IAS: Sufism Psychology Forum

SPF Roundtable Report

Members of the Sufism and Psychology Forum met at the Eighth Annual Sufism Symposium to plan action steps for the coming year. Most of those in attendance were mental health professionals. It was decided to formulate an SPF "Code of Ethics" defining standards of good practice for Sufis who are also mental health practitioners. Participants views were solicited and everyone present offered suggestions. What was evident was that there is a great commonality of values, and world-views amongst Sufi psychotherapists. Several important themes emerged, including:

the definition of Sufism psychology;
the need for it in today's society;
the recognition that the real healer is Allah
the need to reach beyond the normative goals of mainstream psychology toward something more transformative;
the need for Sufi psychotherapists to be accountable for their own health and development;
the need for a different, heart-based, epistemology;

and many other ideas. The next step is to refine this raw material into a set of succinct, definitive statements that will constitute a Sufi Psychotherapists Code of Ethics. It is our hope that this will be a group effort as well, and members interested in participating are invited to send us an email to that effect at spf@ias.org . It is our goal to be able to present this document at the Ninth Annual Sufism Symposium in 2002.