Symposium: ‘Between Heaven and hell. Religious and spiritual experiences in the context of mental health care.’

Religious and spiritual experiences are generally considered as very ‘real’ for those who have them. Do they refer to a divine reality, and what do they mean? How can we distinguish between healthy and pathological religious experiences? How does clinical practice take into account these topics in communication and treatment?

Eva Ouwehand’s dissertation: Mania and meaning. A mixed methods study into religious experiences in people with bipolar disorder: Occurrence and significance shows that spirituality and religious or spiritual experiences are important for people with a mental disorder. But there are still many questions left. This symposium will address some of these questions and focuses on the relation between religiosity and psychopathology from a multidisciplinary perspective.

The symposium will take place after the promotion ceremony of Eva Ouwehand (11.00-12.30, nearby in the Academy Building). Prior to the official symposium program, there is time to meet and greet. Admission is free, but please register by sending an email to n.zonneveld@altrecht.nl, specifying if you are student, spiritual caregiver, mental health professional or otherwise. A voluntary contribution for lunch for other participants than guests would be appreciated.

Klik hier voor het programma.