Apr 16, 2026 | Mental Health, Patient News
Modern medicine excels at treating disease, yet true healing can go beyond correcting an abnormal lab value or repairing an injury. It involves restoring wholeness of body, mind, and spirit. Increasingly, we recognize that spirituality is a powerful dimension of health, shaping how people find hope, strength, and meaning in moments of challenge.
What Is Spirituality?
Spirituality is broader than religion, though faith may be part of it. At its core, it involves:
- A search for meaning and purpose.
- A sense of connection with oneself, others, nature, or a higher power.
- Transcendence, growing beyond one’s limitations.
The American Academy of Family Physicians describes spirituality as “the way you find meaning, hope, comfort, and inner peace in your life.” People express it through prayer, meditation, nature, music, art, or personal values. While religion offers structure and community, spirituality is personal, more of an inner compass guiding how you live and how you heal. Deepening this connection often brings peace, resilience, and clarity.
How Spirituality Differs from Religion
| Religion |
Spirituality |
| Shared beliefs and organized practices |
Individual search for meaning and purpose |
| Rituals or worship |
Expression through reflection, art, nature, or quiet contemplation |
| Community-oriented |
Personal, self-directed |
Research increasingly supports the link between spiritual well-being and physical health. People who describe themselves as spiritual often report lower stress, healthier behaviors, and greater life satisfaction. Regular practices such as meditation, prayer, or mindfulness have been associated with lower blood pressure, improved immunity, and better mood.
Harvard cardiologist Dr. Herbert Benson termed this the relaxation response — the body’s built-in healing mechanism triggered by calm, focused awareness. Even 10–20 minutes of quiet reflection daily can slow the heart rate, ease anxiety, and reduce pain.
Recent studies show:
“Man is not destroyed by suffering; he is destroyed by suffering without meaning.”
— Viktor Frankl
Spirituality helps people adapt to hardship, forgive more readily, and find strength in situations that cannot be changed. When illness or loss occurs, questions naturally arise: Why is this happening? What matters most? Will my loved ones be okay? Facing these questions is not a sign of weakness but of courage and self-awareness.
Tools for Exploring Your Spiritual Life
Two simple frameworks used in healthcare can help you reflect on what brings meaning, comfort, and clarity.
The HOPE Reflection:
H — Hope: What gives you strength or peace?
O — Organized beliefs: Do you participate in a faith or spiritual community?
P — Personal spirituality: What practices nourish your spirit?
E — Effects on care: How do your beliefs guide decisions?
The FICA Reflection:
F — Faith, Belief, Meaning: What gives your life purpose?
I — Importance and Influence: How do your beliefs help you cope?
C — Community: Who offers belonging and support?
A — Action: What habits help you live your values?
Cultivating Spiritual Health
Spiritual growth is lifelong and doesn’t require a specific belief system, only openness and intention.
Try:
- Quiet reflection or prayer
- Noticing small moments of beauty
- Practicing forgiveness (see ho’oponopono, below)
- Staying connected with uplifting people
- Celebrating simple joys
Ask yourself:
- Who are the most important people in my life?
- How have they affected me?
- With whom do I feel most comfortable?
- What is my ideal job? What if the money didn’t matter?
- Where would I like to be in 10 years?
- What are some goals for this year?
- How can I avoid a stagnant life?
- Do things happen for a reason?
- What are my beliefs on life’s purpose?
- What specific experiences have shaped my spiritual beliefs?
- Am I a good person?
And remember: At any given moment, you have the power to say this is not how the story is going to end.
Adapted from a presentation by Uday Jani, MD, Shore View Medical Care
The Four Things That Matter Most
The ancient Hawaiian practice of ho’oponopono — “to make right” — offers a simple yet profound way to restore balance and resolve conflict. While this tradition has been taught for generations, many people were introduced to it more recently through mentions in popular culture, including a storyline in medical drama “The Pitt.” Its appearance there reflects a growing public curiosity about approaches that support emotional healing and connection. Modern teachers such as Dr. Ihaleakalā Hew Len and palliative care expert Dr. Ira Byock have helped bring ho’oponopono into therapeutic care.
