Faculty Profiles

I love being together with people in the messiness of life and the tough questions that emerge when we are honest about that messiness.  Spending time with undergraduate and graduate students wrestling with those questions and spending time with the people I get the joy to meet with in counseling who are courageously facing pain in their lives are what motivates me in my professional life. 

 

My graduate degrees are in clinical psychology and biblical studies, and I teach courses at the intersection of soul care and mental health care to ministry students and to doctoral psychology students.  My interests include that intersection as well as spiritual formation, psychopathology, pastoral care, undergraduate student transition to college, sexual minority student experience, and student care in residence life.

 

In addition to my teaching, I serve as Clinical Director of Alliance Clinical Associates (a multi-disciplinary mental health practice).  I also serve on the board of Congo Initiative (an organization where global partners join with Christ-centered Congolese leaders to work for the transformation of lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo).  I am married with 3 young adult children, and I enjoy doing anything with them, hiking and biking with my wife, hanging out with my dog Charlie, trying new foods, and traveling.

Psy.D., Clinical Psychology, 1998, Wheaton College Graduate School

M.A., New Testament Studies, 1986

Licensed Clinical Psychologist; IL License #071-006149, 2000

McRay CV

 

• Clinical Psychopathology & Psychotherapy
• Pastoral Care
• Integration of Soul Care and Contemporary Mental Health
• Integration of Theology and Psychology
• Outdoor Adventure Leadership

McRay, B.W. (2020, March). Pastoral Care and Psychotherapy. Invited address to Czech Christian Psychology Society Meeting, Prague, Czech Republic.

McRay, B.W. (2020, March). Use of Religious and Spiritual Interventions in Individual and Systemic Psychotherapies. Central and Eastern Europe Mental Health Advisory Group Conference, Prague, Czech Republic.

McRay, B.W. (2019, March). Clinical management/supervision & spiritual formation. Central and Eastern Europe Mental Health Advisory Group Conference, Prague, Czech Republic.

McRay, B. W., Barwegen, L., Setran, D. P., & Haase, D. (2019, October). Transformational learning: A philosophy of learning for Christian higher education. Panel to be presented at the annual meetings of the Society for Professors of Christian Education. Minneapolis, MN.

McRay, B.W. (2018, March). Sexuality & Christian faith: Contemporary issues for mental health professionals. Central and Eastern Europe Mental Health Advisory Group Conference, Prague, Czech Republic.

McRay, B.W., (2017, March). Marriage & sexuality. Central and Eastern Europe Mental Health Advisory Group Conference, Prague, Czech Republic.

McRay, B.W. (2016, March). Mental health care and the church. Central and Eastern Europe Mental Health Advisory Group Conference, Prague, Czech Republic.

McRay, Barrett. (2015, February). Psychotherapy and Spiritual Formation. Plenary addresses given at the annual George Fox University Colloquium. Newburg, OR, February 2015

McRay, B. W. (2015, February). Invited 3-day consultation with international members of CI-UCBC and CI-USA, Entebbe, Uganda.

Morgan, T., Zaporozhets, O., Bucher, E., Yarhouse, M. A., & McRay, B. W. (2015, April). Youth ministers’ attitudes toward and experiences with sexual minority youth: A quantitative analysis. Virginia Psychological Association State Conference. Virginia Beach, VA.

Bucher, E., Morgan, T., Yarhouse, M., McRay, B. W. (2014, April). Youth ministry educators: A survey of attitudes toward sexual minorities, church climate, ministry approaches and religiosity. Poster presented at the International Conference of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies. Atlanta, GA.

Yarhouse, M. A., Colpitts, D., Dean, J., Stratton, S., McRay, B. W. (2014, April). Multiple identity considerations among sexual minority Christians. Symposium presented at the International Conference of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies. Atlanta, GA.

Ribbe, R., & McRay, B. W. (2013, November). Camp ministry foundations. Preconference full day workshop presented at the annual conference of the Christian Camp and Conference Association. Colorado Springs, CO.

McRay, B. W. (2013, November). Adventure-based orientation programs for colleges. Workshop presented at the annual conference of the Christian Camp and Conference Association. Colorado Springs, CO.

Barnes, G., Dickens, C., Johnson, E., McMinn, M., McRay, B. W., Greggo, S., Gingrich, F., & Barnes, C. (2011, April). The collaboration of pastors, clinicians & academics for theological & psychological contributions towards spiritual formation in the Church.  Symposium presented at annual meetings of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies. Indianapolis, IN.

