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Evolving Faith: Changes in Spiritual Experiences and Their Role in Recovery as Reported by Peer Support Workers
Ofra Walter1, Elizabeth C Thomas2, Mickie Mitchell Bowe3,4
1Education, Tel Hai University kiryat Shemona of Gallile, Kiryat Shmona, Israel. ofrawa@telhai.ac.il.
Community Mental Health Journal
|July 30, 2026
Summary
Peer support workers report evolving positive faith and spiritual experiences during mental illness recovery. While most find spirituality helpful, they desire more active support from mental health professionals.
Area of Science:
- Mental Health
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Faith and spirituality are recognized as crucial in mental illness recovery.
- Limited understanding exists on the evolution of these experiences and professional support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore changes in peer support workers' faith/spirituality over time.
- To assess the perceived role of spirituality in their recovery.
- To evaluate the support received from mental health professionals.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional online survey of 266 peer support workers in the U.S.
- Paired-sample t-tests and descriptive statistics for data analysis.
Main Results:
- Participants reported significantly more positive present faith/spiritual experiences than past.
- 92% found faith/spirituality positively influential in recovery; 83% had current positive experiences.
- Challenges included religious disagreements (62%) and feeling isolated (40%); only 45% received active provider support.
Conclusions:
- Faith and spirituality are integral to peer support worker recovery.
- Inconsistent mental health professional support highlights the need for holistic, integrated care models acknowledging spirituality.
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