with Donald James Brash, M.Phil., Ph.D
Brown Bag Lunch Series
April 16, 2025 12:00 – 1:00 pm
On Zoom Only – 1 CE
Participation is FREE. There is a $17 ADMIN FEE for each CE.
Many individuals who seek psychoanalytic therapy hold religious beliefs that are deeply intertwined with their psychological well-being. For some, faith provides a sense of meaning, resilience, and comfort. For others, religious beliefs can contribute to distress, guilt, or internal conflict. As analysts, we are often confronted with complex questions about the role of religion in our patients’ psychic lives—questions that challenge us to navigate transference, countertransference, and the fine line between psychological growth and defensive rigidity.
This workshop will explore the psychoanalytic dimensions of religion in the clinical setting. How do we distinguish between religious beliefs that foster psychological well-being and those that serve as rigid ego defenses? How should we respond when patients ask about our own religious views? What happens when we find a patient’s religious beliefs personally challenging or even objectionable? And how does religion shape a patient’s experience of authority, morality, and guilt?
Through clinical case discussions and theoretical exploration, we will examine the ways in which religious belief systems manifest in the therapeutic space and how we, as analysts, can approach these encounters with sensitivity and depth.
Course Objectives – Participants will be able to:
- Analyze the role of religious beliefs in a patient’s psychological well-being.
- Evaluate the transference and countertransference dynamics that emerge when patients inquire about the analyst’s religious beliefs.
- Apply psychoanalytic concepts to understand how religious belief systems influence a patient’s experience.
- Develop clinical approaches for working with patients whose religious views may evoke personal discomfort or challenge the analyst’s own belief system.
Dr. Donald J. Brash, M.Phil, Ph.D
- Dr. Donald J. Brash is Emeritus Professor at Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University in St. David’s, PA, where he has taught for 28 years.
- Another of his roles was to direct the Doctor of Ministry program, in which he continues as Coordinator of Doctoral Projects.
- He earned his MPhil and his PhD from Drew University in Madison, NJ. Most recently
- He was Resident Theologian at the Princeton United Methodist Church, Princeton, NJ.
- Dr. Brash regularly participates in the meetings of the Psychology, Culture, and Religion group of the American Academy of Religion, where he is an advanced clinical candidate and therapist at the North Jersey Consultation Center (NJCC).
Dr. Brash has contributed to panel discussions on science and religion, as well as on racism in politics and law enforcement. One of his current scholarly interests is the psychoanalysis of religious experience.
He has been studying psychoanalysis at ACAP for 13 years, and hopes to earn the NCPsyA.
ACAP is an approved CE provider for:
Art Therapists
Counselors
Marriage and Family Counselors
NJ Psychoanalysts
Social Workers
NY Creative Arts Therapists
Psychologists
For questions or information email Cassio Campello at [email protected]
or call 973-629-1002
