Young Scholars Seminar: Spirituality and Mental Health

Yunus Emre Institute London is delighted to announce another exciting Young Scholar Seminar Series talk on “Spirituality and mental health: Islamic Spirituality and its effects on an individual’s well-being” on Thursday 16th June 2022 at 7 pm (UK Time) with UCL Psychiatry PhD candidate Merve Çetinkaya.

The evening will end with a Q&A session with the speaker.

Traditional Turkish Refreshments will be served.

“Spirituality and mental health: Islamic Spirituality and its effects on an individual’s well-being”

Current research reveals the fascinating and intimate link between health and spirituality. Especially in contemporary societies, spirituality is seen to serve an important role in a person’s well-being. One of the many established values of spirituality is its support in dealing with major life stressors. This has become more pronounced as the world grapples with the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This talk explores the themes and insights from recent scholarly explorations on health and spirituality as well as highlights the importance of spirituality to human well-being. Alongside this literature, the findings of a unique qualitative study conducted among a group of Sufis during the Covid-19 pandemic regarding the effects of Sufi practices on their well-being will be delved into.

Merve Çetinkaya is a PhD candidate and Postgraduate teaching assistant at UCL, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Science. She is interested in Spirituality and Mental Health, specifically Islamic Spiritual practices and mental well-being. She studied at Yale, Kings College London and Ankara University for her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the fields of Religious studies, Theology and Medicine. She also has experience in Muslim Mental health charity organisations in the UK and a Chaplaincy role in the hospital.

Date: Thursday 16th June 2022

Time: 7 pm

Venue: Yunus Emre Institute London, 10 Maple Street, London, W1T 5HA

Admission is FREE but registration is ESSENTIAL via Eventbrite.

This talk forms part of the Young Scholar Seminar Series organised by Yunus Emre Institute in London.