But it is a fine line. How would the therapist know that the problem with non responsiveness to standard therapy is because religion hasn't been introduced? I think there is a big danger of the therapist turning into proselytist and that would be completely unethical.
The point is that is is very unlikely that a trained therapist would consider turning to religion unless they were themselves religious. And if you read the article the approach seems to be targeted at people who had 'stopped their religious practice' - so I would need to be absolutely convinced that the therapist is trying to reintroduce them to religion as a form of therapy rather than to try to get them to return to religion.
If you work through the link you can actually download the 'self help' booklet used. I find it rather disturbing as although the very first sections are practical and about the issues of mental health, depression and dealing with problems it rapidly shifts into being, in effect, a guide to Islam, pretty well detached from anything other than trying to ensure the patient is a good muslim.
Actually looking more into this I am finding it increasingly disturbing.
Looking through the 'therapists' manual there seems to be an overt bias in favour of driving even the non practicing (ex)muslim back to religion. And the language used is disturbingly biased. So for example:
'For clients using ‘negative religious coping’, who may have ambivalent or hostile views of God, the therapist could explain that positive ways of thinking about one’s relationship with God can help people overcome depression. Depending on whether the therapist thinks it would be useful, the Booklet could be introduced as an alternative way of drawing on religious beliefs and the therapist could explore the client’s response to reading the Booklet as an activation assignment.'
'The extent to which religious activities are suggested as a resource for dealing with depression will need to match the client’s level of religiosity to avoid inducing guilt at not being able to fulfill assignments. However, the absence of religious activity may be a consequence of feeling depressed and it should not be assumed that clients who do not mention religious activity would not be interested in these. Again, it will be useful to discuss how much clients would value building religious activities into their assignments and an achievable level of religious practice.'
So effectively if you aren't interested in religion, or are even hostile toward religion your therapist should foist religion onto you implying either that your depression is linked to your lack of religiosity or that having a particular level of religious practice is necessarily desirable.
Why on earth should someone not mentioning religion as being important to them be encouraged to achieve an 'achievable level of religious practice.' Why should anyone be expect to achieve a level of religious practice, unless that it entirely their own choice.
