Training-Clinician Perspectives: Religion, Spirituality, and Meaning-Making in Pediatric Psychology Training

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Objective: Reflect and comment on the inclusion of religion, spirituality, and other sources of meaning-making (RSM) within the context of pediatric psychology training. Method: This invited commentary is the collective effort of a diverse workgroup of trainees from clinical and counseling psychology disciplines, who came together to reflect on our experiences with RSM in the training context and review related literature. A brief Qualtrics survey was utilized to gather background information about the authors for the positionality statement; no other analytic methods were employed. Results: RSM is an aspect of the human experience that must be considered in all realms of clinical work to ensure comprehensive and equitable care. Mental health providers are uniquely positioned to assess for and integrate RSM into all aspects of mental health care (e.g., assessment of presenting concerns, treatment planning, tailoring interventions). Spirituality and connectedness are psychologically grounded concepts that can be leveraged clinically to foster rapport and a sense of belonging, problem-solve collaboratively, and encourage meaningful behavior change by establishing and working toward goals and values. Despite the importance of considering RSM in clinical contexts, limited guidance, training, and coursework exists to facilitate the incorporation of RSM into clinical practice. Conclusion: Implementation of the outlined recommendations may be instrumental in mitigating the systemic challenges and barriers to incorporating RSM into clinical training and practice. Implications for Impact Statement This commentary emphasizes the importance of integrating religion, spirituality, and meaning-making into pediatric psychology training to provide comprehensive and equitable care. It recognizes that mental health providers are uniquely positioned to assess for and integrate these elements into their practice, which can strengthen the therapeutic relationship and promote coping and adjustment among patients and families. The article provides recommendations to overcome current challenges in including these vital aspects in clinical education and practice.