Conference theme: Spirituality & Health

Abstract: While acceptance of LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and otherwise non-heterosexual, non-cisgender) people has increased over time, concerns about LGBTQ+ mental health are still pressing. Since the 1980s, a growing body of literature on LGBTQ+ youth and emerging adults has revealed the negative impacts of interpersonal, community, social, and structural biases on LGBTQ+ young peoples’ rates of anxiety, depression (c)PTSD, suicidality, and maladaptive coping behaviors (such as tobacco use and alcohol consumption). While research on risk factors abounds, there is a lack of understanding of the full range of protective factors involved. One promising emerging field is that of complementary health practices and resilience. A majority of this work focuses on integrating traditional modalities with mind/body practices--e.g., deep breathing, yoga, chiropractic manipulation, massage, and meditation. Collectively, we often name these practices “mindfulness interventions”, and they aim to foster greater awareness of present moment experience and help people to better manage their life experiences and responsibilities. Embedded but often unnamed within the research on mindfulness, though, is the explicit link that it has to spiritual practices and ritual(s). Spirituality is also regarded as a practical tool to achieve self-growth; a way to facilitate movement away from the purely analytical functioning and cognitive processing of the mind to make room for other experiences, such as empathy, curiosity, self-attunement, boundlessness, ultimacy, and interconnectedness. This presentation will discuss the process of planning and implementing a mindfulness and spirituality-based traumatic healing summer program for LGBTQ+ youth and emerging adults. Findings indicate that facilitating mind-body connection and fostering a deeper sense of boundlessness and interconnectedness (e.g. spirituality) improves LGBTQ+ young peoples’ overall wellbeing and serves as a protective mechanism for resilience. Plans for programming sustainability and suggestions for other institutions/organizations will be discussed.