This is an excellent topic that has long been overlooked in many areas of counseling.  I personally believe that most mental health workers have too little knowledge of the main religions and is the greatest reason for ignoring the topic.  Because religion can be a major part a patient's daily life, there has been various studies concerning the effectiveness of prayer in some cases and that is any area that should be discussed.  Also, there are strong beliefs that beneath  many psychological problems,  people  are concerned with "sin, repentance, judgment, etc." which are never discussed,  and  unless they are part of the examination  will not  reach an important area of what actually  can be a major  cause of the person's problem. Religion is not an area that should be ignored.