Seeking Something Sacred

Because we cannot have everything we desire, it is inevitable that we will experience frustration -- and what we believe about pain and loss greatly affects our ability to respond constructively to such emotions as anxiety, despair, and rage. Seeking Something Sacred addresses the fragility of human life and our need to be grounded in something beyond ourselves in order to cope with the suffering inherent in our human condition. Drawing on searing personal experiences (disability and the sudden death of his young son), psychologist Joseph Talley demonstrates how the ability to find the sacred offers an antidote to the self-destructive tendencies we all fall into in moments of crisis -- and he concludes that the only way to find rest from our tribulations is by trusting in God's absolute goodness. Seeking Something Sacred isn't just a fascinating study... it's uplifting inspirational reading too!



This is a very informative and useful work, not only for those who serve in the academy, but also for those who serve in parish settings. Professors and pastors alike will gain much wisdom and insight from Joseph Talley's work.

William Willimon, Dean of the Chapel

Albert Mosley, Director of University Religious Life

Duke University



This book is most relevant to our post-terrorist attack times.

Christopher R. Ovide, ABPP

Clinical Health Psychology, Medical College of Wisconsin



Talley has done something that is often talked about but seldom accomplished in theological education circles: the integration of person, profession, and theological exploration. Dr. Talley's struggle with his own soul in the context of his religious faith and clinical practice will serve as a good primer for anyone engaged in a profession which aspires to plumb the depths of the human spirit. Students and professionals in a broad range of counseling and religious fields will profit from even a quick read of this creative and engaging work.

B. Maurice Ritchie

Director of Special Ministries and Fellow of the Ormond Center

Duke University Divinity School



In Seeking Something Sacred, follow Joe Talley as he discovers, amidst fear, pain, and gripping loss, "the craftsmanship of God," a God of Agape, who can and does "follow us anywhere and everywhere."

Barbara Younger

Author and Consultant



Dr. Talley weaves a rich, multi-hued tapestry... the result is an accessible, clear synthesis of ideas in which a relationship with a Loving God is not only possible, but also crucial to an understanding of human suffering and loss. Seeking Something Sacred is the best synthesis of psychological insight and theological understanding, tempered by intense personal experience, that I have read. It truly is a book that feeds the soul.

W. James Cosse, ABPP

Psychologist, Consultant, Spiritual Counselor



Joseph E. Talley, Ph.D., ABPP, is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center and a staff psychologist at Duke University's Counseling and Psychological Services. A Fellow and former president of the American Board of Professional Psychology's Academy of Counseling Psychology, Talley is the author of six books and numerous other professional publications, and is a columnist for The Diplomate, the American Board of Professional Psychology's newsletter.