune God means that we are made to be in authentic relationship with God and his creation. We are made to be in community, which is a vulnerable place to be! I have struggled to be vulnerable, which has hindered my spiritual growth at times. The beauty in the design of the Psy.D. program at Wheaton is that learning takes place within the context of an authentic community of cohorts, faculty, staff, and supervisors. I was encouraged to participate in this community not as a competitor but as a member. Paul's words to the Romans summarize much of what I experienced:

Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (Romans 12:9-10)

I was challenged to consider difficult psychological and theological concepts as well as their integration without being spoon-fed simple answers; though I have to admit that being spoon-fed was an alluring prospect at times. Balancing the demands of clinical placements, classes, and a research lab while remaining an active member of an authentic community was no small feat. I would have learned these concepts if I had been challenged outside of this community, but I would not have been vulnerable and struggled enough to incite the same spiritual growth. My spiritual development at Wheaton has led me to be more vulnerable with God as well as the people with whom I interact personally and professionally. I feel better prepared to form authentic relationships within which to deliver effective clinical services. Additionally, I find myself more comfortable with the person God made me to be and my role in the Church as a woman. Even though I am no longer physically present within the Wheaton community, the connections I made through my spiritual journey there are lasting, and I am utterly grateful for the growth and continued support I receive through them.

Program Strengths and Challenges

It is clear that the Wheaton College Psy.D. program has an intentional focus on spiritual formation, and that much of this formation occurs in the context of authentic relationships and intentional community. The curriculum and practices of the program reveal how we strive to prioritize spiritual formation as part of a holistic approach towards training. This approach is based on our perspective that spiritual formation impacts and is impacted by personal, interpersonal, and professional development. For example, all of our students must be involved in collaborative research labs during their time in the program and all of our students are required to obtain at least one practicum in an underserved setting (Flanagan et al., 2011). These requirements facilitate mentoring relationships and modeling of professional work that is justice and service-oriented. Further, our understanding of spiritual formation as a developmental process fits well with the sequential and cumulative training experiences inherent in graduate training. In reflecting on spiritual formation training in the program, our structure and process are sound; yet the various challenges are clear.

First, because spiritual formation is a developmental process that is impacted daily, there are many factors that affect spiritual formation and we need to recognize the limits of the program. Students are "ripe" for spiritual formation as they enter this program with a specific calling to serve the hurting and marginalized that is spiritual in nature and motivated by biblical justice. Yet students only have 4 to 5 years on campus in the program. The developmental trajectory of their spiritual formation depends on so many variables during that time period, including the nature of relationships with faculty, clinical placements obtained, a student's openness to growth, and personal and life situations (e.g., stage of life, financial concerns, family responsibilities). For example, as a training program we might have little direct influence on their clinical training on site (Flanagan et al., 2011). Because clinical training and the supervisor relationship can either negatively or positively affect students' spiritual formation (e.g., how the site talks about clients, demands of the placement, support provided for growth and formation), we seek to have an impact through the practicum seminar. However, as the demands on clinical training increase (e.g., outcome assessments, higher numbers of clinical hours), it is more and more difficult to focus on the fourth point of the practicum seminar--the integration of the personal, professional and spiritual. Likewise, after the first year in the program, spiritual formation is highly dependent on the interpersonal relationships among faculty and students and spontaneous relational experiences (e.g., travel for conferences and research, walks during office hours, coffee breaks). Not all of our students find the mentoring or cohort relationships they might desire to optimally support spiritual formation.

Another challenge that faculty and students encounter in prioritizing spiritual formation is the demanding busyness of a doctoral program. Faculty experience increasing demands on their time and energy (e.g., recommendation letters, an increased assessment culture, scholarship requirements) that may limit their ability to focus on their own and their students' spiritual formation. Yet, faculty need to prioritize and dedicate space to their own spiritual formation in order to attend to students' formation. From a student perspective (Jackson), the program offers a broad range of opportunities for spiritual growth; however, it may be a challenge for faculty to be attuned to spiritual development in interactions with students because we may be focused on other pertinent areas of development. Further, although we emphasize community through various activities, we wish we had more time for community activities that specifically address spiritual formation (e.g., the community service project/ retreat in the first year of the program).