Barnes, G., C. Dickens, E. Johnson, M. McMinn, B. McRay, S. Greggo, F. Gingrich, and C. Barnes. (2011, April). The Collaboration of Pastors, Clinicians & Academics for Theological & Psychological Contributions. Symposium presented at the annual meetings of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies. Indianapolis, IN. 

McRay, Barrett. (2011, March). Christian Spiritual Formation among College Students: Current Theory and Research. Keynote address presented at the Pepperdine University Spiritual Life Forum. Malibu, CA. 

McRay, Barrett. (2011, March). Defining Spiritual Formation and Its Implications for the Ethos and Practice of Christian Higher Education" and "Spiritual Life Outcomes in Practice. Addresses presented at the Pepperdine University Spiritual Life Forum. Malibu, CA. 

Robinson, P., McRay, B. W., & Yamamoto, G. (2010, July/August). Faculty development, faith-learning-service, and curriculum development. Consultation with senior administration and faculty of Université Chrétienne Bilingue du Congo. Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo.

McRay, B. W., Langan, E. (2008, October). Are friends really friends forever: Implications for youth ministry drawn from a survey on friendship of an entire college community. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association of Youth Ministry Educators. Atlanta, GA.

Langan, E., Setran, D., McRay, B. W. (2008, October). Friendship at a Christian college: A survey of an entire college community and implications for college ministry. Paper presented at the annual conference of the North American Professors of Christian Education. Atlanta, GA.

Langan, E., McRay, B. W. (2008, May). How many friends are enough? An analysis of friendship network size, satisfaction, and adequacy. Poster presented at the biannual meeting of the International Association for Relationship Research. Providence, RI.

McRay, B. W. (2007, February/March). Ministering to victims of violent trauma and facilitating post civil war reconciliation. Training seminars for pastors and business leaders’ conferences on post conflict church development and reconstruction. Adi and Butembo, Democratic Republic of Congo.

McRay, B.W. (2007, June), Fulfilling the law of Christ: Reflections on the burden-bearing ministry of the Church. Paper presented at the annual Christian Scholars’ Conference. Rochester, MI.

Yarhouse, M.R., Butman, R.E., McRay, B.W. (2005, September). Educating students to see psychopathology through the eyes of faith.  Paper presented at the American Association of Christian Counselor’s World Conference, Nashville, TN.

Morgan, T., O. Zaporozhets, E. Bucher, M. Yarhouse and B. McRay. Youth Ministers' Attitudes Toward and Experiences with Sexual Minority Youth: A Quantitative Analysis. Paper presented at the Virginia Psychological Association State Conference. Virginia Beach, VA. 

• Integration of Soul Care and Contemporary Mental Health
• Psychopathology
• Pastoral Care

• CFM 339: Compassion & Crisis Ministry: Responding to Trauma and Suffering
• CFM 115: Introduction to Christian Formation and Ministry
• CFM 131: Introduction to Spiritual Formation: Wheaton Passage
• CFM 333: Student Care in College Ministry
• OAL 534: Care & Counsel in Ministry
• PSYC 717: Class, Gender, Race, Religion, and Sexual Identity in Clinical Psychology
• PSYC 731: Spirituality 1
• PSYC 732: Spirituality 2
• PSYC 733: Spirituality 3

McRay, B. W., Barwegen, L., Haase, D. T., Karianjahi, M., Larson,, M.L., Ribbe, R., Schwanda, T., Setran, D. P., and Wilhoit, J. (2018). Spiritual formation and soul care in the department of Christian Formation & Ministry at Wheaton College. The Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care, 11(2), 272-296.

Yarhouse, M. A., Bucher, E. K., Zaporozhets, O., Morgan, T., & McRay, B. W. (2018). Youth ministry educators: A survey of interest, knowledge, and experiences with sexual minorities and institutional climate. In O. Enok & J. Rolf (Eds.), Human sexuality. Understanding sexuality: Perspectives and challenges of the 21st century (pp. 125-145). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.

McRay, B. W., Yarhouse, M. A., Butman, R. E. (2016). Modern psychopathologies: A comprehensive Christian appraisal. 2^nd ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

McRay, B. W. (2016). How do people develop their thinking?  In T. Linhart (Ed.), Teaching the Next Generations (pp. 67-85). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.

My office is located in the Billy Graham Hall (BGH) 240.

My Wheaton College email address is barrett.mcray@wheaton.edu.

Please use this link to schedule office hour appointments: meetme.so/barrettmcray.