Penn State Health | BeWell
Penn State Health | BeWell

Spiritual well-Being

What is Spiritual Well-Being?

Spiritual well-being is about finding meaning, purpose, and connection in your life.

While spirituality may be expressed through religious faith, it can also be rooted in your personal values, philosophy, relationships, or sense of purpose. It is the part of our well-being that helps us understand who we are, what matters most, and how we respond during life’s challenges.

For healthcare professionals, caring for others can be deeply meaningful—but it can also be emotionally and spiritually demanding. Taking time to care for your own spiritual well-being can help you stay grounded, strengthen resilience, and reconnect with the reasons you chose a career in healthcare.

The Four Elements of Spiritual Well-Being

Spiritual well-being is unique to every person, but these four elements can provide a helpful framework for reflection and growth.

Purpose

 

Purpose is a fundamental element of consciousness that provides human beings with direction and motivation in both their personal and professional lives.

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Direction

 

The Spiritual Self exists at the intersection of external influences and behavior applied in response, providing grounding and strength to the direction people take in life and the decisions they make.

Rituals

 

Rituals reinforce the practices, skills, and competencies necessary to live into a person’s sense of meaning and purpose.

Community

 

Community serves “as the backbone for support, camaraderie, and shared purpose with others.” The bonds formed in community foster a sense of belonging that can transcend individual differences, creating a unified organization dedicated to a common mission.

Staff Support

The Penn State Health Staff Support Hotline can be reached at: 717-531-3600.

Penn State Health and College of Medicine staff may also utilize SupportLinc EAP.

Penn State Health Spiritual Care

Hampden Medical Center
Contact
Pastoral Care: Switchboard Operator at 717-981-9000

Distinctive Faith Group Support
None internally. All coordinated through the community.

Holy Spirit Medical Center
Contact
Pastoral Care: Switchboard Operator at 717-763-2100

Distinctive Faith Group Support
Internal: Catholic services
Other faiths: Coordinated externally

Lancaster Medical Center
Contact
Pastoral Care: 223-287-8206
Available Monday – Friday

Distinctive Faith Group Support
None internally. All coordinated through the community.

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Contact
On-Call Chaplain: (717) 965-1355
Back Up Chaplain Phone: (717) 819-8135

Distinctive Faith Group Support
Catholic Services – Internally
All other Faiths – Externally

St. Joseph Medical Center
Contact
Spiritual Care: 610-378-2297

Distinctive Faith Group Support
Internally: Catholic services
Other faiths: Coordinated externally

Suggested Spiritual Practices

Purpose

Focus now for 10 minutes and throughout the day on one thing you discovered that gives your life meaning & purpose–memory, event, person, desire?

Write down or visualize some immediate and future steps you can take to fulfill your life’s vision, maybe in a journal, planner, or by creative expression? What are your hopes and desires for yourself and immediate family/friends?

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Direction

Focus and meditate on one special thing about your faith and/or what you believe (your spiritual path) that gives hope–religious, philosophical, relational.

Spend 5-10 minutes visualizing how your spiritual path gives you a positive identity and is leading you to a bright future–meditation, writing in a journal, reading, perhaps drawing or sculpting or working on a project.

Strive to develop one of your core values this weekend–building a relationship with a person in your life, giving back to the community, taking some time to read a book, being out in nature.

Rituals

Spend 2-20 minutes in prayer, meditation, silence, reflection, or breathing at the start/end of each day–possibly when you wake up or go to bed, during breaks, (safely) while driving to or from work.

Recite a mantra, Scripture verse, or meaningful saying now and throughout the day. This may change every day or be one you fall back on during times of distress.

Read and reflect on sacred or inspirational writings for 5 minutes now or 30 minutes this weekend.

Community

Conduct a 10-minute team huddle to assess well-being. Incorporate Stress First Aid into Team huddles, or hold a team huddle after a stressful event or code to assess team needs or support.

Share cares & concerns with your spiritual teammate. This can be sitting at the nursing station, in the breakroom, or on the way to grab Starbucks.

Reflect on a lesson a spiritual mentor provided–a recent discussion, podcast, or spiritual message, conversation with a spiritual leader, director, or therapist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be religious?
No. Spiritual well-being includes religious, philosophical, or personal sources of meaning and purpose.
Can chaplains help if I'm not religious?
Yes, they are willing and trained to meet with you where you are.
Is this confidential?
Penn State Health offers confidential spiritual, emotional, and sacramental care to patients, families, and staff across all faith traditions. Chaplains are professionally trained to provide empathic listening, grief support, and guidance on difficult medical or ethical decisions.
When should I reach out?
You don’t have to wait until you’re in crisis to seek spiritual support. Chaplains are available to support Penn State Health employees through many of life’s challenges, including difficult patient experiences, grief, moral distress, burnout, major life transitions, family concerns, questions about meaning or purpose, and other personal or professional challenges.