Can you fully understand your patient’s perspective without first understanding their religious or spiritual inclinations? When it comes to treating spiritual patients, Dr. Jim Lomax, M.D., contends that knowing their steadfast beliefs is a crucial factor in understanding their reactions and needs in mental health care. He urges clinicians to leave behind the notion that understanding a patient’s spirituality is antithetical to therapy or “anti-science.”
Dr. Jim Lomax is the Karl Menninger Chair for Psychiatric Education, former Brown Foundation Chair for Psychoanalysis, and Associate Chairman and Director of Educational Programs in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine.
Join hosts Dr. Bob Boland and Dr. Kerry Horrell on this episode of Mind Dive podcast as Dr. Lomax draws on his expertise and experience to express to clinicians the importance of understanding a patient in the midst of spiritual struggle. He explores the notion that positive religious coping can be a beneficial tool in some mental health journeys.
“To simply be curious and to wonder with patients is a real value,” said Dr. Lomax, “This is one of the best ways to produce a sense of healing as restoration to community for your patients.”
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Listen to Episode 6: Building Trust in Therapeutic Relationships with Dr. Jon Allen
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Visit The Menninger Clinic website to learn more about The Menninger Clinic’s research and leadership role in mental health.