Disentangling Integration of Psychology and Theology: A Decolonial Critique and Improvisation in Spiritual Care and Counseling

This article critiques the traditional model of integrating psychology and theology, highlighting its colonial underpinnings. While the integration of these fields has yielded beneficial outcomes, it often centers the perspectives of white, male Christians and neglects diverse, marginalized voices. Theology is often reduced to providing resources for psychological insight without interrogating the psychological frameworks themselves. This article proposes a decolonial alternative, advocating for an epistemic shift that challenges the hegemony of Western-centered ideologies. This shift would embrace hybridity, cultural distinctiveness, collectivism, and liberation theology. The authors also examine the Netflix series Beef as a case study, using it to illustrate how colonial forces shape the psychological and spiritual struggles of marginalized groups. The article concludes by sketching a roadmap for counselors to adopt a decolonial approach, emphasizing embodied, community-based healing practices and the reclamation of indigenous spiritual wisdom.