Indicators of Sensory and Intellectual Thinking Based on Clinical Psychology and Islamic Perspective and their Role in Psychotherapy and Spiritual Health: Introducing a New Model of Thinking

Today, the field of health is not limited to physical and mental health, but is related to all aspects of life, including spirituality. Spiritual health is so important that it is suggested as the fourth dimension of health, and in the near future, it will form part of the definition of health by the WHO. According to research in clinical psychology, in addition to spiritual health, another important issue in most psychotherapy theories is the issue of thinking. Given the importance of health and thinking, so far, no model has been presented in the field of the relationship between "thinking and health". So, the purpose of the present study is introducing a new model of healthy thinking based on human soul faculties. In this study, qualitative content analysis method has been used. Indicators of sensory and intellectual thinking have been noted within research results, which are the main components of the new model of thinking. In this type of thinking model, it is argued that all human beings have powers within them that can grow, which are referred to as the faculties of the soul. The level of thinking of individuals is determined by the level of each person's soul faculties. The lowest level is sensory perception and the highest level is intellectual perception. The more a person grows from the level of sensory thinking to the level of intellectual thinking, the sources of thought error decrease and the better the health of the thinking. Also, those who have a level of intellectual thinking have a higher level of spiritual health and the lifestyle of these people is health-oriented. This is a philosophical-psychological model in which indicators of sensory thinking and intellectual deviation have been extracted from theories and texts of psychology and philosophy. The results of this study can be used in psychotherapy because research has shown that thinking, especially healthy thinking, has a very effective role in mental health and a healthy lifestyle as well as treatment of disorders.