BEYOND PSYCHOBABBLE: A DEFENSE OF SECULAR AND ETHICAL CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

Abstract

This review critically examines Psychobabble, by Richard L. Ganz, which advocates biblical counseling as a superior alternative to psychotherapy and contemporary psychological approaches. The author argues that human suffering primarily results from separation from God and that genuine restoration can only be achieved through conversion, obedience to Scripture, and biblical counseling. Furthermore, Ganz challenges the theoretical diversity of psychology, claiming that psychotherapy tends to undermine individual moral responsibility by attributing psychological difficulties to environmental, familial, or unconscious factors. This review aims to critically analyze Ganz’s main arguments, examining their implications for clinical psychological practice and for the dialogue between psychology and religion in the Brazilian context. It argues that psychology, as a scientific discipline and regulated profession, is grounded in secularism, ethical commitment, and respect for religious diversity, thereby enabling dialogue with different belief systems without replacing clinical intervention with confessional practices. The review concludes that, although Psychobabble is relevant for understanding the assumptions of contemporary biblical counseling, its contribution to clinical psychology is limited. Its primary value lies in highlighting the historical tensions between certain religious conceptions and psychological knowledge rather than offering substantial contributions to evidence-based clinical practice.