Strategies for Incorporating Spirituality as Part of Recovery-Oriented Practice: Highlighting the Voices of those with a Lived Experience

Abstract

Spirituality has received attention as a potential recovery-enhancing resource for people with psychiatric disabilities, yet practice guidelines for addressing spirituality among this population remain underdeveloped. This article presents the perspectives of those with the lived experience of serious mental illness regarding what constitutes effective practice for addressing spirituality. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 adults with psychiatric disabilities who had diverse spiritual beliefs. Participants recommended a variety of provider strategies ranging from nondirective (e.g., effective listening) to increasingly directive (e.g., recommending spiritual readings). Participants also expressed the need for providers to be able to address spiritually related challenges, including spiritual abuse, stigma, and delusions with religious content. The study is relevant for recovery-oriented social workers and related mental health professionals.