While the prime focus of psychotherapy theory and practice is intrapersonal and interpersonal, these are nested in an often unexamined supra-personal sociological, ecological, and spiritual context. Based on in-depth interviews with people from a wide range of faith backgrounds, Jeremy Holmes highlights the role belief and spirituality play in everyday lives. He identifies core common themes of attachment and hope; frameworks of meaning; and the everyday praxis of rhythm and ritual. He also draws on classic literature, using Charlotte Brontë’s Jayne Eyre and Tolstoy’s War and Peace. The book concludes with a moving account of Holmes’ own practice as a psychotherapist.

The Spirit of Psychotherapy is a must-read for psychotherapists, psychoanalysts, and mental health professionals to understand the importance of faith within the largely secular world of psychotherapy.