Religion and Spirituality

“If you live in the United States today, you live in a nation in which there are about as many Hindu practitioners as Orthodox Jews, more Buddhists than Seventh-Day Adventists, and more followers of Islam than Episcopalians” (Toropov & Buckles, 2004). America has often been coined the melting pot for a multitude of cultures and religions that all exist within one country. Previously, religious and cultural tolerance meant simply acknowledging differences within various traditions. Today, that definition is insufficient to encompass the increasing diversity in America. Gaining a broad understanding of various religions and cultures is imperative for helping health care providers respect each person as an individual and collaborate effectively (Toropov & Buckles, 2004).

Before exploring various religions and learning tools to assess religion and spirituality in a genetic counseling session, it is first important to define religion and spirituality. Religion is most commonly described “a set of principles usually related to a higher power and established in an institution” (Cadge et al., 2009). The root of this word comes from the Latin term religare, meaning “to bind together.” Religion generally provides an organized structure of beliefs and practices especially pertaining to relationships with God and others (Spirituality and Palliative Care, 2009). Each religion offers a unique framework for guiding affiliated individuals. In some religions, it is simply enough to believe in God, while other religions place greater emphasis on practice. Some religions focus more on the individual; others emphasize the community. Regardless of the structure, the ultimate goal of religion is to provide followers with concrete ways of expressing their spirituality (Spirituality and Palliative Care, 2009).

In comparison, spirituality commonly describes “a wider range of ways people find meaning in their lives” (Cadge et al, 2009). The root of this word stems from the Latin term spiritualitas meaning “breath.” Spirituality is a “personalized system of beliefs through which one understands the meaning and purpose in life” (Spirituality and Palliative Care, 2009). Spirituality is not simply restricted to explaining one’s relationship with a higher being, but it can also broadly refer to “nature, energy, force, belief in the good of all, belief in the importance of family and community,” and other factors (Spirituality and Palliative Care, 2009).

There are numerous concepts, relationships, rituals and symbols that individuals consider to be “sacred.” What do you think of when you hear the word ‘sacred’? What do you personally consider to be ‘sacred’? Have you ever considered this topic within the framework of genetic counseling practice? The psychologist Kenneth I. Pargament and the advocate Winona LaDuke explore the sacred in great depth in their books, respectively: Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy: Understanding and Addressing the Sacred (2007), and Recovering the Sacred: The Power of Naming and Claiming (2005). The authors discuss perspectives of people from Western cultural backgrounds and those from American Indian backgrounds, respectively, providing an interesting opportunity to compare and contrast. As a genetic counselor, you may want to consider how your practice dwells on topics that your clients hold sacred, and how it does not.

Consider how clients may regard life cycle events and related health care experiences as “spiritual” experiences. For example, a woman may consider childbearing as a “normal way of life,” or as spiritual as “every aspect of our daily life,” or as a sign that the “Spirit of the Lord touched my heart” (Callister & Khalaf, 2010). Illness and death often raise profound spiritual questions for patients. Seriously ill patients, no matter how estranged from religious traditions, may find comfort in these connections (Sulmasy, 2009). Illness raises spiritual questions about meaning, value, and relationship. “Questions about meaning include the ‘Why me?’ questions; questions about the meaning of suffering, life, death, purpose, and afterlife. Questions about value encompass those that illness raises regarding a person’s worth; the value one has (or may not have) when disfigured, dependent, unproductive. Questions about relationship encompass those that illness raises about a person’s relationships, the need for reconciliation and the need to know that one is connected in important ways to family, friends, community, and possibly beyond” (Sulmasy, 2009). Religious and spiritual rituals are often used to cope with distress, even among the non-religious (Bhui, 2010).

Previous studies have shown that doctors and genetic counselors are not entirely comfortable approaching religion and spirituality in health care settings (Cadge et al., 2009; White, 2009; Reis et al., 2007). However, religion and spirituality are important cultural factors that often influence and give meaning to human values, behaviors and experiences that can impact health care (Mueller et al., 2001). “Recent national surveys, for example, show that more than half of Americans regularly pray for their own health or the health of their family members. More than three quarters of Americans believe that prayer can have a positive effect on people who are ill, and close to three-quarters believe God can cure people given no chance of survival by medical science” (Cadge et al., 2009). For individuals who place emphasis on religion and spirituality, it may be beneficial for health care providers to integrate religious and spiritual assessment into the care plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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