The intersection of mental health and spirituality is the focus of the 2023 Integration Symposium hosted by the Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy this week. The symposium began Wednesday and will run through Friday with the theme “Supernatural Attributions and Spiritual Struggles” with a number of daily activities.
This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Julie J. Exline, a professor of the psychology of religion and spirituality at Case Western Reserve University. She will explore the question of why people believe they are hearing from God, being tormented by the devil, or receiving messages from a deceased loved one.
The symposium will include three lectures that delve into these supernatural attributions and their impact on mental health. It will also offer insights into how to navigate spiritual struggles in a healthy way.
Exline is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified spiritual director, and has extensive experience in researching spiritual struggles and supernatural attributions. She has served as the principal investigator on projects funded by the John Templeton Foundation.
Other speakers include experts from Fuller Seminary, such as Associate Professor of Islamic Studies, Jose Abraham, Assistant Professor of the Practice of Preaching and Chaplaincy, Jaclyn Williams, and Associate Professor of Psychology in the Clinical Psychology Department, Stephen W. Simpson.
Fuller Seminary is committed to fostering an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complexities of the human experience. The 2023 Integration Symposium is an opportunity for mental health professionals, scholars, and members of the community to come together and explore these crucial issues. Attendees can join in person or online.
The symposium is free and open to the public, but registration is required the day before each event. Attendees can join in person or online. A total of six units of continuing education (CE) credit will be available. (Each two-hour session is worth two units.) A schedule of events and learning objectives can be found here.
Fuller Seminary was founded in Pasadena in 1947 and is one of the largest nondenominational seminaries in the world with a global enrollment of over 3,000 students in its master’s and doctoral programs. The symposium is an important opportunity for mental health professionals, scholars, and members of the community to come together and explore these crucial issues. The conversation and actions that will unfold as a result of the symposium are sure to be thought-provoking and impactful.
