Culturally Responsive Mental Health Practice with Nonreligious Clients

  • Textbook
Culturally Responsive Mental Health Practice with Nonreligious Clients cover

Culturally Responsive Mental Health Practice with Nonreligious Clients

  • Textbook
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Pre-order. Available 07 Aug 2025
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Description

This is a comprehensive guide that equips mental health professionals with the research, techniques, and skills for effective practice with nonreligious clients-one of the fastest-growing demographic groups in the US. This book provides a historical background, highlights the unique strengths and challenges of being nonreligious, and offers practical recommendations for mental health specialists to better serve this population. It focuses on the intersections of race, gender, class, and sexualities among nonreligious individuals and challenges the negative biases and stigmas that exist about nonreligious people in both the general public and among mental health professionals. Filled with visual aids, concept maps, and hands-on tools, this book provides an essential resource for mental health educators, clinicians, researchers, and advocates.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Christian Hegemony & Western Approaches to Mental Health Care Dena Abbott & Millie Myers
Christian Norms in Everyday Life
Christian Influences on Mental Health Care
Strategies for Uprooting Christian Hegemony in Mental Health Care

Chapter 2: The Rise of the Religiously Unaffiliated
Defining Nonreligion
Trends in Nonreligious Identification Across Demographic Groups
Strategies for Assessing Nonreligiousness in Research & Clinical Practice

Chapter 3: The Dones: Deconverting from Faith
Defining Deconversion
Paths to Deconversion
Who Deconverts?
Supporting Clients Who Question Their Faith

Chapter 4: The Nones: Nonreligion Among the Never Religious
Raised Without Religion
Who are the Nones?
Fostering Wellness and Community Among Nones

Chapter 5: Anti-Atheist Stigma & Christian Nationalism Kristen Kobes du Mez
Atheists as Other in the United States
Stereotypes of Atheists
Psychological Consequences of Anti-Atheist Stigma
Supporting Nonreligious People Experiencing Anti-Atheist Discrimination

Chapter 6: Nonreligion & Health David Speed
The Problem with Associating Religiousness & Health
The Assumption that Atheists are Unhealthy
Atheists & Theists: What Promotes Health?

Chapter 7: Conducting Research with Nonreligious People
Considerations in Quantitative Research
Considerations in Qualitative Research
Considerations in Mixed Methods Research

Chapter 8: Clinical Practice with Nonreligious People of Color Candace R. M. Gorham
Racism and Christianity in the United States
What Draws People of Color to Nonbelief?
Challenges POC Face as Nonbelievers

Chapter 9: LGBTQIA+ Nonbelievers
Sexual Orientation and Nonreligion
Gender Diversity and Nonreligion
Community Among Nonreligious LGBTQIA+ Nonbelievers

Chapter 10: Patriarchy & Nonreligion
Nonbelief as an Alternative to Patriarchal Religion
Feminism Among Nonbelievers
Gender Dynamics Among Organized Nonbelievers

Chapter 11: Social Class & Nonreligion
Theories of Education and Intelligence
Prevalence of Nonbelief by Social Class
The Influence of Classism

Chapter 12: Belongingness and Organized Nonbelief Melanie Brewster
The Benefits of a Community of Nonbelievers
Barriers to Forming or Joining Nonbelieving Communities
Partnering with Organized Nonbelief to Advocate for Clients

Chapter 13: Counseling Nonreligious Clients Experiencing Grief Jacob Sawyer
Traditional Models Grief
Nonreligious and Nonspiritual Grieving
Toward a Secular Framework for Supporting Grief

Chapter 14: Spiritual and Religious Abuse and Trauma Kathryn Keller
The Nature of Religious and Spiritual (R/S) Trauma
R/S Trauma Among Nonbelievers
Trauma-Informed Care for Nonbelievers with R/S Trauma

Chapter 15: Future Directions Dena Abbott
Toward A Strengths-Based Conceptualization of Nonreligion
Advancing the Study of Nonreligious Mental Health
Advocating for Nonreligious Clients and Communities

References
Index
About the Contributors

Product details

Bloomsbury Academic Test
Published 07 Aug 2025
Format Paperback
Edition 1st
Extent 384
ISBN 9781538184639
Imprint Bloomsbury Academic
Illustrations 25 bw illustrations; 25 tables
Dimensions 254 x 178 mm
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Dena Abbott

Dena Abbott is a Licensed Psychologist in the stat…

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