A Higher Power: How Spiritual Connection Can Support Mental Health

“In times of uncertainty, grief, or deep questioning, many of us find ourselves reaching for something beyond the immediate. Something greater.”

This search or longing is often the beginning of a spiritual journey. For some, it’s rooted in religion. For others, it’s a quiet connection to nature, a sense of energy, or simply the belief that you are not alone in the universe. However it appears, the idea of a “higher power” can be a deeply grounding force, particularly when it comes to your mental health.

As a counsellor, I often sit with people who feel lost, overwhelmed, or disconnected from themselves, from others, and from any deeper sense of meaning. They feel like they no longer can align to their purpose in life. And while therapy is a space to explore emotions, thoughts, and patterns, it can also become a sacred space to reconnect with something more.

What Is a Higher Power?

A higher power doesn’t have to mean God in the traditional sense. It could be love. The universe. A collective energy. Something ancestral. Or even your ‘higher self’, which can be described as the wiser part of you that knows you are worthy, even when you forget. This concept is fluid and personal. And that’s part of its beauty.

In my own life, I’ve come to understand spirituality not as a rigid set of rules, but as a relationship and one that is always evolving. Sometimes it feels strong and clear. Other times, more distant. But knowing that I can return to it daily, that I am no longer alone in my struggles, has brought me deep reassurance.

Faith at Rock Bottom

For many people, the connection to a higher power begins at their lowest point. When everything else has fallen away—relationships, routines, certainty, even their sense of identity—there’s often a moment of surrender. Rock bottom can strip us bare. And in that raw, exposed place, some people find faith for the first time. It may not arrive with fanfare or clarity, but instead with a quiet inner voice: “There must be more than this”. That simple, honest realisation can open the door to hope, healing, and the beginning of a spiritual path. It’s often less about religion, and more about feeling seen, supported, or held, and this could perhaps be for the first time in a long while.

How Spirituality Supports Mental Health:

1. A Sense of Belonging and Purpose

Feeling connected to something bigger than yourself can ease loneliness and help you find meaning, even in times we are suffering pain. It reminds you that you are part of a larger story.

2. Inner Peace Through Surrender

Letting go of the need to control everything and trusting in a higher power can ease anxiety. There’s comfort in knowing you don’t have to have all the answers.

3. Guidance in Uncertain Times

Spirituality can offer clarity, even if it's not about ‘fixing’ a problem. Sometimes it’s simply about feeling supported in the middle of it all.

4. A Practice of Reflection

Prayer, meditation, journalling are all spiritual practices which encourage mindfulness and self-awareness, which are vital for emotional wellbeing.

5. Hope

Even in the darkest moments, spiritual connection can bring hope that healing is possible, that change can come, that you are not alone in your struggles and challenges you may be facing.

Honouring Your Unique Path

There is no one right way to explore spirituality.

What matters is that it feels true to you. Some people reconnect with a faith they were raised in. Others find new rituals or teachings that resonate with where they are now. Some simply begin by sitting quietly, breathing deeply, and asking: “What do I need right now?”

You don’t need to have all the answers. And you certainly don’t need to be “spiritual enough.” The invitation is simply to stay open and to become curious, to presence, and to the possibility that something greater is walking alongside you.

Final Thoughts

Mental health and spirituality don’t need to exist in separate spaces. When explored gently and with compassion, your spiritual journey can become a rich part of your healing. If you are feeling drawn to reconnect with that part of yourself, I’d be honoured to walk alongside you.

You don’t have to walk alone. You’re already on your way.