Spirituality and Mental Health Program

The Spirituality and Mental Health Program is a multifaceted initiative to meet the spiritual needs of McLean patients by providing spiritually-integrated care within multiple clinical programs throughout the hospital.

In addition, the initiative provides chaplaincy services, develops new methods to incorporate faith into clinical treatment, conducts research on the relevance of spirituality to anxiety, mood, substance use, and other disorders, and trains and educates to raise greater awareness about spirituality and mental health. We are available due to philanthropic generosity.

Studies have shown that more than 50% of patients receiving medical or psychological care express a desire to discuss spiritual matters with their health care providers.

Whether they are seeking help for depression, anxiety, addiction, or other psychiatric conditions, thousands of people avail themselves of McLean’s clinical services each year through one or more of our inpatient, residential, day treatment or outpatient programs.

Clinician speaks with patient

The Spirituality and Mental Health Program works to meet the spiritual needs of McLean patients

Under the leadership of David H. Rosmarin, PhD, ABPP, the Spirituality and Mental Health Program works with nurses, social workers, mental health counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other clinicians throughout the hospital in order to offer individuals spiritually-sensitive care within a world class medical center.

McLean is uniquely poised to advance best practices in spirituality and mental health on a broader scale.

The Spirituality and Mental Health Program thus aims to create replicable services and training programs and greatly advance current knowledge about spiritual issues for psychiatry, and ultimately change the field’s approach to spirituality and mental health by disseminating our practices and findings to other medical centers around the world.

Treatment Approach

The Spirituality and Mental Health Program conducts clinical, research, and educational activities across multiple clinical programs throughout the hospital.

We coordinate spiritually-based treatment groups for patients and their families. We also provide a chaplaincy service for those who seek a more individually tailored approach to the integration of their spirituality in the context of their care at McLean.

To facilitate referrals to McLean programs and ease the process of transition after discharge, the program maintains relationships with regional and national leaders of religious communities.

Research

Alongside clinical initiatives, the Spirituality and Mental Health Program engages in research collaborations with laboratories and clinical programs throughout the hospital into the clinical relevance of spirituality to mental health, including the effectiveness of spiritually-integrated interventions.

The program also educates the public about these topics by disseminating key findings in peer-reviewed journals and the news media.

Learn more about research at the Spirituality and Mental Health Program.

Chaplaincy Services

A chaplaincy consultation may be appropriate when a patient wishes to discuss religious or spiritual issues, wants to develop a spiritual practice to help cope, or has specific religious question or needs such as when a patient:

  • Questions whether their God/higher power cares
  • Feels hurt by a religious or spiritual community
  • Questions why this is happening
  • Feels abandoned or punished by God/higher power
  • Feels guilty and expresses regrets

To schedule a 30-minute visit with our mental health chaplain, please contact:

Rev. Angelika A. Zollfrank, MDiv, BCC
Phone: 617.855.2520
Email: [email protected]

McLean accepts Medicare, Massachusetts Medicaid, and many private insurance and managed care plans.

More information on insurance providers accepted by McLean Hospital may be found on the Mass General Brigham website. You may also find it beneficial to review McLean’s patient billing and financial assistance information.

Theological students and spiritual leaders of all faiths can learn more about McLean’s Mental Health Clinical Pastoral Education Program