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Adversity, Religious Change, and Mental Wellbeing
11 July 2023–12 July 2023, 1:00 pm–6:30 pm
This conference takes a closer look at some ways in which we cope with stress/trauma, particularly in relation to religion and spirituality.
This event is free.
Event Information
Open to
- All | UCL staff | UCL students | UCL alumni
Availability
- Yes
Cost
- Free
Organiser
-
Prof Kate Loewenthal
Photo by Daniel Seßler on Unsplash
Trauma and stress are beginning to be better understood, and the appearance of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as a diagnostic category has helped us to understand that serious disabling and life-threatening conditions – such as substance abuse, self-harm and suicide – may be the sequelae of significant traumata.
This conference takes a closer look at some ways in which we cope with stress, hoping that this will enable us to support and perhaps facilitate useful ways of coping with and relieving stress. In this conference we look particularly at religion and spirituality. For many years, this area of behaviour and feeling was viewed as somehow too vague and difficult to study scientifically. This view has now succumbed to a wealth of scientific studies – published in a huge range of reputable journals – examining ways in which individuals may improve well-being using religious and spiritual methods. The papers in this conference are presented by some of the leading researchers of this field, and will give an exciting and stimulating view of some ongoing developments.
It should interest all who support and care for those suffering from stress and trauma, particularly those who are curious about the possible ways in which spirituality and religion might have an effect.
Topics include
- Suffering and Wellbeing
- Faith: Shaken, shattered, restored
- The pandemic: what has it done to religion?
- Psychopathology, religious experience and coping
Speakers include
- Professor Kate Loewenthal (UCL, Professor Emeritus at Royal Holloway)
- Professor Simon Dein
- Professor Julie Exline
- Professor Leslie Francis
- Professor Tasia Scrutton
- Professor Andrew Village
- Dr Naftali Loewenthal (UCL)
- Dr Joshua Wilt
- Professor Liz Hall
- Professor Kenneth Pargament
- Professor Crystal Park
About the Speakers
Prof Kate Loewenthal
Honorary Research Fellow (UCL), Professor Emeritus (Royal Holloway) at UCL, Royal Holloway
Kate Loewenthal was Professor of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. She has published numerous articles and spoken at international conferences on her research areas of the impact of religious and cultural factors on mental health, and of family size in relation to well-being. Her research has also earned her funding from the Economic and Social Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, the Leverhulme Trust and the Nuffield Foundation. She serves on the editorial board of several journals concerned with the psychological aspects of religion, and is a founding editor of Mental Health, Religion and Culture.
For links to some of her extensive publications please visit her ResearchGate profile.
More about Prof Kate LoewenthalProf Peter Gubi
Professor of Counselling and Spiritual Accompaniment at University of Chester
Professor Gubi has worked in the Counselling professions for over thirty years in the contexts of Primary Care, the voluntary sector, education, and private practice. He maintains a private practice in Crewe offering Supervision, Counselling, Pastoral Supervision and Spiritual Direction.
He has held senior roles in Counsellor Training, having been Principal Lecturer and Divisional Leader in Counselling and Psychotherapy Studies at the University of Central Lancashire, prior to coming to the University of Chester. He has researched and published extensively (see publications). His research interest is in the interface between spirituality and mental health, and in the mental health wellbeing of Clergy. He is a pragmatic researcher with a specialism in qualitative methods.
At Chester, Professor Gubi mostly supervises postgraduate research (MA/MPhil/PhD/DProf) and teaches module SO7307 on the MA in Clinical Counselling programme. He welcomes the opportunity to talk to potential students about research projects of interest through a PhD. As well as being a Professor at Chester, Professor Gubi is a Minister in the Moravian Church (British Province), Provincial Pastoral Supervision Co-ordinator for the Moravian Church (British Province), Chair of the Provincial Church Service Committee for the Moravian Church (British Province), and Co-ordinator of the Worship Leader’s programme for the Moravian Church (British Province). He is also a Trustee of the Association for Pastoral Supervision and Education and is Chair of the Training, Research and Publications sub-group. He is also Honorary Professor of Practical Theology at Teofilo Kisanji University, Tanzania.
Further information about Professor Gubi can be found on his website.
More about Prof Peter Gubi