Research findings show the value of religion and spirituality for many individuals and addressing them in bereavement counselling and psychotherapy can be meaningful and impactful.
Large portions of the population participate in an organised religion, believe in God or a higher power, attend religious services regularly, engage in prayer regularly, consider their religion’s teachings when making important life decisions, and integrate spirituality into their daily lives.
There are two main reasons why addressing religion and spirituality can be important following a bereavement:
- Religious and spiritual issues may be areas of concern or difficulty following a bereavement and may be a source of, or contributing elements, to distress or conflict. A bereaved person may be struggling with crises of faith, they may feel abandoned by God or their community during this challenging time.
- A bereaved person’s faith and/or their religious community can be sources of strength and support. Counselling may help them to access and utilise these through re-engagement with their religious community.
References:
A full list of references is available in the Reference Material section.
- Barnett, J.E. (2016) Are Religion and Spirituality of Relevance in Psychotherapy? Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 3(1).
- Rankin, M. (2008) An Introduction to Religious and Spiritual Experience. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.
- Renz, M. (2016). Hope and Grace: Spiritual Experiences in Severe Distress, Illness and Dying. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
