Christian Meditation in Clinical Practice: A Four-Step Model and Workbook for Therapists and Clients

Joshua J. Knabb

Nov. 2021 · InterVarsity Press

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Christians are hungry for a return to their own tradition to cultivate meditation practices that are both psychologically and spiritually fruitful. In recent decades, mindfulness meditation, which originates from the Buddhist tradition, has been embraced in many settings as a method for addressing a plethora of symptoms. What would it look like to turn instead to the Christian faith for resources to more effectively identify and respond to psychological suffering?

Over the last decade, Dr. Joshua Knabb has conducted a variety of empirical studies on Christian meditation, focusing on both building theory and testing specific, replicable practices. In this overview and workbook he presents the foundations of a Christian-sensitive approach to meditation in clinical practice. Filled with practical features for immediate use by Christian clients and their therapists, Christian Meditation in Clinical Practice provides

• an introduction to the rich resources on meditation from eight major streams of the Christian tradition
• practices from the early desert Christians, Ignatius of Loyola, Celtic Christians, the Puritans, contemporary writers, and many others
• guidance for targeting transdiagnostic processes—patterns of cognition, affect, behavior, the self, and relationships that may lead to psychological suffering
• research-based evidence for the benefits of Christian meditation
• client-friendly tools for practicing meditation, including step-by-step instructions, worksheets, journaling prompts, and links to tailored audio resources

Using the approach of Christian psychology, Knabb's model dually builds on a biblical worldview and integrates the latest research in clinical psychology. As clients engage the variety of meditative exercises in this book, they will move toward healthier responses to difficult experiences and a deeper awareness of, and contentment in, God.

Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS) Books explore how Christianity relates to mental health and behavioral sciences including psychology, counseling, social work, and marriage and family therapy in order to equip Christian clinicians to support the well-being of their clients.

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Joshua J. Knabb (PsyD, Azusa Pacific University; ABPP, Clinical Psychology) is a board-certified clinical psychologist as well as associate professor of psychology and director of the PsyD program at California Baptist University. His publications include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Christian Clients, Contemplative Prayer for Christians with Chronic Worry, and Christian Psychotherapy in Context, as well as numerous journal articles.