Senses, Spirituality, and Mental Health

by Veronica Golden, LMSW/SBL/SDL

Veronica Golden, LMSW/SBL/SDL

May is Mental Health Month. I recently presented at Calvary and wanted to put those thoughts into writing. In the Black community, spirituality and mental health are deeply connected, and that connection deserves honest con versation. In my office, I keep a graphic that reads: You can be spiritual and heartbroken. You can be spiritual and depressed. You can be spiritual and angry. Spirituality helps you face the human experience, not suppress it.

Reducing the stigma around faith and mental health is essen tial. When spirituality is presented incorrectly within the family system, it can become a tool for control, shame, and compliance instead of healing. That distortion can also distort how people see God.

The Bible offers powerful examples of how our five senses connect to mental wellness. In Mark 10:46, Blind Bar timaeus didn’t asked for change (coins) instead of change (transformation). Vision requires clarity. When the vision is made plain, faith becomes focused, and focused faith produces hope.

Touch is reflected in Habakkuk 2:2: “Write the vision and make it plain.” Writing down goals cre ates intentionality and supports social-emotion al learning. Dr. Gail Matthews found that people are 42% more likely to achieve their goals if they write them down. Writing slows racing thoughts and brings clarity to the brain. Hearing appears in Romans 10:17: “Faith comes by hearing.” Hearing the Word of God from your pastor can bring comfort, hope, and resilience during difficult seasons.

Smell is highlighted in 2 Corinthians 2:15: “For we are the fragrance of Christ.” Scent connects directly to the brain’s emotional and memory centers, which is why certain smells instantly trigger strong memories or emotions. In the same way, the light within us should have a positive impact on those around us.

Finally, Taste is reflected in Psalm 81:10: “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.” What we consume spiritually, mentally, and emotion ally shapes our thoughts and desires. Working in education, I often ask students about their favorite artists. Approximately 60% mention NBA Youngboy. He has multiple baby mamas and his lyrics center on violence, sex, and drugs. The reality is that our youth need positive alternatives to consume and culturally responsive support systems for our youth.

In summary, emotions change—and that’s nor mal. We are human, not robots. The difference between mental health struggles and mental ill ness is often how long those feelings last and how much they dis rupt daily functioning, relationships, work, or school. Improving men tal health can start with simple practices: quality sleep, exercise, healthy relationships, mind fulness, affirmations, counseling, and going to church.