Conceptualizing Mind, Body, Spirit Interconnections Through, and Beyond, Spiritual Healing Practices

ContextAlthough research is increasingly exploring the concept of the mind, body, spirit (MBS) and its relevance to health and well-being, it remains difficult to precisely define it.ObjectiveThis research aims to explore indigenous and non-indigenous spiritual healers’ conceptualizations of MBS and consider implications for theory and practice.Design and SettingA total of 12 spiritual healers from Aotearoa/New Zealand participated in a semi-structured interview about their healing practices.InterventionThe research interview asked participants to discuss how they conceptualized the mind, body, spirit in their work.Main Outcome MeasuresThe data were analyzed using interpretative data analysis.ResultsTranscripts of the interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, which led to the identification of three major themes: MBS interconnections of healing, impacts on the mind and the body, and spiritual aspects of healing. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for concepts of healing and conceptualizations of MBS.