Using these healing words in daily life can help people release burdens, improve emotional well-being and resolve interpersonal difficulties with integrity and grace:
I am sorry. Acknowledging hurt without guilt or shame.
Forgive me. Letting go of regret and emotional burdens.
Thank you. Gratitude for both challenges and blessings.
I love you. Extending unconditional love to yourself and others.
Nov 20, 2024 | Mental Health, Patient News
If your parents repeatedly exhorted you to count your blessings, it may well prove to be one of the best pieces of medical advice they shared. In this season of giving and thankfulness, we share a brief synopsis of how gratitude – defined as appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself – is associated with a host of beneficial health effects.
Mental Health
A grateful outlook may contribute to lower rates of depression, stress and anxiety, greater emotional functioning, stronger social relationships, higher life satisfaction, and help reduce the impact of stress on negative health outcomes.
Physical Health
Studies suggest that an attitude of gratitude may help lower blood pressure and glucose, improve immune function, promote more efficient sleep, boost pain tolerance, and lead to better cardiovascular health. Specifically, research has pointed to how practicing gratitude may help decrease hemoglobin A1c levels and contribute to reducing biomarkers of inflammation. A recent observational Harvard study of more than 49,000 registered nurses found that those scoring in the highest level of gratitude had a 15% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Other reports have found that grateful individuals tend to be more health-conscious, avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol. For instance, a recent experimental study showed that evoking feelings of gratitude in people who smoke reduced their urge to do so and increased the likelihood of their enrollment in smoking cessation programs.
The Gratitude and Health Connection
Taken together, research suggests that interventions targeted at increasing gratitude may be an effective resource for health promotion and maintenance. Or as Dr. Robert Emmons, a long-time leader in the field of gratitude research and professor emeritus of psychology at UC-Davis, more eloquently explains:
“Gratitude heals, energizes and changes lives. Studies have shown that gratitude is often deepened and strengthened in trying times, as they lead us to not take things for granted. Gratitude is not simply a switch that we turn on when life is going well, but also shines a light in the darkness.”
Interested in trying this out? Visit UC Berkley’s Thnx4.org site, which offers free 10- or 21-day group or solo journaling challenges.
Aug 19, 2024 | Mental Health, Patient News
Like so many popular 20th century concepts, the image of a man in an existential crisis at age 50 who trades in his long-time wife and car for newer models is on the wane – and may never have been correct. Psychoanalyst Elliott Jaques coined the term in 1965 to describe his midlife client’s sudden change in lifestyle and productivity, but the breakthrough “Midlife Development in the U.S. (MIDUS)” studies conducted over three decades beginning in 1995, proved otherwise. Only an estimated 10% of adults actually experienced a midlife crisis while the majority considered it a period of great satisfaction, redefining it as a time of deepened connections and continuity, peak earning power, career advancement, and greater emotional intelligence. In fact, asserts study author Margie Lachman, PhD, adults reach the apex of their competence and expertise in middle age, with time to chart a healthy course for the future.
Midlife Challenges and Stressors
Still, midlife does pose its share of challenges in terms of concurrently balancing as many as eight roles, including spouse, parent, grandparent, adult child, sibling, friend, co-worker, and caregiver. Partially a result of an ongoing cultural shift encouraging openness around mental health, today’s midlife adults are more frequently diagnosed and seek help with issues such as depression and anxiety – from 31% in 2019 to 45% in 2023 among ages 35 to 44; and from 26% to 36% among ages 45 to 64, as reported in the American Psychological Association’s annual “Stress in America” survey.
Work is the primary stressor for many midlife patients of concierge psychologist Dr. Rebecca Osei. “Their self-worth is intertwined with career achievement,” she says. “If they haven’t yet reached the goals they set for themselves, there can be issues with depression and how to move forward from this point.”
