Abstract
This qualitative study involved a sample of 121 Polish mental health professionals who were interviewed about their definitions of spirituality and their opinions and practices concerning the inclusion of clients’ spirituality in therapy. Using inductive content analysis, we identified seven categories regarding the definitions of spirituality: (1) relationship, (2) transcendence, (3) dimension of functioning, (4) a specific human characteristic, (5) searching for the meaning of life, (6) value-based lifestyle, and (7) elusiveness and indefinability. The majority of respondents claimed to include elements of spirituality in therapy. However, some participants included spirituality only under certain circumstances or conditions, or did not include it at all, citing lack of need, lack of a clear definition of spirituality, their own insufficient knowledge, lack of experience, fear, or concern over ethical inappropriateness. Implicit techniques were primarily used when working on clients’ spirituality. This article deepens the knowledge on including spirituality in mental health care, with special consideration for a specific context of a highly religious and religiously homogenous culture.
Highlights
As a complex concept that can be expressed in varied ways, spirituality is difficult to conceptualize (Hill et al 2000)
We deliberately focused on exploring spirituality in a highly religious country because we wanted to explore whether and how the specific context of the religiously homogenous culture affects mental health professionals’ definitions, beliefs, and therapeutic practices concerning spirituality
The polarization of spirituality and religion highlights the positive character of spirituality and devalues religion; though occasionally expressed by scholars from Western societies (Fuller 2001; Mitroff 2003), this polarization is rare in definitions proposed by Polish mental health professionals
Summary
As a complex concept that can be expressed in varied ways, spirituality is difficult to conceptualize (Hill et al 2000). Number of scholars define spirituality as a fundamental human drive for transcendent meaning, purpose, and values (Canda and Furman 2010; Koenig 2012; Pargament 2007). It is reflected in a specific, dynamic relationship of the current self with the object one considers highly valuable (e.g., God, a higher intelligence, the universe, another human, or one’s ideal self; Worthington and Aten 2009). Religion can be spiritual when it is well internalized and relies on a deep and personal relationship with God or a higher being, or it can be bereft of spirituality when beliefs and practices are done without meaning or engagement (Worthington and Aten 2009)
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