Goodwyn applies research into ritual to clinical practice of psychotherapy and psychiatry for the first time.

Erik D. Goodwyn, M.D., is assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and director of psychotherapy training at the University of Louisville, USA. He was an officer in the Air Force for seven years, during which time he cared for patients from both military and civilian backgrounds. He has published articles in the fields of psychology of religion, psychodynamic theory and spirituality in mental health, and his previous books include The Neurobiology of the Gods (Routledge, 2012) and, with Susan Greenwood, Magical Consciousness: An Anthropological and Neurobiological Approach (Routledge, 2016) .

Part 1: Foundations. The Study of Ritual - Depth Psychology and Symbolic Anthropology. The Interdisciplinary Approach to Ritual. Part 2: The Dynamic Interdisciplinary Approach. Biological-Mind/Body Interactions. Cognitive-Cognitive Anthropology and Psychological Resonance. Psychodynamic-Projection, Narrative, Meaningful Coincidence and Dissociation. Cultural - Structures and Functions. Part 3: Applications. Magical Inscriptions. Healing Rituals. Transitional Rituals. Death. Part 4: Conclusions. The Technology of Ritual and the Ritual Expert. Summary. Afterword.