SPIRITUAL BELIEF, MENTAL HEALTH, & HEALING : Exploring the Link with Compassion and Curiosity

By Dr. Rachel White, LMFT

Across cultures and centuries, humans have turned to spiritual belief systems—not just for answers to life’s biggest questions, but for a deep sense of peace, belonging, and purpose. In recent decades, mental health research has confirmed what many people have long felt intuitively: a spiritual or religious belief system is often associated with better mental health outcomes, including lower levels of depression, anxiety, and substance use, as well as higher levels of life satisfaction and emotional resilience.

A 2020 review published in Frontiers in Psychology found that individuals with strong spiritual or religious beliefs tend to have greater stress tolerance and improved coping mechanisms during crises. Another study from the American Journal of Psychiatry highlighted that belief in a higher power was correlated with faster recovery from major depressive episodes. The sense of meaning, connection, and hope that often accompanies spirituality appears to be a protective factor against despair and disconnection.

However, it’s important to acknowledge what’s often missing from the conversation: not all spiritual experiences are healing. Many individuals carry deep wounds from religious or spiritual communities—whether from judgment, exclusion, abuse, or toxic doctrine. This kind of religious trauma can lead people to walk away from faith entirely, understandably hesitant to trust anything that resembles what once harmed them. At Restoration Psychological Services, we honor that pain. We believe that your spiritual beliefs (or lack thereof) should never be a source of shame, and healing begins with safety, not pressure.

For those who do not identify with a higher power or spiritual belief system, research suggests there may be increased vulnerability to existential anxiety and a diminished sense of meaning—but this does not mean a person cannot thrive.

In therapy, we often explore what gives a person hope, purpose, and grounding. For some, that’s God. For others, it’s mindfulness, nature, community, or a deep commitment to justice or creativity. Whatever your belief system (or lack thereof), you deserve space to explore it without judgment. And if you’re carrying spiritual wounds, we want you to know: healing is possible. There is a difference between toxic religion and authentic, life-giving faith or purpose.

At Restoration Psychological Services, our therapists are equipped to walk with you—whether you’re navigating religious trauma, exploring spirituality, or simply seeking clarity around what makes life meaningful. We offer a wide range of specialties, therapeutic approaches, and provider availabilities, including daytime, evening, and weekend appointments.

You don’t have to figure it out alone. Schedule with a therapist at Restoration Psychological Services today and begin a journey of healing, exploration, and peace—on your own terms.