COMMITTEE REPORTS

2. Dear Abby Religion-Spirituality and Mental Health survey

Project Leaders: Dr. Saunders, Dr. Norko, Dr. Meador

Fast track: journal articles

Potential journals: J Sci Study Religion, J Rel & Health, and JNMD

Anticipated audience: practicing psychiatrists, psychiatry residents, training directors, Psychologists & other MHPs

Any ways in which the Publications Board might be helpful: not yet

Work accomplished during meeting: Reviewed current status of project. A grant request to the Templeton Foundation was not accepted. Dr. Saunders has submitted a grant application to NIH, which is current in the review process. The next review phase will take place in March 2023. We are working on two papers now: 1) Description of people who identify as spiritual but not religious (SBNR) but also say they are affiliated with a religious tradition in terms of religious practice and beliefs; 2) Religion-spirituality and mental health, comparing respondents who identify as religious but not spiritual, SBNR, both religious and spiritual, and neither religious nor spiritual. Other papers being planned are: 3) Spiritual-religious practice during COVID; 4) LGBTQ+ and mental health/ religion-spirituality.

Plans for between meeting work: Draft the first paper by April 2023.

3. Biographical Essays on mental health attributes of major religious figures: “Un-Diagnosing St. Joan”

Project Leader: Dr. Phillips

Fast track: series of journal articles

Potential journals: current paper has been submitted to World Psychiatry

Any ways in which the Publications Board might be helpful: already approved by Publication Board

Work accomplished during meeting: Reviewed current status. World Psychiatry rejected the submission. It is now in review at Philosophy, Ethics, Humanities in Medicine (PEHM), but it has been there for many months now. We also discussed a number of possible subjects for the next biographical essay in this series.

Plans for between meeting work: Dr. Phillips to inquire with managing editor of JNMD if they Might consider the manuscript as a theoretical analysis submission, as an alternative to PEHM.

4. “Meditations: January 14th, 2025”

Project Leader: Dr. Nields

Fast track: a creative writing piece about a possible trajectory of recent world events

Potential journals: room

Any ways in which the Publications Board might be helpful: reviewed by David Adler but not sent to Publication Board since the piece represents a single author and not a GAP committee per se.

Work accomplished during meeting: Reviewed status. room has rejected the piece.

Unfortunately, it was keyed to the anniversary of the January 6 insurrection and has become untimely.

Plans for between meeting work: This project will not be pursued further.

5. Psychedelics and religion

Project Leader: Dr. Neely

Description: As part of the GAP fellows research on psychedelics in psychiatry for the November 2022 meeting, Dr. Neely has been interested in a separate project of exploring the use Of psychedelics in palliative care / end of life, with implications for religious/spiritual experience.

Work accomplished during meeting: Reviewed status.

Plans for between meeting work: Dr. Neely will continue her research on the topic for our further discussion at subsequent meetings, especially as her current forensic fellowship nears completion next year.