Spiritual Health

What Is Spiritual Health Care?

Spiritual health care is about addressing concepts such as meaning, purpose, self-worth, respect, integrity, authenticity, compassion, empathy. It finds its expression in word, image, ritual, nature, art, mystery and appreciation of life.

Spiritual health care is rooted in ancient teachings, theories and emerging research that tackle the most basic questions of life. Many spiritual traditions teach that when one part of the self is weakened, sick or struggling, the person may experience a profound sense of emptiness that leads to emotional, mental or physical illness. Statistical studies and medical research now confirm that illness in one part of self affects the other aspects of self, and a person’s total wellness.

Questions arise in times of change and crisis, such as when a person gets sick. Questions may include: Why me? What caused this? What do I do now? How can I go on? Who am I now? Is there a plan in this?

Spiritual health care is compassionate companionship when a person is dealing with these questions. The needs of the person determine how spiritual health care is delivered. The provider’s role is to listen to those needs as they are expressed.

Who Are Spiritual Health Care Specialists?

Faith can offer comforting rites and rituals when a person is ill. Traditionally, most spiritual health care specialists came from a background in religious ministry, and many have theological training.

However, this is rapidly changing. As Manitoba communities become more diverse, spiritual health care specialists from all cultures and backgrounds are needed. Spiritual health care specialists can be religious clergy (ex: pastors, reverends, priests, rabbis, imams, pandit, granthi). They can also be from indigenous healing traditions (e.g., Aboriginal elders) or other spiritualities.

Social work, therapy and spiritual care are closely related. Education and training for spiritual health care is rooted in the fields of theology, religious studies, psychology, sociology, and the related healing sciences of nursing and medicine.

Education to prepare for this field can be found in most universities and through CAPPE (The Canadian Association of Pastoral Practice and Education). Many courses, such as the spiritual diversity program at Health Science Center in Winnipeg, are internship-based, giving the student experience in theory, practice and intensive reflection.”

For more information about applied education in this field of health care, contact:

The University of Winnipeg
Faculty of Theology
Director of Continuing Education
786-9857

Other provincial universities will have religious study courses that can provide grounding for this field of health care.

When Would I Seek Spiritual Health Care?

Spiritual health care is often only accessed in crisis and times of transition. However, a person can choose to seek this kind of health care at any time.

Some signs that indicate a need for spiritual health care might be:

• A growing awareness of emptiness and confusion.
• A desire to express deep questions that reach beyond daily needs and tasks.
• A general feeling of insignificance or unworthiness.
• Awareness that life issues often feel like too much to handle, too many changes.
• A sense of being without hope, vision or direction.
• A longing to have a focus of belief that gives life purpose.
• A growing fear and distrust of routine daily life.
• Disillusionment with previous beliefs, yet no new concepts or understandings.
• Questions of infinite life meaning (life and death) have arisen.
• A longing to have a foundation of faith and trust in life.
• Shame guilt, a desire for forgiveness and forgiving.
• Feelings of deep despair and emptiness.

Where Can I Find Spiritual Health Care?

Spiritual health care is becoming more available in various RHA's. Each region has a person designated to deal with how these spiritual health concerns are met. In Manitoba there are trained professional who provide spiritual health care services in a number of hospitals, clinics and personal care homes.

Most major hospitals have a spiritual care department with spiritual health care specialists on staff. In the past, these were referred to as chaplains; in some centers, that may still be the term used.

Both spiritual and religious care can be made available when a person is seeking treatment for physical or mental health concerns.

When a person is seeking spiritual care, they should try to determine if they are interested in religiously-focused care, and/or spiritual care from a non-religious perspective. Once that decision is made, a person can ask health care staff for a referral to either religious representatives or a spiritual health care specialist.

How Is Spiritual Care Facilitated In Manitoba?

For close to ten years, there has been provincial coordinator of spiritual care position with Manitoba Health and Healthy Living in the Mental Health, Addictions and Spiritual Care Branch.

The primary focus of this position is to support comprehensive spiritual health care through strategic planning, analytical study, consensus building, resource sharing and education.

For more information about the roles and responsibilities of Manitoba Health and Healthy Living in relation to the provision of spiritual health care, please contact:

Manitoba Health
Mental Health, Addictions and Spiritual Care Branch
300 Carlton Street
Winnipeg, MB R3B 3M9
Phone (204) 788-6659

Coordination of this aspect of health service is facilitated by two provincial committees:

• the Spiritual Care Management Network; and
• the Provincial Spiritual Care Advisory Committee.

These groups ensure communication, connection and future planning for the province. The management network represents all the regional health authorities in the province. The advisory committee seeks includes members from a wide range of religious and spiritual groups.

Each regional health authority has either a designated and specifically trained Spiritual Care Coordinator or a staff person who is responsible for the service. Questions about the responsibilities and services at the local level can be directed to the regional health authorities.

How Does Spiritual Health Care Contribute to Healing?

Every person involved in the care of an individual has concern for a patient’s spiritual well-being. However, there is often need for more in-depth expertise and guidance in order for a person to find a way to sources of inner strength, peace and hope.

Spiritual health care is different from the care provided by religious professionals or spiritual practitioners in the community. The spiritual health care specialist/practitioner is part of the health care team. The spiritual health specialist provides an essential service in cooperation with providers from other health care disciplines.

The spiritual health specialist has the opportunity to sit with individuals and families in the present. Their primary role is to help not only the person seeking care and the family that supports them, but to also support other health care staff on the journey into healing and wholeness.

Spiritual health care providers offer compassion, invest time to listen and come to know the patient beyond their particular presenting health concern. Studies evaluating this health care service have shown that the greatest benefit from spiritual health care is a renewed sense of calm and hope which becomes the energy needed to face whatever the future holds.

Is There a Way to Assure Quality Spiritual Health Care?

As a profession, spiritual health care should be person-focused, not task-focused. A good spiritual care provider will listen to the patient’s needs and support them as they heal.

Spiritual care should never be offered in a way that demeans or diminishes an individual’s existing belief system or sense of worth. It should be available to all people from a wide range of backgrounds, including agnostics, atheists, existentialists, humanists, religious believers and those with a spiritual practice.