<p> Standards for integration of spirituality and religion within mental health training continue to be ambiguous. Although increased attention has incorporated such diversity into multiculturalism, proficiency remains inadequate among non-religiously affiliated individuals and institutions. This study examined competence levels utilizing the Revised Spiritual Competence Scale II (SCS-R-II) and the Spiritual and Religious Competency Assessment (SARCA). Participants were 125 students attending accredited counseling, psychology, and social work schools in the United States. Counselor trainees scored highest on both measures as did students with very strong personal religious affiliation and attendees of Christian affiliated schools. Implications and future recommendations are discussed.</p>

<p> This pilot study examined the impact of Christian meditation and biofeedback on levels of stress, anxiety, and depression of seminary students in Southern California. Participants were randomly assigned to practice Christian meditation or biofeedback for 4 weeks, three times per day, and to keep a log of their practice times.The study included 20 seminary students all of whom were theology students and who were recruited from two seminary campuses in Southern California. The participants were of various ethnic backgrounds with the majority being European Americans. The average age was 31. The results from a paired samples <i> t</i>-tests indicated that both biofeedback and Christian meditation significantly reduced the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression experienced by the participants. ANCOVA indicated that neither intervention was more effective than the other. The implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.</p>

<p> This thesis explores the psychotherapeutic value of working with the archetypal energies of two goddesses from the Hindu pantheon, Saraswati and Lakshmi. Considering that the field of psychotherapy stands on a Eurocentric tradition and that there is a concomitant need for therapists to be culturally sensitive and inclusive, this is significant and worthy of inquiry. This thesis asks what benefit working with Saraswati and Lakshmi would have for clients, as well as what their inclusion would mean for the field of psychotherapy as a whole. A qualitative approach is married with both hermeneutic and heuristic methodology in order to plumb the possibility that constellating Saraswati facilitates the cultivation of a discerning observing ego, whereas invoking Lakshmi supports the scaffolding of a robust sense of self-esteem. </p><p>

<p> The present study examined the impact of student involvement, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidant, and spiritual well-being on grade point average, self-esteem, and life satisfaction of college students at a large public university. Two hundred and sixteen students, over the age of eighteen, completed the anonymous online survey. Consistent with previous research, the current study found that spiritual well-being was a significant predictor of student self-esteem and life satisfaction, but was not a significant predictor of grade point average (GPA). Results indicated that attachment anxiety was a significant predictor of self-esteem and life-satisfaction; however, attachment avoidance was not found to be a significant predictor of GPA, self-esteem, or life satisfaction. While student involvement was not a significant predictor, significant differences were found between students who identified as a member of a fraternity and sorority and those who were not. In addition, correlations were found between self-esteem and life satisfaction. The current findings suggest that spiritual well-being and attachment style play an integral role in the development of self-esteem and life satisfaction in college students.</p>