Mental Health and Spirituality: Two Paths, One Journey
Mental health and spirituality are often seen as separate, with one relating to mind and emotions, and the latter, to the soul. But in truth, they are deeply connected, each supporting and shaping the other. And together, they create a path toward wholeness, healing, and meaning.
Mental Health
Mental health is not about being happy all the time or never struggling.
It’s about having the inner resources, support, and compassion to move through life’s challenges. It means honoring your story, tending to your nervous system, and finding balance in mind and body with the intention of reaching safety (whatever that looks like for you), connection and wholeness.
As a psychotherapist in Ohio, I often see how holistic therapy approaches—including nervous system regulation and trauma healing—help clients find that balance.
Spirituality
Spirituality is the practice of listening inward and reaching outward to something greater than ourselves. It’s less about connecting to others and more about connecting to meaning, presence, and the sacred...however we each define it.
For some, spirituality may be expressed through religion or ritual; for others, it may unfold through meditation, creativity, or moments of awe in nature. At its heart, spirituality is about softening into a sense of guidance, belonging, and trust in something beyond the self.
The Intertwine
Mental health gives us the stability and resilience to live in balance, while spirituality offers purpose, connection, and hope. Together, they support healing and remind us that we are not just surviving…we are becoming.
Spiritual practices like meditation, prayer, or time in nature can calm the nervous system, ease stress, and strengthen resilience.
At the same time, tending to mental health while befriending and acknowledging our trauma, regulating emotions, and building supportive relationships, creates the fertile ground for spirituality to grow.
The Key
Many people describe themselves as “spiritual” or say they have strong intuition, gut feelings, or a deep sense of knowing. Some even notice that they can sense others’ emotions or feel connected to something bigger than themselves, but they don’t know how to access it fully.
Often, this is because their nervous system has not yet had the space to soften, to quiet, to become still. Trauma, unprocessed pain, or chronic stress can keep us in survival mode…too guarded, too activated, or too shut down to rest into the deeper layers of our being.
When we begin to release the pain associated with trauma and gently regulate the nervous system, something shifts. The walls soften. The body loosens. And in that spaciousness, the spiritual path often emerges naturally.
I’ve experienced this personally; alongside many others I know. When I surrendered to releasing the pain of my trauma, I found that my intuition, my connection to spirit, and my sense of meaning deepened in ways I could not have imagined before.
My spiritual path was not something I “added on” to my healing journey…it was born from it.
Moving Forward
If you are seeking deeper spiritual connection but feel blocked, it may not mean you’re “missing something.” It may mean your body and nervous system are asking for care, regulation, and release.
Mental health practices like online therapy, trauma healing, and nervous system regulation don’t take you away from spirituality. They open the door to it.
Spirituality and mental health are not separate paths. They are threads of the same fabric, woven together to support your wholeness.
One grounds you in safety, the other lifts you into meaning.
Together, they remind you that healing is not just about surviving, it’s about belonging, becoming, and remembering that you are part of something greater.
Supporting Your Healing Path
Hi, I’m Mallory Tedrick, a psychotherapist in Ohio offering online therapy and holistic, trauma-informed support. I help women and individuals move through anxiety, stress, and life transitions with care and clarity. If you’re ready to explore therapy that honors both your mental health and your spirit, reach out today to schedule a consultation.