I never would have imagined that medication and spirituality had anything in common. But a study out of Rush University Medical Center led by chaplain and assistant professor Patricia Murphy, PhD brings new findings that suggest spirituality can act synergistically with medication to produce better patient outcomes. For instance, spirituality may be a key factor […]
An Infant’s Eyes – More from Rachel Remen, MD
We got so many comments on Rachel’s story about how a newborn deeply affected a physician that we wanted to share it again with you. It’s a powerful reminder to keep your eyes open – you might be surprised by what you see. Take a look and let us know what you think. How has […]
Releasing Negativity – Why It’s Essential for Healing
We know that grief can affect our emotional health – but did you know that it may also have profound physical effects? A recent study led by Murray Mittleman, MD, at the Harvard School of Public Health found that the risk of heart attack may increase dramatically after the loss of a loved one. The […]
Does Spirituality Belong in Therapy?
Some therapists are hesitant to include spirituality in their practice. But if it can calm worries and lower stress, wouldn’t we want to integrate it into practice? Psychologist David Rosmarin, PhD headed up a research team at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital to study how spirituality and belief impact worry and doubt. They conducted two studies I […]
Does God Affect Our Brain?
Have you ever seen colors spelled out using the wrong color font? It’s called the Stroop task and it might look like this: Red Blue Green Yellow. Instead of reading the word, you have to determine the color of the word. Researchers from the University of Toronto, led by psychologist Michael Inzlicht, PhD, examined subjects’ […]
No Expertise Required – A Spiritual Practice for the Practitioner
When we think of spirituality, scriptures, ceremonies, and specific religious practices often come quickly to mind. But even beyond these rich traditions, spirituality can run deep to engage the entire mind, body, and spirit of each individual person. Spirituality dictates that we look for and honor the essential humanity in each individual. As practitioners, many […]
Aspects of Spirituality May Help to Heal Chronic Illness
We know that spirituality can help us feel connected with ourselves, others, and even a higher power, but what are the specific aspects that are associated with improved healing? Researchers from the University of Missouri recruited men and women suffering from chronic health conditions to find out. Participants suffered from a range of conditions including […]
Spirituality and Self-Control
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an easy way to have more self-control? Imagine how different our daily lives would be if we could tolerate more discomfort, increase our patience, delay gratification, and refrain from impulsive responses. All of these qualities were found to increase after subjects were primed with a spiritually oriented task […]
Forgiveness Is One Key to Unlocking Mental and Physical Wellbeing
Forgiveness has always had a place in spiritual teachings, but now there is scientific evidence that supports the claim that forgiveness can actually help increase mental and physical wellbeing. Frederick Luskin, PhD and his colleagues conducted The Stanford Forgiveness Projects and found that using a randomized controlled procedure, they were able to teach participants a […]
Can Spirituality Improve Outcomes for Traumatic Brain Injury Patients?
Spirituality can help people heal in a number of ways. But does it have any effect on traumatic brain injury? A recent study by Brigid Waldron-Perrine, PhD at Wayne State University has found that it just might. More specifically, she found that religion and spirituality may help improve the emotional and physical rehabilitation of patients […]