Obtaining an M.S. in Clinical Psychology from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota opens many doors in the mental health field. Many practitioners choose to work in office or hospital settings, establishing a long-term career in patient care. Our program is designed to foster compassionate care through evidence-based approaches and faith-based clinical practice.
Rooted in the Lasallian Catholic tradition, this program blends rigorous clinical training with a faith-based perspective, emphasizing ethics, spirituality, and holistic well-being. Here, we discuss the ethics of faith-based integration in our online master’s program and the balance between it and high-quality patient care.
Key Takeaways
- Faith integration in our M.S. in Clinical Psychology program means blending religion and spirituality with evidence-based care while maintaining the highest ethical standards. This allows mental health professionals to treat the whole person to health and flourishing.
- Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s program teaches practitioners the fullness of psychological theories and science that support a comprehensive, integrative view of the human person. The flexible hybrid format, strong faculty mentorship, and in-person residencies provide networking, community building, research opportunities, and preparation for professional licensure and clinical
- Our degree program, based on new accreditation standards and professional competencies, provides training for professional roles and activities that include individual, group, family, and vocational counseling, supervision, interprofessional, consultation, research, vocational assessment, psychological testing and assessment, and more. Our students will be prepared to fill a wide variety of roles.
What Does Faith Integration Mean in M.S. Clinical Psychology Training?
Faith integration in clinical psychology nurtures personal and professional ethical formation within all psychological services. This can include:
- Viewing the person as a unique individual with inherent goodness and dignity; with a unified body, soul, spirit, and mind; capable of hope, virtue, vocation, and flourishing
- Incorporating evidence-based religious and spiritual interventions that align with patient preferences and flow from clinical expertise and the best available research in professional literature.
- Conducting a thorough psycho-social-bio-spiritual assessment to properly identify concerns and to collaborate with the patient to establish a treatment plan and goals.
Throughout your studies, you will learn how to explore the multiple layers and domains of a patient’s background with sensitivity, humility, and competence.
Our curriculum takes the best psychological science and evidence-based practice and merges it with philosophical and theological grounding to equip our graduates with the skills to support patients’ holistic well-being. Over 720 hours of supervised clinical experience, completed within two years, prepare students for real-world practice and licensure. Additionally, the hybrid format offers flexible learning options and incorporates robust student support services, including advising, tutoring, and library resources, to help adult learners succeed.
Intersection Between Evidence-Based Practice and Faith: Where Do They Meet?
Faith integration in clinical psychology allows patients to flourish in ways that are consistent with their religious beliefs and values. Ethical practice adheres to the ethical principles and standards of the profession, such as doing no harm, respecting the autonomy of each patient, and treating every patient with dignity and justice. Practitioners learn ethical competencies for daily practice, including decision-making models, informed consent, and proper clinical documentation. Recent studies show that 50-80% of patients want to discuss religious and spiritual topics in their treatment. Thus, evidence-based and ethical practice often converge in a faith-integrated approach. In our program, we ensure that students:
- Use research-informed interventions with cultural humility: Practitioners apply evidence-based practices with skillful incorporation of professional ethics and multicultural guidelines.
- Document and track outcomes: Practitioners maintain accurate records of interventions and progress to demonstrate accountability and adherence to professional standards.
- Respect patient preferences and autonomy: Evidence-based practice consists of viewing patients as individuals. A unique collaborative clinical relationship is established between each practitioner and patient to ensure that patient preferences, culture, faith beliefs, and values are carefully, ethically, and intentionally considered throughout clinical care.
What Should You Consider When Choosing an M.S. in Clinical Psychology Program?
Selecting the right program for you means looking beyond coursework to ensure it prepares you for ethical, evidence-based, and faith-integrated care. Here are key considerations:
- Faculty training and supervision model: Ask how faculty incorporate American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines and provide mentorship during clinical training to ensure competency in ethics, cultural humility, and clinical skills.
- Clinical skills, ethics, and diversity preparation: Our program emphasizes cultural competence, social justice, and integration of religion and spirituality into all aspects of training.
- Deep understanding of Catholic traditions: Develop a deep understanding of the Catholic Christian Meta-Model of a Person, an approach that integrates psychology with faith-based views of human dignity, holistic well-being, and personal growth.
Choose Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s M.S. in Clinical Psychology Program
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota combines Catholic faith integration with rigorous, evidence-based training to prepare students for ethical, culturally responsive care. Designed for students from diverse backgrounds, the hybrid format offers flexibility and values community and engagement in online education.
Students will be taught in the M.S. in Clinical Psychology program by professional faculty with the highest credentials in the profession, with expertise in trauma, psychological assessment, working with military populations, clergy mental health, children and adolescents, and parenting. We also offer financial aid for qualified students. Request more info or apply for admission to learn more about our Master of Science in Clinical Psychology curriculum.
FAQ About Our M.S. in Clinical Psychology Program
How is faith integrated into clinical practice when the patient and practitioner have different beliefs and values?
This is very common. The MS in Clinical Psychology program teaches students how to use an ethical decision-making model and the principles of evidence-based practice to meet the patient where they are. Treatment plans and goals are established collaboratively and based on the unique needs and preferences of each individual patient.
How do practitioners handle prayer or spiritual practices in clinical practice?
The MS in Clinical Psychology program teaches students how to ground all interventions, whether spiritual or non-spiritual, within an ethical framework and principles of evidence-based practice. Thus, the specific use of religious and spiritual practices is utilized when clinically indicated.
What research supports the use of religious and spiritual integration in clinical practice?
Psychology has now produced well over fifty years of empirical studies focused on the integration of religion and spirituality. The field has developed rigorous empirically supported religious-based treatment approaches, such as Religiously Integrated Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and has developed specific competencies for training and education. The MS in Clinical Psychology program adheres to a complementary framework between faith and science.
