The Missing Piece: Recognizing the Lack of Education for Religious Clergy Members and Psychologists for Treating Familial Suicide
[Thesis]
Heller, Rachel
Dell'Angela, Kim
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
2019
99 p.
Psy.D.
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
2019
In the United States, approximately 44,000 people die each year by suicide, with suicide being the 10th leading cause of death overall (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 2017). Both mental health care providers and clergy support families in bereavement (Wilson & Marshall, 2010). There are distinctions in the view of suicide in the most common faith traditions in the US that are practiced by 75% of Americans who acknowledge a religious affiliation (Pew, 2015). This study analyzes the similarities and differences in the ways in which religious clergy members from the Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and Islamic faith traditions and psychology professionals are taught how to work with families where there has been a suicide. The impact of religious doctrine and clients' faith traditions on practice was also examined for both psychology professionals and clergy.