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Health professionals often tell me that they would like to address spirituality more often in practice, but they are unsure how to begin.
How do I raise the topic?

Health professionals often worry about asking the wrong question. Yet, conversations about spirituality are also heavily influenced by whether the clinician creates space for the conversation in the first place.

When health professionals talk about spirituality, one idea often emerges: the importance of remaining neutral. The intention behind this idea is understanda.ble

Many health professionals agree that spirituality is important. The challenge is recognising it when it appears in practice.
Part of the difficulty is that spirituality rarely presents itself directly.

Over time, I have realised that one of the hardest parts of holistic care is even giving language to these needs.
That process often begins with self-reflection.

If spirituality is such an important part of healthcare, why is it often absent from conversations about care?
One reason may be surprisingly simple: many of us are not used to talking about it.

Many people live life where spirituality is something separate from everyday life.
They may see religion as sacred texts or formal spiritual practices. Conversations about death and suffering are often not part of their everyday lives.

The word spirituality can make people uneasy.

For some people, it immediately brings religion to mind. Others worry that it is too personal to discuss in healthcare settings

Many health professionals hesitate to talk about spirituality, unsure whether it’s appropriate or within their role. Yet there seems to be a need for holistic care education in healthcare. Research shows that patients are open to discussing how illness affects their beliefs, values, and sense of meaning. Ignoring spirituality leaves a gap in truly holistic […]

Spiritual care is a vital part of holistic healthcare, yet many patients’ spiritual needs go unmet because of barriers like timing, privacy, lack of knowledge, and unclear access pathways.