This resource contains 23 chapters on aspects of spirituality and mental health written by experts in the field. It promotes an understanding of people's belief systems rather than a mechanistic approach to mental health services and proves the increasing importance of spirituality in health and social care. Content includes: Chapter 1 - Understanding mental health and spirituality Peter Gilbert Chapter 2 - Researching spirituality: evidence and practice John Swinton and Madeleine Parkes Chapter 3 - Spirituality and mental health services Peter Richmond and Peter Gilbert Chapter 4 - The service user view Peter Gilbert with Joanna Barber and Madeleine Parkes Chapter 5 - The only verity is my soul - the carer's view Barbara Pointon, with Jacqui Miller and Peter Gilbert Chapter 6 - Professional attitudes Madeleine Parkes and Jo Barber Chapter 7- Ethnicity and spirituality Hari Sewell Chapter 8 - Faith perspectives on mental health, and work with faith communities Arthur Hawes and Qaisra Khan Chapter 9 - Psychological approaches to spirituality Sarajane Aris Chapter 10 - Assessing a person's spiritual needs in a healthcare setting Sarah Eagger and Wilf McSherry, with Peter Gilbert and Steve Wharmby Chapter 11 - Children and young people's well-being Rebecca Nye Chapter 12 - Dementia and spirituality: a perfume always remembered Ben Bano, Susan Benbow and Kate Read Chapter 13 - Mental health, dignity and palliative care Andrew Goodhead and Malcolm Payne Chapter 14 - Death - the ultimate challenge Margaret Holloway Chapter 15 - Educating for spiritual care Bernard Moss, Janice Clarke and Ivor Moody Chapter 16 - Valuing staff and training for spiritual care Katja Milner and Julian Raffay Chapter 17 - Equality and human rights approaches in the NHS: making spirituality in mental health care count? Ranjit Senghera Chapter 18 - Mental health and the sexual, religious and spiritual identities of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people Sarah Carr Chapter 19 - Mindfulness-based stress reduction in mental health care practitioners Julian Bowers Chapter 20 - Reflective practice - the 'soul' of professional engagement in relationship work Joy Gauci Chapter 21 - Chaplaincy and mental health Andrew Wilson and Rob Merchant Chapter 22 - Recovery and spirituality: aligning ourselves with ourselves Tanya Kennard-Campbell Chapter 23 - Historical, spiritual and evolutionary approaches to suffering, compassion, caring and the caring professions
Peter Gilbert editor of Spirituality and Mental Health and Spirituality and End of Life Care Peter Gilbert is emeritus professor of social work and spirituality at Staffordshire University, and visiting professor with the University of Worcester. Peter was the NIMHE project lead on spirituality from its inception to 2008, and now works with the National Spirituality and Mental Health Forum. Having experienced an episode of depression himself, Peter is very committed to a holistic and person-centred approach, and the integration of personal experience.
Spirituality and mental health is a very accessible title, thought-provoking and inspirational and at times hard hitting in its argument for a fuller embrace of the spiritual in the delivery of care and treatment to people having mental health illness. Richard Bryant-Jefferies Central and North West London - NHS Foundation trust Peter Gilbert has bought together a stellar team of authors and produced as close to a comprehensive text on spirituality and mental health as possible. Serious study of this volume within the NHS would surely lead to a sea change in much mental healthcare. For staff this book will be of enormous help, both in looking at particular issues, such as understanding the faith context of a specific tradition, but also in the broader understanding behind working with spirituality at all. Tony Wright, counsellor Thresholds, summer 2011 - Counselling with Spirit
