Spiritual care

Spiritual care, what is it? How do we give spiritual care in our day-to-day consultations with patients? For holistic practitioners it is challenging because for them the question is, ‘Can spiritual care be separated from mental and physical care, or is it essentially part of everything?’

The answer has to be yes and no, and both. How we are in ourselves, and how we are with patients determines the space that allows a caring spiritual atmosphere to be present. With the intention of bringing benefit to the patient, whatever is meant to happen, will happen. A spiritual relationship in a consultation is when we are fully attentive and yet are detached from the outcome. I mean attentive mentally and detached emotionally.

However there are some prompt questions that are helpful in directing the conversation towards the spiritual dimension:

What is really important to you?
How do you find inner peace?
What do you think is happening to you- concerning your illness, etc?
What and who gives you support?

I like the picture of a visitor playing her guitar and singing to residents at a nursing home. Simply anything that can lift your spirits, is spiritual care.