Power of Neuroplasticity for Pastoral and Spiritual Care - by Kirk A Bingaman (Paperback)

About the Book

Studies in neuroscience have revealed that the human brain is built for change across the entire lifespan, and that through mindfulness and contemplative-meditational practices it is possible to calm the fear and stress regions of the brain. This book provides practitioners an...

Book Synopsis

Studies in neuroscience have revealed that the human brain is built for change across the entire lifespan, and that through mindfulness and contemplative-meditational practices it is possible to calm the fear and stress regions of the brain. This book provides practitioners and clinicians with a clear understanding of how the findings can be applied to the work of pastoral and spiritual care, helping clients and congregants to cultivate less anxious and more positive perspectives on life.

Review Quotes

In The Power of Neuroplasticity for Pastoral and Spiritual Care, not only Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount...but also religious and spiritual practices such as prayer and meditation are given multidimensional meaning and greater importance. The book is a welcome addition to pastoral and practical theology and theology's engagement with the sciences. It informs practical living, ways of caring, and clinical practice and invites a new approach to theological hermeneutics. Persons who are anxious or fearful, persons interested in religious and spiritual practices, and pastoral caregivers or professional counselors will find The Power of Neuroplasticity for Pastoral and Spiritual Care a stimulating, informative, and challenging conversation partner.

The Power of Neuroplasticity for Pastoral and Spiritual Care is an accessible, immensely practical text that firmly grounds pastoral and spiritual care within the unfolding discoveries of contemporary neuroscience. Dr. Bingaman engages Christian theology, psychotherapeutic practice, and pastoral care, arguing persuasively that our evolved neural structures dispose us to fear and that mindfulness-based practices offer a powerful antidote for those caught up in persistent anxiety. The text will be a welcome resource for practitioners and care receivers alike, including those who are skeptical of neuroscience's applicability and those already convinced.

This is a fascinating and ambitious book that shows how contemporary neuroscience has valuable implications for the practice of pastoral and spiritual care. Bingaman has an ideal combination of intellectual breadth, clinical experience, and theological sensitivity. He presents a host of religiously and spiritually grounded methods as reliable agents of neuroplasticity, and makes a compelling case that people who put real time and effort into these practices will actually transform the way their brains work.

About the Author

Kirk A. Bingaman is professor of pastoral mental health counseling at Fordham University. He is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) in New York and a fellow with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC).