This symposium has concluded. If you were not a registered attendee and want to purchase the conference recordings, you can do so via THIS LINK.
The 2026 Symposium on Death and
Bereavement Studies
presents
Spiritual Bypassing:
Counseling and Support Perspectives
In this unique online seminar, you'll work interactively with some of today's most respected leaders
at the intersection of psychology and spirituality.
Join us for a day of unique content addressing critical issues in these fields.
Saturday July 25, 2026 - ONLINE
9 am - 3:00 pm Pacific
11 am - 5:00 pm Central
12 pm - 7:00 pm Eastern
Religious belief as a strategy for coping with painful life events can be both helpful and harmful; positive religious coping has generally been found to support healthful outcomes, while the negative form has been linked to increased distress.
Spiritual bypassing is described as a form of negative religious coping in which religion or spirituality is used as a psychological defense mechanism to avoid facing painful situations. The term was coined in the mid-1980s by John Welwood, a Buddhist teacher and psychotherapist who described it as a coping device through which people use spirituality as a defense mechanism.
CLICK HERE to learn more about spiritual bypassing.
Who Should Attend:
. Counselors, psychologists and social workers
. End-of-life professionals
. Chaplains, clergy and religious scholars
. Spiritual seekers and mystics
. Bereaved individuals and caregivers
Six CE credit hours available for
nurses, social workers, counselors and more
For information on our CEs, click here
ALL PRESENTATIONS WILL BE RECORDED,
AND REGISTERED ATTENDEES WILL RECEIVE LINKS TO THE RECORDINGS
2026 Presenters
Carrie Doehring PhD - SPIRITUAL BYPASS AS LAMENTATION
Dr. Doehring describes a spiritually respectful process of lamentation that creates safety and honors agency by supporting moments of spiritual bypass that help us navigate spiritual struggles and moral distress. In her presentation, she will discuss her work with dignity‑centered, trauma‑aware relational spirituality in interfaith chaplaincy and counseling. She will demonstrate compassionate listening with colleague Brian Smith, who will share the story of his daughter’s death and the process of recognizing moments of spiritual bypass in his healing journey.
Craig Cashwell, PHD - THE SCIENCE AND ART OF WORKING WITH SPIRITUAL BYPASS
Spiritual bypass as a protective or defensive coping mechanism remains a challenge for those charged with psychological and spiritual care of others. In many cases, spiritual bypass serves an avoidance function, prohibiting the person from the very conversations and experiences that promote healing. For those in chronic, compulsive, and long-term spiritual bypass, there is growing empirical evidence of problematic outcomes. Dr. Cashwell will discuss recent research related to spiritual bypass with both spiritual and counseling implications, including tools for assessing the role of spiritual bypass in psychological struggles, understanding acute vs. chronic spiritual bypass, and counseling frameworks.
Rev. Mary Myoku Remington - SPIRITUAL BYPASS IN BUDDHISM:
THE RADICAL INCLUSION OF EVERYTHING
Part of our spiritual maturation process involves learning how to be with the complexity of our lived, human experience. There are multiple ways to uplift Buddhist principles, teachings, and meditation as a way to meeting our suffering, or alternatively, as a way of escaping it. In this presentation, we'll explore how we can slip into spiritual bypass within Buddhist practice, and also learn how the same practice can invite us see clearly, learn from our bypass, and transform it into wisdom.
Sonya Lott, PhD - SPIRITUAL BYPASSING, COMPLICATED GRIEF,
AND PROLONGED GRIEF DISORDER
Spiritual beliefs can be an important source of comfort and meaning after a loss. However, when spiritual bypassing is used as a primary coping mechanism, problems can develop. In this presentation, Dr. Lott will discuss how the persistent use of spiritual bypassing can increase the likelihood of developing complicated spiritual grief and/or prolonged grief disorder, particularly when a loved one dies in a traumatic manner.
Andrew Jasko, MDiv, MPhil, MA, - SPIRITUAL BYPASSING: EMOTIONAL SUPPRESSION, TRAUMA-INFORMED PATHWAYS TO AUTHENTIC HEALING
In many spiritual and religious groups, pain is not processed but reinterpreted or avoided. In Evangelical Christianity, suffering is often framed as sin, lack of faith, or divine testing, discouraging direct engagement with grief, anger, and doubt. In Law of Attraction, individuals are often taught to override negative thoughts to manifest desired outcomes, often producing suppression, self-blame, and anxiety. Positivity-based teachings may be used to dismiss trauma, relational conflict, and psychological complexity. This presentation examines how these dynamics operate psychologically and outlines trauma-informed approaches that restore emotional processing, critical reflection, and authenticity.
Janice Selbie, MPCC - DISENFRANCHISED GRIEF AND SPIRITUAL BYPASSING: SUPPORTING NON-THEISTIC CLIENTS IN RELIGIOUS CONTEXTS
Many non-theistic clients grieve in families and communities where loss is quickly framed through spiritual language. For atheist, agnostic, and deconstructing individuals, grief can become complicated when their experience does not align with the dominant beliefs around them. This session explores how spiritual bypassing can show up during bereavement and unintentionally interrupt healthy emotional processing, and integrates foundational research on religious coping with emerging discussions of spiritual bypassing in disenfranchised and prolonged grief.
Symposium Host/Facilitator
Terri Daniel, DMin, CT, FFGT
Dr. Daniel is an inter-spiritual hospice chaplain and end-of-life educator certified in death, dying and bereavement by the Association of Death Education and Counseling and in family-focused grief therapy by The Portland Institute. In addition to her hospice work, she conducts workshops throughout the U.S. and is an adjunct instructor in death studies and chaplaincy at Marian University, United Theological Seminary, and the Graduate Theological Union.
SYMPOSIUM AGENDA
(Speakers, topics and schedules are subject to change without notice)
Sponsored by
FOR CE SEEKERS:
Learning Objectives for This Course
. Discuss definitions of spiritual bypassing
. Compare a variety of spiritual responses to loss and grief
. Utilize assessment tools for identifying indicators of spiritual bypassing
. Discuss current research on spiritual bypassing
. Analyze the impact of spiritual bypassing on long-term mental health
Information on Continuing Education Credit for Health Professionals
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- CE credits for psychologists are provided by the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is co-sponsoring this program. The Spiritual Competency Academy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Spiritual Competency Academy maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
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- The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
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- LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFTs, and other mental health professionals from states other than California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
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- SCA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN Provider CEP16887) for licensed nurses in California. RNs must retain their certificate of attendance for 4 years after the course concludes.
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- For questions about receiving your Certificate of Attendance, contact Terri Daniel at office@deathgriefandbelief.com
For questions about CE, contact Spiritual Competency Academy at info@spiritualcompetencyacademy.com.
Questions?
Call 503-957-7419 or email terri@danieldirect.net