About Spiritual Health

"Health is a large word. It embraces not the body only, but the mind and spirit as well.”  James H. West

Spiritual needs may arise in response to an illness, injury or loss. In these types of situations, many individuals find themselves looking for ways to find meaning, ways to express themselves, or ways to connect to their faith or beliefs.

Attending to spiritual health is vital to overall well-being and should be considered in each person’s health care plan.

The B.C. Ministry of Health recognizes spiritual health care as an integral part of whole person care – care that encompasses all dimensions of a person: the spiritual, physical, mental, social and emotional.

Spiritual health care supports people’s abilities to manage their needs, and is based on the individual’s beliefs, values, culture, traditions, and practices.

Spiritual health care is available to patients, residents, their families and all health care staff.

See Spiritual Health Locations for facilities with Spiritual Health programs.

Benefits of spiritual well-being on overall health

There are many benefits to health and well-being when spiritual needs are addressed.

Some benefits include:

• Increased ability to find meaning in the midst of illness, injury and trauma
• Increased ability to accept lived experience
• Increased ability to cope with pain, nausea and discomfort
• Improved sense of well-being 
• Improved motivation to complete the tasks of healing
• Decreased feelings of anxiety, depression and anger
• Decreased feelings of loneliness
• Decreased alcohol and drug abuse
• Decreased use of invasive technology and life-prolonging treatment at end of life
• Greater use of palliative care at end of life 
• Shorter hospital stays
• Increased patient satisfaction

Contact us

Darren Colyn
Manager, Spiritual Health
Cell: 236-628-2621
darren.colyn@islandhealth.ca