A Wesleyan Spirituality: Implications for Clinical Practice

Abstract

This article seeks to integrate Wesleyan spirituality with psychology and clinical practice. Three particular aspects in the Wesleyan tradition are explored: human freedom, the doctrine of sanctification, and religious affections. The thesis of this article is that all three key points can be well integrated into psychology and clinical practice. The following clinical implications are proposed: God-given human freedom empowers the client and therapist; healthy relationships are seen as a critical measure of spiritual maturity; and religious affections are seen to contribute to psychological health in their ability to experientially build character. Correlation between Wesley's focus on mature relationships and certain emphases in object relations theory are also proposed.