The Integrative Mindset: Pathways to Practicing as a Christian Clinician

by Brad D. Strawn, Earl D. Bland

Overview

Discover the profound impact of integrating faith and psychology with The Integrative Mindset. Guided by the wisdom of veteran integrative clinicians Brad Strawn and Earl Bland, readers will learn how to cultivate an integrative mindset that harmonizes personal experiences and innate talents with therapeutic practice. Using their combined 60+ years of experience, Strawn and Bland present a compelling emergent model that celebrates the unique and dynamic complexity of each therapist-client relationship. Through the exploration of five key domains—hermeneutics, tradition, ethics, development, and resiliency—The Integrative Mindset offers a rich tapestry of case studies and reflective questions designed to spark introspection and dialogue.

By weaving together the threads of faith and psychology, The Integrative Mindset challenges mental health practitioners to rethink conventional approaches and embrace a more holistic, nuanced practice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781514002209
Publisher:	InterVarsity Press
Publication date:	08/05/2025
Series:	Christian Association for Psychological Studies Books
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.49(d)

About the Author

Brad D. Strawn (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is the Evelyn and Frank Freed Professor of the Integration of Psychology and Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, School of Psychology. He is coauthor (with Warren S. Brown) of The Physical Nature of Christian Life: Neuroscience, Psychology and the Church.

Earl D. Bland (PsyD, Illinois School of Professional Psychology) is professor of psychology and chair of the department of behavioral sciences at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas.

Table of Contents

(A Kind of) Introduction
1. Emergence Matters: Illuminating the Integrative Moment
2. Hermeneutics Matter: Setting the Table
3. Tradition Matters: The Hermeneutics of Theological Location
4. Ethics Matter: The Hermeneutics of Ultimacy
5. Self-Development Matters: The Hermeneutics of Formation
6. Resilience Matters: The Hermeneutics of Nourishing Emergence
(A Kind of) Conclusion

References
Name Index
Subject Index

Editorial Reviews

"If you want to enrich your clinical integration capacities, then read this book! Brad D. Strawn and Earl D. Bland guide you through ways to embody a 'thick' integrative presence with your clients that will rekindle the wonder of joining God in God's work in your clients' lives."

Virginia T. Holeman

"The Integrative Mindset is a paradigm-shifting contribution to the field and an essential guide for Christian clinicians seeking to enhance their practice with wisdom, integrity, and faith. With intellectual depth and practical insight, Brad D. Strawn and Earl D. Bland help clinicians navigate the intersections of faith, ethics, and tradition in a way that is both responsive and flexible. A must-read for clinicians, supervisors, professors, and students committed to thoughtful and ethical integrative clinical practice."

William B. Whitney

"Even our best ideas can, over time, become ruts that stifle creativity. In The Integrative Mindset, two outstanding clinicians, supervisors, and theoreticians jump out of the integration rut and give us much to ponder. Their notion of 'integrative moments' bends our current paradigms, offers fresh perspectives, and calls us to stand in wonder at what often happens in the clinical office."

Mark R. McMinn