INFORMED CONSENT AND RELIGIOUS VALUES - A NEGLECTED AREA OF DIVERSITY

The present article is a discussion of the importance of examining the religious values and concerns of clients in psychotherapy. The author s propose making a case for the use of the therapeutic contract in the context of informed consent as an ethical and professional means of e xploring religious issues in psychotherapy. Research is presented that indicates that while psychology continues to recognize the importance of diversity, it has not dealt adequately with religion as a diversit y dimension in psychotherapy. The new ethics code (APA, 1992) is explo red as it relates to religion and diversity. Continued training and su pervision in the area of religion is necessary.