Integration in three tenses: a journey from separate and not equal to integral and interwoven.

Moon, Gary W.

This essay provides a personal reflection on the past, present and future of the modem integration movement, There three lenses provide focus for describing five topics deemed to be contral to the integrative enterprise; 1) normal curves 2) invisible things. 3) reductionism and competition, 4) Jesus being real smart; and 5) actual differences vs. tur wars it is suggested that matters of soul and spirit are integral to understanding the person.

I am deeply honored to have been asked to contribute an essay as part of The Journal of Psychology and Theology's forty-year anniversary celebration. As requested by the editors, my intent is to provide a serious reflection on the past, present and future of the modern integration movement. I hope that the reader will forgive me for two things. First, my style--I'm more of a story teller than a pens-in-the-front-pocket researcher; and secondly, for the structure. I'll be using a 3 x 5 matrix as I reflect on how the three tenses (past, present and future) of the modern integration movement while describing the course of my own evolving views concerning five topics that I deem to be central to the integrative enterprise: 1) normal curves, 2) invisible things, 3) reductionism and competition, 4) _Jesus being real smart, and 5) actual differences vs. turf wars.

Integration in Past

Tense I grew up alongside the modern integration movement--literally. I was born in 1956, about 1,000 miles south of where another newborn, the Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS), was coming into the world. Since I was neither Dutch nor reformed, it was quite some time before we met'. During my college years I attended a conservative Christian college and then a major state university whose 50-faculty-member psychology department had been taken over by the radical behaviorists. The rat was king, mazes were everywhere and invisible things like the soul and spirit were excluded from discussion of the person.

When it came time to pursue graduate school I sought out one that would allow God talk--the first APA approved Ph.D. program hosted by a seminary. I thrived in the rigorous academic environment and in discovering both the broader Christian world and the possibilities of integrating Christian faith and professional practice. I say "possibilities" because, in spite of being exposed to a truly outstanding faculty and curriculum, I do not remember any serious practical presentations concerning how explicit integration might be done. (Please note, I do not mean this as a negative critique of my cherished Alma matter, but a reflection of the early cautions concerning explicit integration in an APA approved training context.)

I began a full-time private practice--the first licensed psychologist in a five county area in rural Georgia. I practiced in such a way that the entire state licensure board could have been observing my sessions through a two-way mirror and never suspected that I was a Christian. But a problem was emerging; most of the healing of my own soul was coming as a result of visiting monasteries, reading spiritual classics, and honest conversations with friends about spiritual matters. I wanted to recommend some of these life-giving practices to my clients; but therein lay the dilemma. It seemed professionally wrong to do so.

The Five Integrative Topics: A View from the Past Normal Curves. At the time of my first exposure, psychology was a discipline that focused only on the left--side the "painful" or "deficient" side--of the normal curve. Psychologists were skilled in identifying abnormal conditions in peoples' lives and in the use of psychological techniques for promoting more normal patterns of thinking, feeling, behaving and relating. I could get most motivated clients to the center of the normal curve, and I had learned to do so without any discernable divine input.

Invisible Things. Psychology was presented as a science. Albeit, a science that had recently moved across campus from the theology and philosophy departments to roughly the same zip code as biology, chemistry and physics. But as a modern science, invisible things--like soul and spirit--at best do not exist. At worse, discussion of such matters could be a professional embarrassment to the practitioner.

Reductionism and Competition. Brian McLaren (2001) tells an interesting story about how a modernist and a post-modernist learn about frogs. The modernist first kills the frog, slices it into the smallest possible pieces and then slides those slivers under a microscope to look within the cells of the frog. The post modernist puts on a wet suit, climbs into the pond and lives with the frog for weeks at a time. I came to psychological and theological studies at a time when the discipline was dominated by modernists--working with a person or on a sermon involved at lot of slicing and dicing of very small bits of information.

Jesus is Real Smart. Jesus was the actual dilemma for me. I was taught that he was real, the author of life, and that he had once helped to create the entire universe without breaking a sweat. He even had a lot to say about life and how to experience it with great abundance and joy. But, ironically, I was not taught to treat him as an equal to psychotherapists such as Freud, Skinner or even Rogers on matters of living.

Actual Differences vs. Turf Wars. Psychiatry, psychology, pastoral counseling and spiritual direction were presented as four separate and all-but-non-overlapping domains. I had come to accept and defend these boundaries.

