Spirituality is frequently conceptualized as an individual’s relationship with God or, more broadly, the Transcendent or sacred. Although the incorporation of spirituality into mental health practice has been controversial, it is increasingly recognized that spirituality plays an important role in psychological wellness. Consequently, it is now common practice to conduct a spiritual assessment to identify and address spirituality in clinical settings. This entry discusses evolving understandings of spirituality and religion in professional discourse, the relation between spirituality and mental health, and the assessment and utilization of spirituality in clinical settings.

Evolving Understandings of Spirituality and Religion

The topic of spirituality has been legitimized in academic discourse by two broad, philosophically oriented trends. First, modernism is now widely perceived to be an intellectual failure, in tandem with ...

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