Introduction: Spirituality plays a crucial role in occupational therapy, yet its application is influenced by various complex factors within different cultural contexts. Most research on barriers and facilitators to addressing spirituality in practice comes from the U.S. and U.K., leaving a gap in understanding how these factors affect Australian occupational therapists.
Objectives: This study aimed to examine the facilitators and barriers to integrating spirituality into occupational therapy practice, within the Australian context.
Method: A phenomenological qualitative approach was used, with Reflexive Thematic Analysis applied to 23 individual interviews conducted across diverse work settings and specialties. Facilitators and barriers were organised into human and environmental factors.
Results: Human facilitators included therapists' personal and clinical experiences with spirituality. Barriers included therapists' discomfort and uncertainty in addressing spirituality, particularly with vulnerable populations such as children or clients with mental health issues. Environmental facilitators encompassed adequate training, resources, and supportive workplaces, especially in faith-based or culturally specific settings. Environmental barriers included the local cultural resistance to discussing spirituality, time and funding constraints, and the marginalisation of spirituality in many workplaces.
Conclusion: The integration of spirituality in occupational therapy is supported by personal experience, clinical expertise, and a conducive environment but is hindered by discomfort, cultural resistance, and practical limitations. Some barriers are within therapists' control, while others are external. To overcome these challenges, the profession would benefit from developing culturally sensitive resources, research, and training to better incorporate spirituality into practice.