Integration in Present Tense

It wasn't long until I realized that there was neither a two-way mirror nor a supervisor in my office. With this new freedom I began to allow elements from my personal discovery of spiritual and devotional practices seep through the cracks in my therapeutic understanding and into some counseling sessions. Tentatively, I became much more spiritually sensitive in my practice of psychotherapy.

Now, looking back from the present, I can see that I have become progressively more explicit in my approaches to integration--both in private practice settings and within the classroom. I also realize that my present "freedoms" were initially fueled by permission-giving articles (Benner, 1988; Bergin, 1980; Tan, 1994; Worthington, 1986, etc.), and later by the growing number of books published by the American Psychological Association on religion and spirituality. It is not surprising that my present-day view of the big "five integrative topics" which I am using here as a template, has changed radically.

The Five Integrative Topics: A View from the Present Normal Curves. I still see great value in helping people identify and ameliorate "abnormal" conditions in their lives. However, I now view a variety of spiritual practices and techniques as having the potential to add value in helping certain clients achieve these goals. And, I conceptualize my therapeutic work as always being done in close proximity to an abnormal curve--the invisible, upside, down kingdom of God. (Please see figure 1). And for certain clients, I have come to believe that facilitating movements away from the center of the normal curve--that is, becoming abnormally loving, peaceful and joyful, and at home in the kingdom of God--is a legitimate therapeutic endeavor.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

Invisible Things. I have mentioned in other writings (Moon, 2010, & Moon, in press) my deep appreciation for Dallas Willard. I have even referred to him as my Favorite psychologist. This is because I believe he offers more help than most in attempting to bring the entire "person" into focus. In his book, Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ, Dallas Willard (2002) not only writes about the four aspects of the person that are familiar to all psychologists and counselors (thought, emotion, body/behavior, and social context), but he also address two taboo topics, spirit and soul.

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

I believe Willard's model of human functioning provides a holistic way of conceptualizing and working with individuals that easily embraces abnormal psychology, positive psychology and the soul/spirit. In his schema each component (let's use "cognitive" aspect as one illustration) can be focused on for the purpose of: 1) improving maladaptive functioning (e.g., reframing and restructuring thought patterns that lead to negative outcomes); 2) increasing positive outcome (e.g., strengthening and enhancing existing thought patterns that support positive functioning); and 3) enhancing Christian spiritual formation (e.g., examining an individual's views and concepts of God for the purpose of facilitating the process of learning to live more moments "with" God.).

Reductionism and Competition. As the universe seems to be transitioning from modernity to postmodernity, it is not surprising that the ebbing of an age known for individualism, mechanization, control, competition and analysis would result in shifts in how integration efforts are envisioned. On a personal level, I am experiencing a change in how I view various integrative approaches to the disciplines of psychology and theology. As opposed to pitting one against the others, I find myself wanting to celebrate each. Just as John Wesley talked about the church deriving its stability from a dynamic interplay offour forces: 1) Scripture, 2) tradition, 3) reason and 4) spiritual experience; I believe integration efforts will be better served by developing strategies for an integration of radical inclusivism among our current models or "views": Biblical counseling, Christian psychology, levels of explanation, transformational psychology> and "integration." Having said this, in my celebration of diversity, or drawing freely from each of the models in certain clinical situations (which is what I mean by "radical inclusivism")," I'm not ignoring what I would consider to be a primary weakness of each.

I respect the Biblical Counseling position for its high view of Scripture and relentless focus on practical applications for people living in the real world. However, I think as a whole those in this camp have a tendency to minimize the contributions of "modern psychology" while maximizing the Bible's application to problems outside the realm of its intended writing--forming our souls and pointing them toward heaven.

Christian psychology's great appeal to me is the reminder of psychology's long and important history. Unfortunately, I believe that until the Christian psychology movement produces "treatment manuals" with empirically supported practices drawn from the early days, this important movement may continue to be seen as having more in common with speculative philosophy than applied psychology. (iii)

I love that the levels of explanation community is producing a vast body of literature to substantiate empirically supported treatments and I appreciate the attention given to professional standards for ethical practice. But I am also aware that this same community, for the most part, continues to exclude soul and spirit from discussions of optimal functioning of the person.

I applaud recent efforts from the transformational psychology camp to boldly make a case for the importance of the spiritual development of the counselor and the potential benefits of learning to live more and more moments of one's life "in Christ." I also appreciate the important point about letting the realities of the object being studied dictate the method of study. But, these early pioneers should, I believe, take care that not to present agendas that are too ambitious, optimistic and exclusive.

