Principles of integrating religion and spirituality in mental health care and the World Psychiatric Association’s position statement

Research shows that spirituality and religion are important influences upon mental well-being and may play an important part in recovery from mental disorders. The addressing of these concerns in clinical practice raises important questions concerning good practice and professional boundaries, which various national psychiatric associations, and the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) have addressed in part by way of professional guidelines and policies. This chapter presents a commentary on, and discusses the practical implications for clinical practice, teaching, research, and public health of the seven proposals made in the WPA position statement on religion and psychiatry. For these proposals to have a positive impact upon clinical practice it is important that knowledge and awareness of them should be enhanced globally amongst psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, and that they become a focus of constructive and critical professional debate.