Ingela Thuné-Boyle, PhD
Health Psychology 
Illness, Pain & Wellness Coach

Living with a chronic illness often involves a prolonged and unpredictable journey that tests the body, mind, and spirit. While medical treatments address physical symptoms, many individuals turn to spirituality to discover deeper meaning, inner strength, and emotional resilience. Spirituality is a highly personal concept, ranging from organized religion to a personal sense of connection, purpose, or transcendence, and its influence on the experience of chronic illness is inc

Life is filled with transitions, some anticipated and others sudden. We plan for many of them such as graduations, careers, marriage, parenthood, and retirement, but some transitions come without invitation, disrupting the balance of our lives. Chronic illness is one of those. It can arrive suddenly or develop slowly, but regardless of how it begins, it creates a distinct sense of before and after.

Spirituality can offer profound comfort, meaning, and resilience in the face of chronic illness. It may help individuals find purpose during times of suffering and cultivate inner peace. However, when spiritual beliefs or practices are used to avoid, suppress, or deny the emotional, psychological, or physical challenges of living with illness, this becomes what is known as 'spiritual bypassing'.