Students express that, with the constant demands of classes, practicum, research, work, and other life situations, there may be little time or energy to intentionally focus on their spiritual development. Graduate school is often comically purported to be normatively high-demanding, which includes more coffee and less sleep, more skimming and less perfectionism in work completion, greater multi-tasking in multiple roles and less focused attention on the here-and-now and the world outside of graduate school. Students may feel pressure to stand out among external training sites and future internship sites; thus, they experience pressure to take on more than they can perhaps feasibly accomplish in their schedules, particularly in light of the predoctoral "internship crisis." They may experience favorable feedback from faculty and external positive reinforcement about their various accomplishments. However, we must keep in mind that no matter how much is on a curriculum vitae, it means nothing if there is not accompanying spiritual development. We must strive to focus not on doing and achieving, but on growing and being in relationship with Christ. When given space, students reflect that the high demands of graduate school and our profession can lead to reverting to perhaps erroneous ways of viewing God's sovereignty, the image of God in us, people's inherent goodness, or what is truly important in our world (Canning, 2011; Langberg, 2006). We need to be aware of how graduate school can slowly erode the spirit and the spiritual disciplines that are a part of spiritual formation. There are legitimate threats to our spiritual formation when obtaining a graduate education, as described in the following reflection:

...[V]ocational ministry has not been an easy setting in which to grow in Christ. It has its own "danger, toils, and snares." The problem is that they are camouflaged, and not easily recognizable. In fact many of the things that have taken me away from Christ are the very things the Christian community supports. Performance and busyness are two of the more significant snares. Looking back, if there was one thing I would do differently it would be I would spend more time guarding my heart and nurturing my soul. I would be far more intentional about prayer, anonymous service, and allowing myself to be ministered to. I would be more open and vulnerable and less plastic and presentable. I would manage God less, and seek Him more. (Houston, 2006, p. 299)

An authentic community within which to discuss these snares and face these challenges may ultimately serve as a protective factor against spiritual erosion so that we can nurture our souls.

In our goal to educate students who will serve competently as servant-practitioner-scholars, we strive to balance both the holistic formation of the student and the training of the clinician who is highly competent to treat clients holistically. Although it is extremely rewarding to focus on personal, spiritual and professional development, therein lies the challenge for our program and others--there are always competing demands for both faculty and students. In writing this article, we were reminded of how critical this aspect of the program is, and are blessedly challenged to maintain its centrality in our work despite competing demands.

Recommendations for Training

one of the authors of this paper (Sanders) described spiritual formation as "a messy, albeit beautiful, collage of experiences, knowledge, relationships, and faith that all mix together to form this complex and intricate entity." As Christian programs we must recognize students' desire for spiritual formation as part of their graduate training, and not only intentionally build in a focus on spiritual formation but also follow through on this intention with integrity. We appreciated talking amongst ourselves about the reality of this messy but beautiful process within our own program, and would appreciate discussions with other programs.

This type of discussion would permit recognizing the intense demands of graduate training for both faculty and students, and identification of possible solutions for students' (and faculty) spiritual health and formation. Within the culture of assessment, we have delineated numerous essential competencies and outcomes for training clinical psychologists. Yet we must also recall Jesus' teaching in John 15:4, 11: "No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." We have highlighted what we are doing at Wheaton College, but we confess needing to recommit to prioritizing spiritual formation as central to holistic development for Christian psychologists. Some things we are trying even this year is to provide time to reflect on and discuss what we are specifically doing that is relevant to spiritual formation in each aspect of the program (e.g., classes, clinical training, research involvement), to include a focus on spiritual formation in our annual program evaluation, and to encourage communal reflection on holistic development and the need to be rooted in Christ (e.g., the year's community verses are Colossians 2: 6-7). We look forward to communication and collaboration with other programs about how to prioritize spiritual formation within integrative doctoral psychology training (Johnson & McMinn, 2003).

