Shari B. Kaplan, LCSWIntegrative Mental Health

The Spiritual Key to Mental Health: Feeling Connected and Supported

16 Mar 2026 · 1 min

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In this brief monologue, Shari B. Kaplan, LCSW, explains how spirituality contributes to mental health beyond conventional practices like meditation, prayer, and energy healing. She emphasizes that a core spiritual need is the feeling of belonging and connection to something greater—a non‑physical life force or universal energy. This secure connection provides emotional support, especially during moments of low willpower or struggle, by fostering the sense that one is not alone and that a supportive force works with and through the individual. Kaplan argues that this sense of belonging and perceived spiritual support is a vital component of emotional transformation, resilience, and overall mental well‑being.

Chapters

A lot of people think that practicing meditation or prayer or energy healing can support emotional transformation, and that is all true and very important. But there's an aspect of spirituality that I think is very important, which is feeling that you belong and are connected to something greater than yourself, more powerful than yourself. Having a secure connection helps you to feel a sense of belonging. Belonging. A spiritual practice that connects you to the life force in nature can really help support you when you feel that you don't have the strength or the willpower to power through whatever struggle you're having at that time. Feeling like you are not alone and that there is a non-physical force that works for you, with you, and through you is a very important part of mental health.