Newswise — Spirituality plays an important role in many people’s lives, yet only 10% of psychiatrists ask their patients about their spiritual beliefs. The topic of spirituality is often neglected within academic psychiatry, says Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD, Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine (YSM), despite the powerful influence it can have on one’s mental health.
To bridge the divide, Pittenger, together with Anna Yusim, MD, assistant clinical professor at YSM, and Marc Potenza, MD, Ph, Steven M. Southwick Professor of Psychiatry at YSM, has helped create a program within the Department of Psychiatry to explore the intersections between spirituality and mental health. They are collaborating with Bruce Gordon, PhD, Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Yale Divinity School.
YSM spoke with Pittenger about the goals of the new Program for Spirituality, Mental Health, and the Brain and the importance of spiritually informed conversations within psychiatry.
Original release: https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/new-program-explores-the-intersection-of-spirituality-and-mental-health/