The connection between spirituality and mental health

Share this article:

By Jeromy J. Wells, DMin, BCC, RYT, USAF ret., chaplain, Rogers Behavioral Health

Research shows spirituality is an important part of a person’s well-being, providing a framework for hope, meaning, and purpose. Engaging in spiritual practices can foster community and connection. Additionally, spirituality is increasingly seen as an important piece of mental health and addiction recovery treatment.

In this two-part blog series, Rogers Behavioral Health’s chaplain, Jeromy J. Wells:

• Explores what spirituality is
• Provides simple ways you can practice it
• Explains how Rogers’ Spiritual Care team works with people receiving treatment

What is spirituality?

I like the way spirituality is defined by authors in this article as that which one holds as sacred—how one relates with the divine, others, and themselves. The World Health Organization defines the four dimensions of well-being as physical, social, mental, and spiritual health, saying, “The spiritual dimension is not material in nature, but belongs to the realm of ideas, beliefs, values, and ethics that have arisen in the minds and conscience of human beings.”

Spirituality is a critical part of our overall health. It’s at the core of how we make meaning and why we choose to do what we do. Whether we think of that part of our being as soul, energy, or something else that’s eternal, it is that “something” that transcends time, space, and understanding. It cannot not be a part of our healing process. I think of spirituality as the way our soul expresses itself. In other words, spirituality is the voice of the soul. Spirituality is our soul song.

Is spirituality the same as religion?

Although all religions have a spiritual component, not all spirituality is religious. Data shows a significant shift away from traditional religion, and many of the patients I visit with report turning away from religion because their experience negatively impacted their mental health.

I find it helpful to look at the root meaning of religion. Some experts believe it comes from the Latin word “religio”, which means obligation or reverence. While other scholars argue it comes from the verb “religare”, which means to connect or to bind. For some, religion is a meaningful community that connects them with other members of their faith as they pass along their sacred stories from generation to generation. For others, religion is an obligation with forced reverence. In other words, maybe there is truth in both possibilities. Religion may be helpful or life-giving for some, while harmful or life-limiting for others.

How does spirituality work?

Spirituality in practice may be religious through:

• The experience of the presence of Christ through the Holy Eucharist
• Daily prayers
• The reading of one’s sacred text

Spirituality in practice may be private and non-religious through:

• Walks in nature
• Silence and meditation
• Music and art

I see spirituality at work when a patient forgives themselves and accepts the entirety of their story as a part of their lived human experience.

I see spirituality at work when a Rogers team member is going through difficult things at home and juggling life responsibilities and is still showing up for work with the sole focus of professional, compassionate, and competent patient-centered care.

I see spirituality at work through the connections of strangers from different cultures and religious preferences laughing and sharing a meal together.

I see spirituality at work in the grief of a parent who lost their son to suicide and is trying to find their reason for living after his death.

I see spirituality at work in people struggling with eating disorders or OCD as they believe deep within that there must be something beyond the fear, guilt, or shame they know all too well.

I see spirituality at work in people who have experienced religious trauma yet still have the courage to ask for spiritual support and care.

I see spirituality at work in people who have experienced assaults and abuse as they put trust in their treatment teams to do no harm.

I see spirituality through the connections patients make with other patients while in treatment. 

I see spirituality in the joyful work of our housekeeping staff.

I see the soulfulness of spirituality at Rogers when I see children having fun and playing games together.

How it works is mysteriously sacred, but when you experience it, you know. You stand in awe with a sense of universal interconnectedness and meaning that transcends time.

How can a person begin to explore spirituality?

1. Start from where you are in the moment. For me, this means being honest with ourselves and others about our current condition. For example, someone struggling with their use of alcohol must admit that they are powerless over it. We can only start from where we are now. We cannot go back in time and start over, and we cannot fast forward to our idealized world.
2. Choose to live your values. Clarifying our values and choosing to take a step in the direction of what matters most to us is a step of faith. Often times, the next step can be the scariest and hardest to take.
3. Be open to the possibility of something different than what you’ve known before.

The metaphor of a compass is helpful for me. Sometimes we get the sense that something is not right in our lives. In those moments we need to pause and reorient to figure out where we are and determine if we’re moving in the right direction. In order to use our internal compass correctly, we must first be properly calibrated to one’s True North— God, Allah, The Universe, Love, Justice, or whatever one defines as ultimate—before we can begin to plot our path in the direction that matters most to us according to our chosen values, such as compassion, loyalty, integrity, and so on.

In part two, chaplain Jeromy will explore how people receiving mental health treatment benefit from spiritual care.

Rogers offers mental health and addiction care

If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health or addiction you're not alone. Our compassionate teams are here to help you live for the moments that matter. To get started, call 800-767-4411 for a free, confidential screening.