You might feel skeptical about faith-based substance use treatments like the kind that St. Gregory Recovery Center offers in Iowa, and that’s completely okay. Many people wonder if faith has a place in something as practical as treatment for substance use disorder (SUD). This article will help you see how faith can fit into your recovery, whether or not you’re religious.
You’ll learn what faith really means, how it differs from religion, why science shows faith-informed recovery can work, and how St. Gregory offers spiritual support in both residential treatment in Bayard and intensive outpatient treatment in Des Moines.
What Defines Faith in Recovery?
Depending on who you ask, faith can mean different things. Some may see it as deeply religious or structured. Others may think of it as hope, trust, or meaning. At St. Gregory, faith doesn’t have to be tied to a religion—it can simply be about what gives you strength and direction in life and your recovery journey.
James Fowler, a scholar on the topic, explained that faith isn’t automatically religious. He described faith as the process of making meaning, something every human being does as they figure out what makes life worth living. He pointed out that even people who are nonbelievers, agnostics, or atheists may still deal with issues of faith as they shape their lives around values, experiences, purpose, and their own personalities.
Fowler also expanded faith to include loyalty to something bigger than yourself—what he called a “center of value and power.” For you, that might refer to God. For some people, that may mean a spiritual practice. For others, it might simply transfer to nature, love, community, or truth.
This is what faith can look like and mean to you in recovery with us:
- Faith as trust in recovery: Believing in yourself, in others, or the recovery process itself
- Faith as vision for your substance-free life: Seeing a future for yourself that feels worth building
- Faith as connection to others in the same boat: Finding support in a group, community, or a Higher Power
- Faith as meaning-making for a new identity: Shaping your choices around what feels purposeful
- Faith as a form of regulating, centering, and knowing yourself: Interacting with the world in a way that helps you understand yourself more deeply
Over time, people have also linked ideas of recovery with spirituality. Religion has often influenced how society views SUD, especially since programs like Alcoholics Anonymous are rooted in spiritual practices. While research is still growing in this area, studies suggest that faith and spirituality can shape how people think about treatment and healing in positive ways.
Spirituality vs. Religion
Spirituality and religion can overlap, but they don’t have to. You might think of spirituality as an openness to God, the universe, or even the beauty of nature. Whatever your interpretation is, it can bring you feelings of harmony, love, hope, compassion, or a sense of life’s purpose.
Religion has been defined as a system of beliefs and practices centered on superhuman beings who have powers beyond what ordinary humans can do. Sociologists also see religion as a way to create a sense of community, linking people together around shared values and a sense of the sacred in a structured way. That might include beliefs about a higher being, rituals, or belonging to a community that shares a certain interpretation of faith.
At St. Gregory Recovery Center, you don’t have to commit to religion to benefit from spirituality. Your path can be as personal as you want it to be.
The Science Behind Faith-Infused Residential Treatment in Iowa
If you’re wondering whether faith really makes a difference in recovery, research suggests it can. Studies show that many treatment programs across the United States include spirituality-based elements, and a majority of those programs use some kind of faith or Higher Power component, often inspired by groups like AA.
Here’s why faith-informed treatment at St. Gregory Recovery Center can matter to you:
- It can give you a means for connecting your recovery to your personal values and meaning
- It may help you explore spirituality without requiring religious commitment
- It connects you to supportive communities and group resources
- It can give you resilience when cravings or setbacks feel strong
- It adds a spiritual dimension to care, alongside medical and therapeutic treatment
At St. Gregory, residential treatment in Bayard and intensive outpatient treatment in Des Moines both allow you to explore how faith may play a role in your healing.
Find Faith in Recovery in Bayard, IA
Faith in recovery doesn’t have to mean religion—it can mean trust, vision, connection, motivation, and a meaningful future. You may find that reflecting on these aspects opens up new ways of looking at a substance-free journey.
Contact us today to learn more about how St. Gregory Recovery Center can help you incorporate and grow your faith throughout treatment.
