In Review
Practical and Spiritual Resources for Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care
Understanding Pastoral CounselingElizabeth A. Maynard and Jill L. Snodgrass, eds. (Springer, 2015).
A foundational overview of the history, current practices, and future directions of pastoral counseling in clinical and ministry settings, this work integrates spiritual perspectives with those of allied mental health professions, with chapters on Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Native American, and Buddhist approaches, and on counseling those without religious affiliations.
The Practice of Pastoral Care: A Postmodern ApproachCarrie Doehring (revised and expanded ed.; Westminster John Knox, 2015).
This manual for clinical pastoral education and popular textbook for graduate courses in pastoral care incorporates premodern, modern, and postmodern approaches to religious and psychological knowledge.
Pastoral Theology and Care: Critical Trajectories in Theory and PracticeNancy J. Ramsay, ed. (Wiley Blackwell, 2018).
This collection of essays on emerging trajectories in pastoral care covers the topics of qualitative research and ethnography, advances in neuroscience, care across pluralities and intersections in religion and spiritualties, the influence of neoliberal economics in socioeconomic vulnerabilities, the implications of postcolonial theory, and the intersections of race and religion in caring for black women.
Injustice and the Care of Souls: Taking Oppression Seriously in Pastoral CareSheryl Kujawa-Holbrook and Karen B. Montagno, eds. (Fortress Press, 2009).
These essays on racism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism, and classism reflect on the impact of social locations upon pastoral care and provide guidance on effective responses to oppressed and marginalized persons.
One Nation, Indivisible: Seeking Liberty and Justice from the Pulpit to the StreetsCelene Ibrahim, ed. (Wilpf and Stock, 2019).
Offering inspiration to faith leaders, social-justice activists, and secular readers alike, this anthology of scholars, preachers, poets, and artists highlights principles and practices of antiracism work and argues for a robust vision of American pluralism while providing an accessible window onto lived Islam.
The Arts of Contemplative Care: Pioneering Voices in Buddhist Chaplaincy and Pastoral WorkCheryl A. Giles and Willa B. Miller, eds. (Wisdom, 2012).
First-person essays from pioneers in the field of contemplative care illustrate the day-to-day words and actions of practitioners and offer a distillation of the wisdom gained over years of compassionate experience, from hospice and hospitals to colleges, prisons, and military settings.
Hindu Approaches to Spiritual Care: Chaplaincy in Theory and PracticeVineet Chander and Lucinda Mosher, eds. (Kingsley, 2019).
This volume provides a Hindu perspective on spiritual care in and beyond chaplaincy settings and explores the theological and metaphysical roots of Hindu chaplaincy.
College and University Chaplaincy in the 21st Century: A Multifaith Look at the Practice of Ministry on Campuses across AmericaLucy A. Forster-Smith, ed. (SkyLight Paths, 2013).
This collection provides an overview of the experiences and perspectives arising at the intersection of religious practice, distinct campus culture, student counseling, and the secular context of the modern academic institution.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of TraumaBessel van der Kolk (Penguin, 2014).
Drawing on recent scientific advances and three decades of clinical work, van der Kolk shows how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments, from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga, that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity.
My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and BodiesResmaa Menakem (Central Recovery, 2017).
This examination of the damage caused by racism in America from the perspective of trauma and body-centered psychology paves the way for a new, body-centered understanding of white supremacy.
Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative HealingDavid A. Treleaven (W. W. Norton, 2018).
Drawing on a decade of research and clinical experience, this practical book addresses the question of how to minimize the potential dangers of mindfulness for survivors of trauma while leveraging its powerful benefits.
Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health PractitionerJ. William Worden (5th ed.; Springer, 2008).
The gold-standard text on the treatment of grief, loss, and bereavement, this revised edition continues to deliver up-to-date research and practical information for graduate students and practitioners alike.
The Soul of Care: The Moral Education of a Husband and a DoctorArthur Kleinman (Penguin, 2020).
A memoir by the Harvard psychiatrist and social anthropologist who became his wife’s caregiver after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, this book describes the practical, emotional, and moral aspects of caretaking, as medical technology advances and the cost of health care soars but caring for patients no longer seems important.
The Resilient ClinicianRobert J. Wicks (Oxford University Press, 2007).
An overview of mindfulness and meditation tailored to the life of clinicians, this work provides resources for designing self-care protocol for personal use by mental health professionals.
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