Spiritual Care and Mental Health
HDS 2928
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
This course explores the complex relationship between spiritual care and mental health, examining how spiritual caregivers can support individuals in maintaining optimal well-being amid diverse mental health challenges. Students will engage with a range of mental health conditions—including those rooted in cognition, neurology, emotional regulation, and behavior—while also considering the personal, social, and spiritual stressors that exacerbate psychological distress. Recognizing that mental health exists within a broader cultural and systemic context, this course also critically examines the ways in which oppression, discrimination, and structural inequities shape mental health experiences. We will interrogate dominant frameworks of mental health and pathology, asking how cultural biases influence diagnoses and care practices, and how spiritual caregivers can respond with cultural humility and attentiveness to diverse needs for healing. This course is designed to help students develop essential caregiving skills, including reflective listening, ethical discernment, and trauma-informed care. Students will engage in role-playing exercises and guided reflection to strengthen their ability to offer presence, compassion, and support across a variety of mental health situations.
Recommended Prep
Prerequisite: HDS 2927 Spiritual Care and Counseling
Not Available for BTI Cross Registration
Available for Harvard Cross Registration
NOTE: This course requires additional sections; you will be prompted to choose secondary components during the Add to Cart process
Racial Justice and Healing
