Understanding the universal and persistent importance of religious and spiritual ideas and experience is central to my endeavour. It is a theme of both “Psychosis and Spirituality” and “Madness, Mystery and the Survival of God”, and I have presented at a number of conferences organised by faith organisations. In some cases, the overlap with psychosis is stressed, in others understanding spirituality is central.
There is a powerful body of research demonstrating that the way in which someone makes sense of anomalous experiences has real impact on how they successfully or otherwise they navigate the experiences. Medical explanations come off badly in this comparison.
e.g. Brett, C., Heriot-Maitland, C., McGuire, P., et al (2014) Predictors of distress associated with psychotic-like anomalous experiences in clinical and non-clinical populations. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 53, 213-27.
and Heriot-Maitland, C., Knight, M. & Peters, E. (2012) A qualitative comparison of psychotic-like phenomena in clinical and non-clinical populations. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 51, 37-53.
I have been a founder member of the Spiritual Crisis Network since 2005. The Network provides support for an alternative narrative through its online response service and through facilitated peer support groups.
I have collaborated with members of the network to produce the following book chapters:
- Clarke, I., Mottram, K., Taylor, S. & Pegg, H. (2016): Narratives of transformation in psychosis. In C.H.Cook, A.Powell & A.Sims (Eds.) Spirituality and Narrative in Psychiatric Practice. Stories of Mind and Soul. Royal College of Psychiatrists Publications: London.
- Clarke, I., Powell, J. A. & JH. (2021) Voices, visions and the spiritual journey. In S. Aris, H. Garroway & H. Gilbert (Eds.) Mental Health, Spirituality and Wellbeing: A Handbook for Health and Social Care Professionals, Service Users and Carers. Pavilion Publishing: Shoreham by Sea.
- Clarke, I. & Tilda (2023) Conflicted Stories. A case of expanded reality. In J. A. Diaz-Garrido, J., R. Zuniga, H. Laffite & E. Morris (Eds.) Psychological Interventions for Psychosis. Towards a paradigm shift. Springer: Switzerland.
Bringing Transcendence into the Fold
Science and Transcendence: squaring the circle. Paper presented at a meeting of the reconvened Epiphany Philosophers, 09.01.19, Cambridge.
Two papers published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Spirituality Special Interest Group address this issue:
- ‘Transcendence and the transliminal‘ 2014
- Schizotypy and the experience of transliminal phenomena. 2016
Beyond the God Spot. Article on Spirituality and the Brain
Download
Clarke, I. (2014). Beyond the God Spot. Transcendence and the Brain. The Way. A review of Christian Spirituality published by the British Jesuits. 53, 49-55.
Psychosis and Spirituality: Inner Journeys in a time of Transition
10th November, 2011. A conference around “Psychosis and Spirituality: consolidating the new paradigm” jointly presented by Spiritual Crisis Network and ISPS (International Society for Psychotherapy for the Schizophrenias and other Psychoses) and Liverpool John Moores University, featuring myself, Les Lancaster and Janice Hartley – at Liverpool John Moores University.
Spirituality and Mental Health Sharing Good Practice Conference
6th July-8th July 2011 at St John’s College, Durham.
Continuing the Journey 2010 – “Psst!… Look who’s talking…”
The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire: 3rd-7th May 2010.
Quaker Dialogues 3: Spirituality, Creativity and Mental Illness
Saturday 27th September 2008. Susan Mitchell and Isabel Clarke, chair: David Saunders.
Bridge Pastoral Foundation. Annual Conference 2008
28th July – 1st August. Hayes Conference Centre, Derbyshire.
I gave 3 keynote talks:
– Encounter with the Threshold. A Psychological Understanding of Spirituality.
– Crossing the Threshold. Implications for the personal journey and personal growth.
– Managing the Threshold. Working with those who have lost their way.
Confer Conference
London, Friday 30th and Saturday 31st May 2008.
Spiritual Narratives in Psychotherapy: working with Spiritual Issues in Clinical Practice
Talk: Revisiting the concepts: framing anomalous experience; psychosis; spiritual crisis etc. in non stigmatising ways for effective therapeutic approaches.
Workshop: Reaching out beyond the Threshold. What do you say?
Tauton Association for Psychodynamics. OTHER DIMENSIONS OF THE PSYCHE?
Talk: Across the Threshold: the Role of Spirituality in the Journey of Life
Saturday 15th March 2008.
Confer Conference ‘Spiritual Narratives in psychological therapies’
St. John’s College Cambridge. 4th and 5th April 2007.
Talk: ‘Beyond the frontiers of reason: how the therapist can nurture healthy spirituality and avoid the psychotic danger zone.’ Followed by a parallel workshop.
Seminar at University of Oxford
Seminar given as part of a series on ‘positive psychology and the cognitive science of religion’.
“A cognitive perspective on spirituality – with a little help from psychosis”
ISPSS-UK Conference: Spirituality and Psychosis: Continuity and Discontinuity
London, Friday 28th April 2006.
Talk: Continuity and Discontinuity: Cognitive Science and Psychotherapeutic perspectives.
Quaker Universalists Gathering at Woodbrooke
Talk: “Spirituality at the Heart of Being Human”. Saturday April 1st, 2006.
Symposium: Theory of Mind: Cross-Cultural and Transpersonal Perspectives
Presentation given at the BPS Conference 2005.
There is Crack in Everything
Presentation given at the “Ways of Knowing” Conference, Winchester, 2nd-4th September 2005.