Resiliency and Faith

Foreword:

Yes it has been an astonishing 3 months since I have written anything outside of a graduate paper for school. Here is where I would normally apologize for my absence, but it does not seem fitting this time around. Although, I have had stints where I am not writing, this has been the longest stretch since I began this blog back in 2013.

Though I will not apologize for being gone*, I will explain. School, coupled with the emotional toll my work seems to have on my ability to write was recently compounded by my decision to switch platforms (from Blogger to Wix) earlier this year and sort of "rebrand". The inability to successfully convert readership from one site to another, initially frustrated me, but then caused me to shy away from writing altogether. I felt “icky” when I thought about posting, became defeated by it, and ultimately did not do it. At present I have been posting to both sites until such a time I can figure out what the end game will be.

Anyway, I feel compelled to write this as I know it will benefit someone other than myself. Today’s post is dedicated to those that beat themselves up because life got in the way of doing something that was important to you. Know that it is not the end of the line, taking a break isn’t the same as quitting and in this life there are few things that are forever. Enjoy the opportunity to do them, whenever and wherever they come regardless of the frequency.

- D

Resiliency and Faith

The impact of spirituality on healing, resilience, outlook and capacity for change is not to be underestimated. Researchers have shown us that the impact of faith in dealing with trauma, whether it is in the form of the atrocities of war, the loss of a spouse or even cumulative microaggressions.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, NIV). Plainly stated, spirituality helps build resistance against depression and anxiety symptoms (Dewey, 2019). Moreover, per Dewey (2019) after a great bulk of research dating back to World War II, it has been proven that those with faith function better in terms of recovery from trauma.

In another area where faith is a helpful tool in overcoming barriers, those with terminal illnesses can lean on faith for improved outcomes as well (Johnson, 2003). The ability to cope with and understand death is eased by faith. According to Johnson (2003) spirituality assists with reducing personal worry, feelings of being a burden to others and ideas of things left undone. It is during the “living-dying interval” (the space between receiving a terminal diagnosis and the time of one’s passing) that a person’s spirituality may actually evolve.

Sadly, unlike the remaining seven dimensions of wellness (Emotional, Environmental, Financial, Intellectual, Occupational, Physical, Social) spirituality is set apart by the need for some level of faith, regardless of a client’s personal beliefs. Because of the fact that the seven other dimensions can be more defined by statistical, concrete research they have been more readily accepted by the medical and wellness community. Due to spirituality being largely unquantifiable in terms of the material world, its use within counseling in particular remains underutilized by practitioners (Dewey, 2019).

A potential solution for this would be the realization that spirituality is not what a patient believes necessarily, but that they believe something and have something to lean on in difficult times. In secular settings that provide treatment these ideas need explored, but the counselor does not have to be an expert in every faith. Rather, they need to be aware of its power and have at least a superficial ability to understand how individual patients use spirituality to cope.

References

Dewey,  J. (2019). Posttraumatic growth. Salem Press Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&AN=90558430&site=eds-live&scope=site

Johnson, L. S. (2003). Facilitating spiritual meaning-making for the individual with a diagnosis of a terminal illness. (Issues and Insights). Counseling and Values, (3), 230. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.100485214&site=eds-live&scope=site

*That being said, I cannot stress enough how much I take solace in the fact that people actually still pay any attention to my ramblings whatsoever. Know that I am very thankful for any eyes that come across these words and any online support you show.