The biggest "pro" I have for the Integration approach is that it seems fair and balanced, just like Fox news. And that is also the biggest "con; it is fair and balanced, just like Fox news--that is, many might say it is not actually fair and balanced, because one side--psychology--get's favored treatment.

Regardless, I am optimistic that integration strategies seem to be moving in directions that can, potentially, favor cooperation and mutual respect, over competition and silo construction.

Jesus is Real Smart. I confess that I came to accept the Western view that the term "knowledge" should be reserved for subjects like math and the natural sciences. Religion even Christianity dealt in matters of faith, belief and profession, but not knowledge. Indeed, how could one make a "leap of faith" if ones' faith were grounded in actual knowledge. Recently, however, a slow change in my way of thinking has percolated to the surface and now causes me to believe that I have been dramatically short-changing what Jesus has to offer. I believe it is time to reposition faith in Jesus Christ and the ability to live interactively with him back within the category of knowledge (Willard, 2009).

Actual Differences vs. Turf Wars. I now believe that the best training program for producing "integrators" of applied psychology and spiritual theology would resemble a three-legged stool. That is, I have envisioned the training to be composed of three primary domains. The three areas would be: 1) professionally sound and respected training in a mental health discipline; 2) classic models of spiritual direction (Orthodox, Ignatian, Anglican, etc.); and 3) the best from a body of modern Christian thought that presents a high and explicit Christology. Such trilingual and tri-cultural integrators/integralists would be in a unique position to draw from the rich resources of each of these domains as they work with clients. Such practitioners would be best equipped to distinguish a clinically-significant depression from a dark night of the soul, or journey with a client toward the pursuit of peace with the same skillfulness that would be used in helping to alleviate debilitating anxiety through cognitive and behavioral techniques.

Integration in Future Tense

Recently I sat on my back porch and listened with great surprise as a long-time friend and successful pastor poured out his heart. For the first time he was letting someone else in on the darkest secrets of his soul. For more than three decades he had suffered from a sexual addiction, which had resulted in dozens of affairs. He recounted the sordid details for hours. I was not seeing him in any professional capacity. I was just listening to a friend.

Eventually he asked the anticipated question. "What do you think I should do?" In the candor of the moment, and with the freedom of not being in a professional relationship, I blurted out something I'd never said before. After acknowledging that any road to healing would not be easy and that motivation would be crucial, I said, "I think you've got to do four things, and you've begun the first of those, confession." The other three things I recommended were to plea to God for forgiveness; to enter into a process of healing (which would involve seeking professional help) for each of his aspects as a person--patterns of thinking, feeling, behaviors, relationship patterns, and volition; and to ask for Christ to be incarnate, restoring by living His life through him.

My friend seemed very grateful and mentioned that he had never heard that pattern referenced before. I had not heard it either. But a few months later, my wife and I were reading a book by George MacDonald (1998/1896) titled The Minister.'c Restoration. In the book MacDonald concluded with four chapters on restoration, titled, "Confession" "Forgiveness," "Healing: and "Restoration" (via incarnation). While reading the book, I became reenergized by the powerful therapeutic possibilities expressed in Scripture. And I began to marvel--again--at how the most powerful program for transformation in the mental health world, the Twelve-Steps, is based on similar Biblical principals confession, surrender, concrete expressions of remorse, healing of character, love and community support.

Looking to the future, I envision bolder and more explicit integrative practices. Perhaps so "integrative" that the descriptor is dropped and matters of soul and spirit hill simply become "integral" to discussions of the person. Perhaps in the not too distant future the most powerful discussions about soul healing will not need to occur on the back porch, outside the bounds of a professional relationship, or in the basement of Churches where AA groups meet. Perhaps our current listing of five "views" and "approaches" to integration will be seen, not as competitors, but as five factors of healing whose "weight" or "importance" will be determined by the uniqueness of a particular case and not the inherent philosophical merits of the approach.

The Five Integrative Topics: A View toward the Future

Normal Curves. For almost two decades, Martin Seligman, past president of the American Psychological Association, has called attention to the "positive' side of the normal curve. I envision the integration enterprise offering insights from two-millennia of Christian spiritual formation as legitimate ways of helping certain clients "Flourish," to use Seligman's (2011) word, on the positive side of the normal curve and in the wonderfully abnormal Kingdom of God.

