Neuroscience of God and Faith: It’s Not Just in Your Head

In clinical practice the topics of faith, God, and spirituality are commonly explored, and can be sources of healing and resilience for clients. However, mental health conditions such as PTSD can interfere with clients’ sense of connection to God, or more broadly, their spiritual identity. This seminar teaches attendees the neural bases of God and faith, and cites neuroimaging evidence from neurotheology suggesting that our capacity to connect to a higher power is both wired in the brain, and at the same time not “just in our heads.” Ways to reconnect with God and the spiritual self through brain-based treatment after trauma will be discussed.

Objectives:

a). Name at least one area of the brain involved in prayer, and one area of the brain involved in spiritual communication.

b). Discuss how trauma can disrupt clients’ connection to God and/or their spiritual self.

c). State at least one tool that can help clients reconnect with God and/or their spiritual self.

Target Audience:

The target audience for this event includes psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed counselors, MFT’s, and other clinical mental health professionals.

Instructional Level: Intermediate

Instructor(s): Jennifer Sweeton, PsyD, MS, MA

Material Author(s): Jennifer Sweeton, PsyD, MS, MA

Dr. Jennifer Sweeton is a licensed clinical psychologist, best-selling author, and internationally-recognized expert on anxiety and trauma, and the neuroscience of mental health. She completed her doctoral training at the Stanford University School of Medicine, the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (now Palo Alto University), and the National Center for PTSD. Additionally, she holds a master’s degree in affective neuroscience from Stanford University, and studied behavioral genetics at Harvard University. Dr. Sweeton resides in the greater Kansas City area, where she owns a group private practice, Kansas City Mental Health Associates (trade name for Mind Works Consulting and Psychological Services, PLLC). She formerly served as the President of the Oklahoma Psychological Association, and holds adjunct faculty appointments at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She is the current President of the Greater Kansas City Psychological Association. Dr. Sweeton offers psychological services services to clients in Oklahoma, Kansas, and internationally, and is a sought-after trauma and neuroscience expert who has trained more than 10,000 mental health professionals in her workshops.

For additional information about this course, the instructors, or the material authors, please contact Content Assistance at content@onlinececredits.com.

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