High achievers face their own set of problems, according to psychiatrist Brook Choulet, MD, who works with CEOs and elite athletes contending with mental health concerns despite the outward appearance of great success. “I often start by asking how they would feel if I sent them on a two-week vacation right now,” she says. “Their answer can help reveal whether they’re headed toward burnout (removing the stress factor of work improves their mood) or struggling with clinical depression or an anxiety disorder.”
Strategies for High Achievers to Overcome Stress and Anxiety
Top performers are driven to constantly keep chasing the next goal, rather than taking the time to appreciate their achievements, says Choulet. “Many also have perfectionist tendencies, leading to stress and fear of failure if everything is not done flawlessly.” She helps them overcome their challenges with strategies that include:
- Establishing good boundaries between personal and professional life.
- Adopting a growth mindset focused on progress rather than perfection.
- Developing stress management and self-care techniques. “Prioritize your own mental health in order to lead effectively.”
- Taking a pulse on what brings you joy. “This is particularly important as you near retirement and can’t imagine life without work. Lean into your network of friends and family and learn how to step away and enjoy what you really love,” says Choulet.
May 5, 2024 | Mental Health, Patient News
Drugs, Drinking & Depression: The Kids May Not Be Alright
Every generation has seen their share of thrill-seeking teens acting out and making dubious choices regarding drugs and alcohol. “There’s a normative aspect to risk taking at this age,” assures clinical psychologist Gilly Kahn. “It’s hardwired into our systems to allow us to learn our place in the world.”
In the 2020s it’s increasingly likely that these kinds of activities are also being used by Zoomers (born between 1997 – 2012), particularly the older ones, to temporarily ease their depression and anxiety. New research from Harvard shows that, based on well-established measures used to screen for generalized anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder, 42% of people ages 18 to 25 reported being either anxious or depressed – almost twice as many as the teens surveyed. Additionally, more than half said their lives lack meaning or purpose.
If there’s a silver lining to be seen here, it may be the respondents’ willingness to share their condition, unashamed and unafraid to reveal mental health issues. “Young adults these days may be more emotionally aware and articulate than any generation in American history,” wrote the researchers.
Like older people, symptoms of depression in young adults and teens can include:
- Diminished pleasure in things they used to enjoy
- Fatigue and sleep issues
- Anxiety
- Constant sadness
- Feeling worthless, guilty or restless
- Physical ailments such as headaches and stomach aches
- Significant weight loss or gain
- Difficulty concentrating
- Isolation
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Dissimilar to older adults, they may also do poorly at school, be more apt to ‘act out’, and feel irritable, negative and argumentative.
Effective ways to treat depression include cognitive behavioral therapy to help change negative patterns of thinking and behaving, and interpersonal psychotherapy to develop healthier relationships at home and school. An anti-depressant drug (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor or SSRI) may also be prescribed when appropriate.
Most importantly, Kahn advises parents and grandparents to keep the lines of communication open by taking every opportunity to talk about emotions and ‘actively listen’. “Sometimes parents are completely surprised by a call from the school guidance counselor who alerts them to the fact that their teen was Googling information about depression or suicide. But teens are really good at trying to cover up how they feel and may not want to burden family members with their sadness or anxiety,” she says.
Consistently expressing unconditional love and acceptance, even if it seems unappreciated, is key. “Teens may give you attitude or not show gratitude in the moment, but don’t stop because it has a huge positive impact on their mental wellbeing,” says Kahn.
Essential Coping Skills for Teens and Young Adults Dealing with Anxiety and Depression
- Understand. Put your emotions in perspective, gather your thoughts, and problem solve.
- Distract. Take time away from a problem and stop spiraling; you’ll have a clearer mind when you return to it.
- Move. Release endorphins to increase a feeling of well-being while decreasing cortisol (stress hormones).
- Ground. Reconnect with your senses, be present in the moment.
- Connect. Tap into your support system, engage in caring for others in the community.
`Adapted from: Harvard GSE Making Caring Common Project
Learn more from resources dedicated to supporting mental health:
Anxiety & Depression Association of America offers extensive information about anxiety, depression, PTSD, suicide and how to join free peer-to-peer support communities.
