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This empirical study explores if, and how, religion and spirituality are relevant subjects for those experiencing mental distress in Northern Ireland (NI) and how, if at all, the subject is engaged with in mental health social work practice. Although there is some controversy in United Kingdom based research regarding the apparent benefit of religion and spirituality within mental health, service user research and literature suggests its importance within recovery. Literature on religion, spirituality and social work practice suggests the need to examine the social and political processes which persist around this subject in social work practice (Henery, 2003; Wong and Vinsky, 2009). This examination is appropriate given the role of religion within the political conflict in NI, the impact of the conflict upon social work practice (Campbell et al, 2013), the high incidence of mental ill health in NI and the apparent role of religion and spirituality within mental distress. This study considers how mental health social workers may engage with this subject within their practice not only as an aspect of service users’ identity but also within post conflict Northern Ireland. The study methodology and design drew upon narrative theory and grounded theory. I interviewed twelve mental health service users and twelve mental health social workers, and half of the participants from each group also took part in a follow-up telephone interview. All of the participants were invited to bring an object which expressed what religion and spirituality meant to them. Analysis explored the views and experiences of mental health service users and social workers about religion and spirituality, within specific aspects of the wider social field. Service user and social worker participants’ accounts suggested that whilst the role of religion and spirituality within mental distress was recognised, its inclusion in mental health social work practice was marked with questions of legitimacy. Some of these questions were explicitly framed within the conflict, whilst others were less so. The study found that although religion was associated with politics, sectarianism and violence, its role, and that of spirituality, as an aspect of identity and meaning-making, appeared to be underdeveloped. Two key findings are of particular note. 10 Firstly that service user participants had their own ‘hierarchy’ of religious and spiritual expression, which on occasion appeared to result in their being critical of other service users’ expressions. Secondly, some service users preferred to keep their spirituality to themselves as a strategy of empowerment. In addition the study also found that service users viewed the mental health professional relationship as focusing upon medical aspects of their care, for example physical health and medication management, with no scope to explore religion, spirituality and mental distress. Thus questions of legitimacy focused around the notion of privacy and whether talking about religion and spirituality within the mental health service user and social worker relationship was too sensitive, given its association with sectarianism. Furthermore, mental health service users were concerned about how a disclosure of religion and / or spirituality within mental distress would be viewed by the mental health professional: would it be viewed as indicative of deteriorating mental health? Overall the study identified a significant gap between how service users draw upon spirituality and / or religion within mental distress, and the space given to this within mental health social work practice. This gap is due to a myriad of factors ranging from the social worker’s biography, to wider issues around how religion and spirituality are conceptualised in contemporary society. This study also highlights the continuing impact of the Northern Ireland conflict on frontline social work provision. There is a need for policymaking to acknowledge the ambivalence that exists around spirituality and religion in mental health social work practice due to the conflict and other relevant factors. Finally, support is needed for practitioners and service users to acknowledge this aspect of mental well-being in a manner that gives service users choice about its inclusion in their mental health care.

This dissertation is based on the postsecularisation thesis which highlights the increasing role of religion nowadays. In the postmodern society, religion is understood not only as an objective truth, but also as the individual experience of a person. In relation to societal changes, a new paradigm has appeared - the new geographies of religion - which incorporates the individuality of a person into the discussion about religion in space. The study of religion as an individual experience could be significantly enhanced by feminist approaches which enable the inclusion of personal experiences. Therefore, the thesis contributes to the current direction of the geographies of religion connecting these with feminist approaches. The contribution of feminist approaches is assessed from the theoretical and empirical point of view. Feminist approaches develop themes of hierarchy, everydayness, emotionality, and embodiment, and thus contribute to the research on religion in a postsecular context. The empirical goal of the thesis is to consider the creation of sacred place and how religion frames the everyday experience of women. The thesis seeks to enrich Czech cultural geography with religious experience as another element forming space. The methodological framework uses the potential of a combination of...

Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022. / Mental illness is a high burden of disease especially in Low- and Medium-Income Countries (LMICs) like South Africa. In many LMICs, there is a paucity of Mental Health Professionals (MHCPs). As a result, people with mental illness call their faith healers or religious/spiritual leaders (pastors in this study) when experiencing mental health problems. Pastors are more accessible, share the same religious/spiritual beliefs about mental illness with their congregants and often provide religious/spiritual solutions to those who consult with them. Thus, they are often preferred over MHCPs. However, pastors are rarely involved as partners in community based mental health programs. While mental illness is mainly clinically diagnosed and recognised by MHCPs using the DSM-5 and ICD-10 codes, less is known in South Africa with regards to the views of pastors with regards to their notions of what mental illness is. Thus, it may be complex for Pentecostal pastors to clearly distinguish between spirit possession and mental illness as much as it is complex for MHCPs who struggle with accommodating their patients’ religious/spiritual beliefs. Religious/spiritual beliefs are significant in many Africans seeking mental health recovery. However, less has been explored in South Africa in the area of religion/spirituality and its relevance in the practice of clinical psychology. Western based psychotherapeutic methods of intervention which exclude the religious/spiritual domain of African clients continue to dominate the practise of psychology in Africa. Given the above, this study aimed to explore and understand selected Pentecostal pastors’ perception and treatment of mental illness. The research objectives were, namely: (1) to establish the notions held by Pentecostal pastors’ regarding what mental illness is (2) to establish Pentecostal pastors’ perception of what causes mental illness; (3) to determine Pentecostal pastors’ perceptions of how and by whom mental illness can be recognised, diagnosed, treated and managed; (4) To determine Pentecostal pastors’ views regarding their own roles in the management of mental illness; and (5) To canvass and describe Pentecostal pastors’ perceptions about collaboration for purposes of an intervention programme aimed at providing a holistic care and treatment of religious/spiritual patients. The study was qualitative, and the exploratory research approach was adopted. The research was informed by the Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual (BPSS) model. Purposive sampling was used to select nineteen (19) participants. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data were analysed using Thematic Analysis (TA). The following six major themes emerged from the analysed data: (i) Notions of mental illness; (ii) Causes of mental illness;(iii) Recognition and diagnosis of mental illness (iv) Notions on the treatment and management of mental illness; (v) Perceived roles in the treatment and management of mental illness; (vi) Views regarding collaboration with MHCPs. The participants held a multifactorial view of mental illness. They were limited in their understanding of mental illness and perceived it mainly to be madness (psychosis). The participants’ perception of mental illness was influenced by their theological (Pentecostal) as well as their cultural backgrounds (Black Africans). The participants indicated that they lacked training in mental health issues. As such, they were not opposed to collaborating with MHCPs. They mentioned that their roles included counselling, prayer, support, and referral. This study also discovered that Pentecostal pastors upheld three treatment approaches of mental illness namely: The Full-Collaborative Approach; The Partial-Collaborative Approach and the Non-Collaborative Approach. Findings of the study were discussed, and recommendations were made including the proposed intervention programme between pastors and MHCPs with the aim of facilitating a referral process and collaboration between the two professions. / National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS), and South African Humanities Deans Association (SAHUDA)

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