A qualitative analysis of sacred moments in religiously integrated group therapy

Abstract

The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore sacred moments in religiously integrated group therapy for Danish Pentecostals who were experiencing a personal crisis (n = 18). This was a follow-up study based on data from 2009 and 2018. An interpretative phenomenological analytical approach was used to generate and analyze the data material. Three themes emerged: 1) Relationship with God, 2) Relationship with therapist, and 3) Relationship with group members. The participants’ experiences of sacred moments in these relationships were primarily facilitated by a strong therapeutic alliance, trust in the therapist, and therapeutic exercises. The study indicates that trust may be a prerequisite to clients’ experience of spiritual qualities in therapy. The interrelationships in group settings can facilitate sacred moments if led by a spiritually legitimated and trustful therapist. Our findings emphasise the value of working therapeutically with sacred relational aspects in psychotherapy in highly secularised countries as Denmark.