Cogenerate is an organization that fosters intergenerational collaboration through diverse programs, events, and media initiatives.
DoSomething is one of the largest nonprofits dedicated to providing opportunities for young people to take action on various pressing social issues.
Jed Foundation is a nationally recognized nonprofit that works to protect emotional health and prevent suicide among teens and young adults. Provides comprehensive resources to help young people prioritize their mental health while managing important life transitions.
Wondermind is a popular online resource for expert advice, candid conversations, and tailored content to help young people put their mental fitness first every day. It also has a “filter by
feels” feature, allowing you to find content specific to how you feel.
May 5, 2024 | Mental Health, Patient News
In Real Life (IRL), Can We Protect Teens from the Emotional Impact of Social Media?
YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, X, Reddit, BeReal. A majority of American teens visit these social media platforms at least once daily, and 30% say they are on them almost constantly. Their ubiquity is unquestionable, and teens’ connection with them seemingly unshakeable, but the impact on emotional health is still being explored.
Recent reports found frequent social media use may be associated with changes in the developing brain, potentially affecting emotional regulation and impulse control. “In early adolescence, when identities are forming, brain development is especially susceptible to social pressures, peer opinions, and peer comparison,” according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Of particular concern is evidence linking social media use to body image dissatisfaction, eating disorders, poor sleep and depressive symptoms.
Also noted however, are the benefits of social media, which include positive interactions among teenagers who find an online community of peers with a common interest or identity. Polling has shown a majority of teens and parents gave social media high marks for connecting them with support in tough times, giving them a place to show creativity, and feeling more connected with friends’ lives.
To keep youngsters safe, experts advise a combination of limits, discussion and coaching around social media use. “When children are young, hold the reins tightly by establishing specific expectations and rules,” advises psychologist Gilly Kahn. “Build trust and loosen the reins as they get older to allow less supervision…but let them know you’ll tighten it up again if they break your trust in any way.”
While a proliferation of parental control apps are available, like Bark which sends notifications when alert words are used (e.g. drugs, suicide), Kahn notes: “These are considered really invasive by teens, and if they want to get on social media, they’re going to find a way to do it.”
Instead, start with a family media plan to set rules about online time, content boundaries, and not disclosing personal information. Continue to have age-appropriate conversations with youngsters about who they’re connecting with and how they’re spending their time online. Try and keep family mealtimes and in-person gatherings device-free to help youngsters build social bonds. Consider restricting the use of phones, tablets, and computers for at least an hour before bedtime and through the night to help ensure restful sleep. Finally, model positive behavior on your own social media accounts.
May 5, 2024 | Mental Health, Patient News
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From unmentionable to oft discussed, American attitudes toward mental health have made a seismic shift over the years. It’s heartening to see recent polls showing 87% of U.S. adults agree having a mental health disorder is nothing to be ashamed of, and 86% saying people with mental health disorders can get better. Seeking help from a therapist has become normalized, due in part to an epidemic of mood disorders among Gen Z.
“It is this generation that may, in fact, finally break the stigma around mental health,” says Ken Ginsburg, MD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, “freeing millions of Americans who have suffered terribly and silently to seek help.”
Mental healthcare has gradually worked into the mainstream, says concierge psychologist Dr. Rebecca Johnson Osei. “Just a generation ago, people were happy or angry and we didn’t label many feelings beyond that. Now there’s a lot of positive talk about therapy on tv and in films, which begets more conversations. The language in children’s literature has also changed to teach about feelings, so youngsters will be great stewards of this approach when they’re adults.”
Osei says some are beginning to view therapy as an opportunity to become better versions of themselves. “It’s gratifying to work with young couples who want to be in a good place emotionally before they get married, and people looking to address issues from their own childhood before they have children.”
Does that pave the way for annual mental health checkups? “The sooner you identify a problem, the easier it is to manage,” says Osei. “We can’t prevent everything, but we can listen to our minds the same way we listen to our bodies and seek help at the first sign of troubling symptoms.”
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