Spiritual care in healthcare explained

An illness, surgery or chronic condition doesn’t only affect your body — these changes also can deeply impact your emotional and spiritual health. This is why spiritual care is often an important part of treatment and recovery.

Often, spiritual care is provided by a chaplain — a spiritual care professional trained to offer patients and their families emotional support in settings such as hospitals or treatment centers.

“The role of a chaplain is to be present with people in their struggles, to sit with them, and to call on and secure spiritual resources when needed,” says Mayo Clinic chaplain educator Karen Heistand.