Invisible Things. I believe that in the decades to come matters of soul and spirit will be increasingly valued by members of the integration community and will come to be viewed as at least as essential to working with persons as is now the case for the behavioral, cognitive, emotional and relational aspects of the person.

Reductionism and Competition. I believe that future "integrators/integralists" will claim the big five "views" and "approaches" not as competitors, but as foundational pillars. Perhaps Biblical approaches, Christian psychology and transformational psychology will be valued for offering rare treasures for soul health which will be treated seriously, studied and, in some cases, empirically validated by those whose feet are more firmly planted in modern, academic psychology. I believe an integration of a deeply-respectful inclusivism will prevail.

Jesus is Real Smart. I believe Jesus will be given His rightful place at the table as a source not of mere belief and practice, but knowledge (Willard, 2009). I am coming to consider afresh that the author of life" may well have some important things to say about four of the biggest questions in life: I) What is real? 2) Who is well off? 3) Who is a good person? And 4) How do I become one?

Actual Differences vs. Turf Wars. Am I saying that boundaries will disappear and spiritual directors should start asking questions about a directee's defense mechanisms, prescribing medication and giving personality tests? God forbid. And God forbid a psychologist should start assuming that all major depressions are dark nights of the soul. What I am saying, however, is that a well-trained psychologist/counselor should be able to add additional training in spiritual theology and spiritual direction and under certain circumstances function in both roles with the same client/directee.

This would not be simple and would have to be explained as part of initial informed consent and all the ethical rules of both professions should be followed. But the boundaries, in my opinion, between the domains of professional counseling (when a Christian counselor working with a Christian client) and Christian spiritual direction (when a Christian director working with a Christian directee) are more artificial than real and necessary. If one views invisible things like soul and spirit to be legitimate parts of the person, then the key issue becomes additional and adequate training, not "ownership" of those domains created by modernism and reductionism.

Conclusion

It has been a great privilege to have had a scat so near to the stage where the modern integration movement has been enacted for more than five decades. It seems that we have arrived at intermission with strong hints that the plot is changing. The romance between our two main characters has long been thwarted by prevailing views that the pair should be kept separate, because of unequal status. But when the second act begins, it appears that the lives of our two would-be lovers may become integral and interwoven.

References

Benner, D. G. (1988). Psychotherapy and the spiritual quest. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.

Bergin, A. E. (1980). Psychotherapy and religious values., ournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 4, 95-105 MacDonald, G. & Philips, M. (Ed.) (1988). The minister's restoration. Ada, MI: Bethany House.

McLaren, B. D. (2001). A New Kind of Christian: A Tale of Tivo Friends on a Spiritual Journey. San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass.

Moon, G. W. (2010). A tribute to Dallas Willard: My favorite psychologist. The Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, 3.2. pp.267-282.

Moon, G. W. (in press). A transformational approach. In Greggo, S., & Sisemore, T.A. (Eds.) Psychology and counseling: Five approaches. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Seligman, M. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. New York: NY. Simon & Schuster.

Tan, S. Y. (1994). Ethical considerations in religious psychotherapy: Potential pitfalls and unique resources. journal of Psychology and Theology, 22, 389-394.

Willard, D. (2002). Renovation of the heart: Putting on the character of Christ. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

Willard, D. (2009). Knowing Christ today: Why we can trust spiritual knowledge. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Worthington, E. L. Jr. (1986). Religious counseling: A review of published empirical research. Journal Counseling anclDevelopment. 64, 421431.

(i.) This is a somewhat obscure reference to the Dutch Reformed roots of many who were prominent in the birthing of CAPS in 1956. If you are under age 50 or if you are Dutch Reformed, forgive me.

(ii.) Please see books edited by Eric Johnson, Psychology and Christianity: Ave Views and Steven Greggo and Tim Sisernore, Psychoiogy and Christianity: Ave Approaches.

(iii.) By this statement I simply mean that I hope that in the future more research will be done with practices from the "psychologies" which existed before the birth of modern psychology.

(iv.) I am referring to Five Views and Five Appwachts books referenced above.

Gary W. Moon

Westmont College Richmont Graduate University

Author Information

MOON, GARY, W. Address: Gary W. Moon, Executive Director of the Dallas Willard Center for Christian Spiritual Formation, Westmont College, 909 La Paz Road, Santa Barbara, CA 931081. Title: Executive Director of the Dallas Willard Center for Christian Spiritual Formation. Degree: Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, M.Div. Areas of interest: Integration of applied psychology and Christian spiritual formation.