1. Spirituality and Stress
CHAPTER 8
Spirituality and Stress

2. RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY
Are these two the same thing? Or are they different? Are they related?

3. RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY cont.
Spirituality – a person’s view of life’s meaning, direction, and purpose; also the feeling of connectedness with other things, people, the past, and the future
Religion – an organized entity in which people have common beliefs and engage in common practices relevant to spiritual matters

4. RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY cont.
Can you be one of these without the other?
Subjectivity…(more detail later)

5. SPIRITUALITY & HEALTH
There is a clear and strong connection between a developed sense of spirituality and being physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy
Spirituality=>Better Stress Mgmt=>Health

6. SPIRITUALITY & HEALTH cont.
Larry Dossey’s study
Prayer group & non-prayer group
Non-local events/particles (physics)
Einstein (after life)…

7. CONTROL THEORY Primary control (situation) Secondary control (self)
Which of these is PROBABLY easier to do?
Reframing (perception) - examples

8. CONTROL THEORY cont.
Self-Directing – individual perceives him/herself as responsible for the outcome of a life situation, ALTHOUGH God or nature (genetics, nutrition, etc.) has provided the RESOURCES needed to be successful

9. CONTROL THEORY cont.
Collaborative – individual WORKS TOGETHER with God or forces of nature to control the situation
Deferring – ENTIRE SITUATION is turned over to God or forces of nature, with reliance on external forces to manage or cope with the situation

10. CONTROL THEORY cont.
Pleading – individual begs God or forces of nature to intervene in the life situation to resolve it
Activity...(choice and rationale)

11. CONTROL THEORY cont.
Research shows that…BUT in life situations where the individual has little or no control…
Remember, research is…

12. SOCIAL SUPPORT THEORY
What do we already know about Social Support and stress mgmt?!
What are some examples of Spiritual Social Support?
What are the effects of this Spiritual Social Support?

13. PLACEBO THEORY
Is it simply BELIEVING that provides strength, relief, and/or health?
Is it what is asked for and/or the relationship with God or forces of nature that provide…?
Or is it really supernatural forces in control?
“Contact”

14. FORGIVENESS Of God? (Deferring? Pleading?)
Of self (Self-directing? Collaborative?)
Of others?
Ability to FORGIVE=>Stress Mgmt=>Physical, Mental, Emotional Health

15. SPIRITUALITY closing
Spiritual Health=Knowing/believing/feeling that YOUR LIFE HAS MEANING!
Where you find meaning (self, God/other, other people)…
Having FAITH in…=>Stress Mgmt=>Health