DSM-IV Religious and Spiritual Problems

RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL PATHS

• Online Courses
• Religions and Spiritual Traditions
• Spiritual Problems and Emergencies
• Therapeutic Interventions

RELIGIOUS AND SPRIRTUAL PROBLEMS

• Alien Encounter Experiences
• Changes in Membership, Practices and Beliefs
• Loss or Questioning or Faith
• Loss, Questioning, Or Change In Spiritual Values
• Meditation and Spiritual Practices
• Mystical Experience
• Near-Death Experience
• New Religious Movements and Cults
• Possession Opening
• Psychic Experiences
• Shamanic Crisis
• Terminal and Life-Threatening Illness
• Visionary Experience

RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL PATHS

ONLINE COURSES    [back to top]

• American Academy of Religion
  This site offers a wide range of religion course syllabi
• Tastiest Torah Treats
  Course covers the first five books of the bible, the scroll read in synagogue, and Jewish wisdom and ways of learning.
• Tricycle.com: Buddhism Basics 
  An introduction to Buddhism, including the life of the Buddha.

RELIGIONS AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS    [back to top]

• About.com Guide to Alternative Religions 
• Argus Clearinghouse Guides to Religion
• BeliefNet Guide to Online Sacred Texts
  In addition to links to texts, this site also includes articles, columns, and news on religion and spirituality.
• Harvard Pluralism Project Guide to Religions
• New Religious Movements Links
• Rowan Fairgrove's Multifaith and Religion Sites
  A comprehensive guide to religious resources, especially related to multifaith issues.
• Rutgers Virtual Religion Index
• SpiritWeb: Spiritual Consciousness on the WWW
  This web site set out to promote spiritual awakening with a special focus on: meditation, yoga, theosophy, the western esoteric tradition, astrology, channelings, out of body experiences, light technology and other healing methods.
• Yahoo: Religion:Faiths and Practices
  This is an listing of Internet resources on a wide variety of religions and spiritual traditions.

SPIRITUAL PROBLEMS AND EMERGENCIES    [back to top]

• Christina Grof
  This interview with the co-author of the concept of spiritual emergency and co-founder of the Spiritual Emergency Network covers the nature of spiritual crises, including her own.
• Enlightenment.com
  Includes articles on the enlightenment experience, including associated problems.
• Exceptional Human Experience Network
  The EHE Network is an educational and research organization focused on exceptional human experience (EHE): spontaneous anomalous experiences of the psychic, mystical, encounter, and death-related type. Includes accounts and articles on EHE.
• Ex-cult Archive
  This site for both professionals and cult survivors covers the psychology and watch dogging of cults, information and warnings about specific cult groups, a listing of cults on the WWW, links to other web resources, and full text online literature.
• Kundalini Resource Center
  A community of people working together on the Internet to raise public awareness of kundalini, and to help those who are experiencing a kundalini awakening better understand what is happening to them.
• Sacred Transformations
  Personal stories of spiritual emergencies, visions, awakenings, and their effects.
• Spiritual Emergence Service
  A non-profit Canadian society staffed by volunteers that offers information and referrals for people in psychospiritual crisis.
• Spiritual Emergency Resource Center
  A guide for clinicians and a self-help resource for people integrating a spiritual crisis. Personal experiences and opinions can be shared on an online discussion forum.
• The Spiritual Emergence Network (SEN@CIIS)
  Now called the Center for Psychological & Spiritual Health (CPSH). An information and Referral Service that offers support and resources for individuals experiencing difficulties with their spiritual growth (415-575-6299)

THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS    [back to top]

• A Conversation with John Perry
  Interviews with John Perry, MD where he describes Diabysis and his treatment philosophy for visionary experience.
• Early Psychosis Training Pack
  Provides information from the medical model perspective about preventive intervention in early psychosis, from recognition of incipient psychosis to psychosocial and medical interventions and ongoing management.
• How Non-Diagnostic Listening Led to a Rapid "Recovery" from Paranoid Schizophrenia
  This article by Al Siebert, PhD illustrates the importance of not automatically pathologizing unusual experiences and how labeling can undermine treatment.
• How to Develop Survivor Resiliency
  These articles by Al Siebert, PhD argue that inner resiliency determines how well you bounce back from adversity, hold up under pressure, and turn misfortune into good luck. Includes Action Plan exercises.
• Mental breakdown as a Healing Process
• Peter R. Breggin, MD
  This site covers the overuse and side effects of psychiatric medications.
• Research Summary on Spirituality and Mental Health
• Re-Story-ing the Soul
  A well-referenced review by Adam Blatner, PhD of the process of creating a personal mythology.
• Telling Your Survivor Story: From Trauma To Transformation
• Visionary Experience or Psychosis?
• What is Narrative Therapy
  A Jungian view by Erik Sween

RELIGIOUS AND SPRIRTUAL PROBLEMS

ALIEN ENCOUNTER EXPERIENCES    [back to top]

