Mental Health Training At MIT
by Nancy C. Kehoe, Ph.D.

In November and January, Dr. Nancy Kehoe met with the Mental Health Services at MIT to speak about Spirituality and religion in the clinical context. Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and interns were present for the two sessions. The mental health services are available to undergraduate and graduate students as well as to all staff employees.

Because MIT is so renowned, it attracts students from all over the world. Consequently, the mental health services see men and women from a variety of cultures and diverse religious traditions. Mental health professionals have not been trained to explore a person's spirituality or religious tradition so the initial presentation focused on:

• the importance of taking a spiritual and religious history
• countertransference issues
• delineating healthy from unhealthy religious or spiritual experiences
• understanding a person's tradition in the context of his or her culture

The second session was devoted to questions raised by the staff. Some of these questions follow. It is not possible to capture the rich discussion that ensued in relation to each of these questions and others but responses from the staff following the two presentations was that they were some of the most enlivening and thought provoking inservices they have had.

Question: How do you incorporate taking a religious history on intake forms?
Dr. Kehoe: You only need to ask a few questions which then gives the client the idea that you are willing to talk about this area and will be willing to explore it further.

Ask: "Are you currently affiliated with a religious tradition? If so, which one?"

If the question was no, ask -"Were you ever affiliated with a religious tradition." ( The decision to leave a religious tradition often can lead to important clinical information)

Ask:"Do you have a spiritual practice?"

If person belongs to a religious tradition or has a spiritual practice ask- "What is that like for you?"

If person does not belong to a religious tradition nor has a spiritual practice, ask -"What do you draw on in times of distress?"

Question: Spirituality and religious affiliation come into conflict with the social environment here which is so geared toward hard science. I feel cautious about exploring a person's beliefs because the person can become defensive.

Dr. Kehoe: Acknowledge that by saying, " At MIT, people don't talk about spirituality or religion because of the way it might be perceived. However for the work we are doing, it is important for me to understand what is important to you and for some people spirituality and religion is important even if they keep it in the closet.

Question: Someone called me for an intake and said they wanted a Christian therapist. I didn't know how to handle it. What would you do?

Dr. Kehoe: I had many experiences with similar phone calls because I am listed in the MPA ( Mass Psychological Association) as a therapist who deals with religious issues.

Ask what they are looking for. Are they looking for a therapist who is like them so they won't have to explain their beliefs or are they simply saying they want someone who will respect their beliefs? If a person doesn't want to explore their beliefs and is setting up the therapy by stating that some areas are off limits, that is not a good prognosis for treatment. Because many still think therapists are anti-religious, it makes sense to want someone that will respect your beliefs and uses questions to understand, not to judge.

It was clear from the discussion that many of the staff had been confronted with clients who brought up spiritual and religious material in treatment and some felt much more comfortable than others in engaging in conversations. But the staff as a whole had never talked about this area, so it was enriching for all to have an open forum in which to discuss it.

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