Psychology and the Church: An Exemplar of Psychologist-Clergy Collaboration

Despite the increasing attention being given to clergy-psychologist collaboration, many psychologists may wonder what clergy-psychologist collaboration looks like in actual practice. The authors describe an example of clergy-psychologist collaboration involving a careful needs-assessment phase followed by the development of a wide spectrum of preventive, consultative, and direct services. Current challenges include funding, establishment of trust, and the integration of psychology and spirituality. Implications for professional psychologists are discussed.