• ARTICLE: Alien Contact Experience and Ancient Traditions
  by Veronica Goodchild, Ph.D.
• Aliens Among Us: An Interview with Dr. John Mack
• Aliens and Archetypes
  Interview with Terrence McKenna
• ARTICLE: Blowing the Western Mind by John E. Mack, M.D
• Google Guide to UFO Web Sites
• ARTICLE: Integrating Extraordinary Experiences
  by Roberta L. Colasanti, LICSW
• Integrating Extraordinary Experiences by Roberta L. Colasanti, LICSW
• Program for Extraordinary Experience Research (PEER)
  Established in 1993 by John Mack, MD to forge an approach to UFO abduction experiences that addresses their clinical dimensions and also leads to a scientific understanding of the phenomenon.
• ARTICLE: Studying Intrusions from the Subtle Realm
  By John E. Mack, M.D.
• ARTICLE: The Differential Diagnosis of Close Extraterrestrial Encounter Syndrome
  By Richard Boylan, Ph.D.
• The Larger Context of Abductions
  Interview with John E. Mack, MD.
• ARTICLE: The Symbolism of UFOs and Aliens
  By John Fraim. A Jungian perspective.
• ARTICLE: Viewpoints on Alien Contact
  Articles by several authors

CHANGES IN MEMBERSHIP, PRACTICES AND BELIEFS    [back to top]

• Case Report: Decision-Making Capacity and Religious Conversion-- A Case of Dialysis Refusal
  Dinesh Mittal, MD, Samuel F. Sears Jr., PhD, Phillip R. Godding, PhD, and Marti D. Reynolds, MDiv (1999) Annals of Long-Term Care, 7(8),320-322
• Conversion Experience William James's chapter
• from The Varieties of Religious Experience
• ARTICLE: The Psychology of Religious Conversion by Henry Newton Malony, PhD
  Describes the social influence factors that lead to religious conversions.
• ARTICLE: The Psychology of Religious Conversion by Lewis Rambo
  Reviews various theories of conversion, examines the role of cultural and social factors in the conversion process, and describes how different religions and disciplines view conversion.
• Woman's first person account of conversion to Catholicism

LOSS OR QUESTIONING OR FAITH    [back to top]

• Google directory of sites on losses
• ARTICLE: James Fowler, PhD,
  Model of faith development in six recognizable stages. Problems may arise in the transition from one stage to another, often experienced as a crisis of faith.
• ARTICLE: Loss of Faith 'Increases Risk of Dying'
  Times London article
• ARTICLE: Michael Washburn, PhD
  Life's Three Stages: Infancy, Ego, and Transcendence

LOSS, QUESTIONING, OR CHANGE IN SPIRITUAL VALUES    [back to top]

• ARTICLE: Abstract of an article by Buckley P, Scizophr Bull 1981;7(3):516-21.
  Articles on Loss, Questioning, or Change in Spiritual Values
• ARTICLE: Loss of Faith by Ami Weghorst
  Story of a 20 year old woman with cancer and her conflicts over religion.
• ARTICLE: Loss of Faith has led to increase in exorcisms
  News article.
• ARTICLE: Loss of Faith 
  by Don Boland, Centre for Thomistic Studies.

MEDITATION AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICES    [back to top]

• Author of Word from the Soul, and Clinical Director, Kundalini Clinic.
• Home Page of Stuart Sovatsky, PhD
• Interview with Lee Sannella, M.D. author of The Kundalini Experience: Psychosis or Transcendence?
• Interview with Stanislav Grof
• ARTICLE: Kundalini and Spiritual Crisis
  Kundalini awakening or "serpent fire," its effects on the individual, and explanations for the phenomenon.
• ARTICLE: Kundalini and the Awakening of the Spirit
  How does kundalini begin? Symptoms of Kundalini Awakening and its relation to enlightenment.
• Kundalini Awakens: A Personal Account
  by Ruth Trimble. Includes a list of related links at the end.
• ARTICLE: Kundalini FAQ
  What does kundalini have to do with spiritual enlightenment? Does everyone agree that kundalini awakening is necessary for enlightenment, etc.
• Kundalini Quest
  Bonnie Greenwell, PhD describes the precipitents, symptoms, and treatments for problems associated with kundalini awakening.
• Kundalini Resource Center
  A community working on the Internet to raise public awareness of kundalini, and to help those who are experiencing a kundalini awakening.
• What is Kundalini?

MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE    [back to top]

• Common Threads in Mysticism
  Interview with Robert Frager, PhD, one of the founders of transpersonal psychology.
• ARTICLE: Mystic Experience and Two Modes of Consciousness by Arthur J. Deikman, M.D.
• ARTICLE: Mystical Experience and Schizophrenia
• Mysticism in World Religions
  William James's Discussion of Mysticism from The Varieties of Religious Experience
• ARTICLE: The Mysticism Resources Page: The Relationship Between Schizophrenia & Mysticism
  While somewhat dated, this bibliographic essay contains many references to the research literature.
• ARTICLE: What is a Mystical Experience?
  Summaries of the views of many experts in the field.

NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE    [back to top]

• International Association for Near Death Studies
  Includes information "If You Have Had a Near-Death or Similar Experience" and also summaries of scientific findings on the aftereffects of NDEs.
• Interview with Dr. Moody who first attained widespread recognition with the publication in the mid-1970's of Life After Life, his best-selling work on the near-death experience (NDE).
• NDE Support Groups in the United States
• Near-Death and the Afterlife
  This is the most comprehensive resource on NDEs. Covers scientific findings, accounts of near-death experiences from different religious traditions, as well as personal experiences.
• Raymond Moody, MD
• ARTICLE: Religious Interpretations of Near-Death Experiences
  This well-referenced article by David San Filippo, PhD provides an overview of human consciousness of life after death, religious beliefs concerning death and afterlife, and interpretations of NDEs by different religious groups.
• ARTICLE: The near-death experience as a focus of clinical attention
  Abstract of an article by Greyson B J Nerv Ment Dis 1997 May;185(5):327-34.

NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS AND CULTS    [back to top]

• ARTICLE: A Critical View of Deprogramming
  by Lee Coleman,MD
• ARTICLE: Adolescent attraction to cults Adolescence Fall, 1998
• American Family Foundation
  Resources about psychological manipulation, cult groups, sects, and new religious movements
• ARTICLE: Cult Experience: Psychological Abuse, Distress, Personality Characteristics
  Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 15, No. 2, 1998
• ARTICLE: Deprogramming, Exit Counseling, and Ethics: Clarifying the Confusion
  by Michael D. Langone, Ph.D. and Paul Martin, PhD
• ARTICLE: Essay on Definition of Cult
  by Michael Langone,PhD
• Religious movement profiles from the University of Virginia
• Satanic Ritual Abuse from Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology
• Satanic Ritual Abuse Topics
• Sociology of New Religious Movements
  Course notes and lectures
• ARTICLE: The Cult Threat: Real or Imagined
  by Gordon Melton

POSSESSION OPENING    [back to top]

• ARTICLE: By de Andrew White. Classic account of how the "scientific" view of possession as insanity supplanted the Christian view of demonic possession.
• ARTICLE: Demon Possession and Mental Illness: Should we be making a differential diagnosis?
• ARTICLE: Disintegrated experience: the dissociative disorders revisited.
  Abstract of an article by Spiegel D and Cardena E who argue for the existence of a spectrum of dissociative disorders from nonpathological to pathological. J Abnorm Psychol. 1991 Aug;100(3):366-78.
• Exorcism
  Web site describes exorcism and possession as viewed by the Catholic Church.
• ARTICLE: From "Demoniacal Possession" To Insanity
• Spirit Possession and Exorcism
• ARTICLE: The Exorcism of Nicola Aubrey
  Father Michael Müller, C.S.S.R. writes about a possession by Beelzebub and twenty-nine other evil spirits, in 1566.
• This is a compilation of Biblical and ancient texts on possession and exorcism.
• Transcultural Psychiatry
  An international, interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed, scientific journal of cultural psychiatry which has articles on possession.
• Yahoo sites on possession and exorcism

PSYCHIC EXPERIENCES    [back to top]

• About.com Channeling: An Introduction
• About.com Guide to Paranormal Phenomena
• ARTICLE: About.com story archives
• Awakening Intuition
  Interview with Frances Vaughan, PhD
• ARTICLE: Contains dozens of first person accounts of people's paranormal experiences
• Explanations of the Supernatural
  Interview with Professor Michael Scriven, an interdisciplinary scholar and former Professor of Philosophy at the University of California at Berkeley.
• Has links to many online resources.
• Parapsychological Association
  This professional organization promotes scholarly and scientific investigation of paranormal experience.
• Parapsychology Foundation
  A not-for-profit foundation which supports scientific investigation of psychic phenomena by giving grants, publishing pamphlets, monographs, conference proceedings and the International Journal of Parapsychology.
• Rhine Center
  The Rhone Center has been conducting parapsychological research for 75 years. Site also has links to sites of other groups and individuals engaged in scientific understanding of psychic phenomena.
• What is Channeling?
  Interview with Arthur Hastings, PhD. Channeling refers to the experience of receiving communications from the spirits, some other dimension, or beings or entities. Such experiences can occur as part of psychic experiences.

SHAMANIC CRISIS    [back to top]

• ARTICLE: FAQ Shamanism General Overview
• Foundation for Shamanic Studies
  Anthropologist Michael Harner, PhD's organization.
• Google Guide to Web Sites on Shamanism
• More Links on Shamanism
• The Way of the Shaman
  Interview with Michael Harner, PhD, researcher and author of several books on shamanism.

TERMINAL AND LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS    [back to top]

• ICISH Research Summary of Religion and Death and Dying
• ARTICLE: Losing God. Oncologist 2001;6(3):286-97
• On Death and Dying Interview With Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, MD
• Spiritual-Friendly Treatment Provides Comfort for the Dying
• What We Can Learn from the Dying A Conversation with Stephen and Ondrea Levine

VISIONARY EXPERIENCE    [back to top]

• A Conversation with John Perry
  Interviews with John Perry, MD
• Mental breakdown as a Healing Process
• Visionary Experience or Psychosis?
• ARTICLE: When the Dream Becomes Real
  By Michael O'Callaghan. A review of perspectives on the visionary experience.