Spiritual Transformation: A Phenomenological Study Among Recovering Substance Abusers

• Published in: Pastoral psychology Vol. 62; no. 6; pp. 889 - 906
• Main Authors: Williamson, W. Paul, Hood, Ralph W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-12-2013; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavioral Science and Psychology; Black American people; Clinical Psychology; Congregations; Cross Cultural Psychology; Drug abuse; Meaning; Pastoral counseling; Phenomenology; Psychology; Qualitative research; Religion & psychology; Religious Studies; Sociology; Spirituality; Substance abuse; Substance abuse treatment; Substance abusers; Transformation; Substance abuse; Conversion; Spiritual transformation; Drug treatment programs
• ISSN: 0031-2789; 1573-6679
• DOI: 10.1007/s11089-012-0502-8

As a complement to an earlier quantitative investigation, this qualitative study was concerned with describing the lived experience of spiritual transformation within the context of a 12-month resident substance abuse recovery program called the Lazarus Project, which is sponsored by a southern U.S. Pentecostal-based congregation. We conducted phenomenological interviews with 10 participants (eight European-Americans; two African-Americans) who had been in the program from six to nine months and asked that they describe their most important spiritual experiences that brought about change. A hermeneutical analysis found that a pattern of five overlapping themes emerged consistently across all 10 protocols to describe the meaning of the experience of spiritual transformation for these participants. The themes were: (1) “Sick and Tired”, (2) Unmerited Love, (3) “I’m Changing,” (4) Fast/Gradual, and (5) Destiny. The themes are discussed from an existential perspective and related to the literature on spiritual transformation as well as the earlier quantitative study at the Lazarus Project.