Spirituality is often at the crux of the universal human experience, particularly as an important contributor to health, quality of life and well-being. Due to the nature of its holistic approach to health care, occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are well suited to address spirituality within client care. However, it often is not considered. Under the mentorship of Dr. Heather Kitching, coordinator of CSUDH’s Master of Occupational Therapy program, a team of CSUDH students examined if and how OT practitioners use spirituality. Utilizing a phenomenological qualitative approach, they recruited via an Occupational Therapy Association of California email and conducted semistructured interviews with 15 participants from various practice backgrounds. Three significant themes emerged from the data.
Losing Spirit: The Inadequacy of Addressing Only Mind and Body
Many would argue that through mankind’s eternal search for meaning, purpose and connectedness, we are inherently spiritual beings. The team further promoted the idea that mind, body and spirit are all one and, therefore, should not be separated if humans are to be fully functional, purposeful and harmonious.
Spirituality as a Vehicle for Reaffirming Purpose in Both Client and Therapist
It is widely known that spirituality plays a critical role in the recovery process for patients across diagnoses, cultures and settings. The study discovered an additional layer, that spirituality can also be an intrinsically motivating factor for the therapist. Spirituality can be both a motivator and/ or vehicle for reaffirming purpose in improving recovery outcomes for clients. When client health outcomes improve, OT practitioners derive intrinsic satisfaction, which enforces their professional or life purpose.
Addressing Spirituality Through Functional and Measurable Treatments
Through discussions with the participants, certain barriers, both perceived and real, were often found to be the limiting factor in OTs finding ways to address spirituality with their clients. However, it became evident through participants’ experiences that spirituality and the medical model can be compatible and incorporated into practice by thinking outside the box. Examples included praying the rosary, which addresses sequencing and memory, and yoga, which addresses flexibility and range of motion.
The team’s findings suggest that OT practitioners do find spirituality a relevant and imperative topic to address. OT practitioners should undertake their own journey of self-reflection and spiritual development to better connect with and address the spiritual needs of their clients. This responsibility does not rely solely on the practitioner. The profession also must acknowledge and nurture spirituality to convey its importance and to provide support to its base. Therefore, despite obstacles, not only is spirituality an approach that can be carried out in a medical model environment, it is a topic that practitioners should not be afraid to address, integrate and maximize.