A clear awareness resulting from the process of writing this paper is the need for faculty to also focus on their spiritual formation and share their journeys. We have observed how much the shared narratives of leaders in Christian integration are received and cherished by our students (e.g., the use in class of Moriarty, 2010). Integrative doctoral programs would benefit from better understanding the impact of faculty members' sharing their holistic development in serving God and others within this profession. Some possible ideas to intentionally focus on faculty's holistic development include: (a) pedagogical conversation or faculty development days specifically focused on faculty spiritual formation; (b) resources that fund faculty activities to support their spiritual formation; or (c) administrative and collegial endorsement of spiritual formation (e.g., in sabbatical leaves, faculty reviews, faculty mentoring programs). We can benefit from hearing how our colleagues at other institutions navigate competing demands to give priority to spiritual formation of all who are part of the training community.

Further, our students consistently reflect on the value of high-quality faculty-student relationships for their spiritual formation. Integrative programs would be amiss to neglect the importance of these relationships and authentic community within a demanding training context. Similarly, just as students appear to respond to authentic discussions of the spiritual journeys of faculty members, they may appreciate honest discussions of the challenges of a graduate program that is called to offer students sound clinical training as well as spiritual formation.

Conclusion

In summary, we believe that service to God within the field of clinical psychology requires skills rendered as a vessel of the God of faith, hope, and love. It can be difficult to remain a faithful vessel in the face of loss, hopelessness, and despair. Being engaged in clinical work, particularly with those on the margins of society, and having our work ultimately reflect God's glory requires ongoing spiritual formation. Graduate training can be a valuable part of this spiritual journey. Yet, it is essential to identify and address barriers as well as contributions to spiritual formation within training programs. The relational aspect and the view of students, faculty and staff as holistic beings are vital components. Because spiritual formation is an ongoing process, it seems necessary to facilitate for each unique cohort of students an experience in graduate school that will help them maintain a continued focus on spiritual formation within authentic communities throughout their professional careers. Intentional community practices, such as those that are continuously refined as the program at Wheaton evolves, may be crucial, though research to better understand these programmatic practices is needed. We are excited by the potential of a more intentional focus on spiritual formation within doctoral training.

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Kelly S. Flanagan

Jana D. Pressley

Edward B. Davis

Jamie D. Aten

Mark Sanders

Wheaton College

J. Carrick Carter

Psychological Services, PLLC

Anjelica Jackson

James Kent

Wheaton College

Correspondence on this article may be sent to Kelly S. Flanagan, Wheaton College, 501 College Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187; kelly.flanagan@wheaton.edu

Kelly S. Flanagan (Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Pennsylvania State University) is associate professor and program director for the Psy.D. Clinical Psychology program at Wheaton College. Her research interests include school-based mental health, negative peer experiences, and the role of forgiveness and spiritual well-being in children's adjustment.

Jana Pressley (Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, Wheaton College) is an Associate Professor of Psychology and director of Clincal Training at Wheaton College (IL). Her research interests include the impact of chronic childhood neglect and abuse on long-term development, the impact of complex trauma on spirituality, and the expression of coping and resilience in survivors of community violence.

Edward B. Davis (Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, Regent University) is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Wheaton College. His research interests include god representations, religion and spirituality, psychological assessment, and interpersonal neurobiology.

Jamie D. Aten (Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, Indiana State University) is founder and codirector of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute and Dr. Arthur P. Rech and Mrs. Jean May Rech Associate Professor of Psychology at Wheaton College (Wheaton, Illinois). His interests include the psychology of religion and disasters, disaster spiritual and emotional care, and faith-based relief and development.

Mark Sanders (M.A. in Clinical Psychology, Wheaton College) is a Psy.D candidate at Wheaton College (IL). He works with the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College where he assists in research that equips faith-based organizations to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.

J. Carrick Carter (Psy.D. Clinical Psychology, Wheaton College) owns a private practice in Norman, OK. She specializes in working with children and adolescents and has research interests in spirituality and peer relations.

Anjelica Jackson (M.A. in Clinical Psychology, Wheaton College) is a Psy.D. Candidate at Wheaton College (IL). Her research interests include social support and resilience among African-American adolescents and families, community-based interventions, and risk and resilience among clergy members.

James P. Kent (M.B.A., University of Southern Mississippi) is a third year PsyD student at Wheaton College (IL). His research interests include psychology and the church, the spiritual development of individuals and families, and spiritual formation and faith praxis.