Institute for Spirituality and Health

Institute for Spirituality and Health Offering lectures, continuing education, research focusing on the interface between religion, spirituality, and health.
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Founded in 1955, the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center is an independent interfaith nonprofit whose mission is to enhance well-being by exploring the relationship between spirituality and health.

As we kick off a month-long celebration of the Institute’s impact, we invite you to be a part of our story. Throughout t...
06/01/2026

As we kick off a month-long celebration of the Institute’s impact, we invite you to be a part of our story. Throughout the month of June, we’ll be sharing fun and interesting facts about our history and the meaningful work we do across the greater Houston area.

It all leads up to our Day of Giving on Friday, June 26! Your support will help us launch into a brand-new fiscal year with a strong foundation, allowing us to continue cultivating heart and humanity in healthcare and our community.

✨ How you can join in today:

👉 Bookmark June 26 on your calendar.

👉 Follow along all month for a behind-the-scenes look at our impact.

👉 Consider making a financial contribution on June 26 to help us start our next chapter strong!

Stay tuned for more details, and thank you for being an essential part of our community!

We are feeling profoundly grateful following our Illumination Dinner at TMC Helix Park on Tuesday evening. More than 200...
05/22/2026

We are feeling profoundly grateful following our Illumination Dinner at TMC Helix Park on Tuesday evening. More than 200 of you stepped into the room to celebrate and support the intersection of spirituality and health—and we couldn't be more thankful for your generosity.

This year, we had the distinct honor of recognizing the wonderful ABC13-Melanie Lawson with the 2026 Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Caring Heart Award for her 43 years of dedicated storytelling and community advocacy. We were also deeply moved by Dr. Sunita Puri's moving keynote, reminding us all to honor the humanity in healthcare.

To our amazing emcee Lisa Malosky, our dedicated board, volunteers, underwriters, and guests: thank you for illuminating the path forward. Your support directly impacts our Centers of Excellence and the community members we serve.

Visit our website to see how you can stay involved! www.spiritualityandhealth.org

Time is running out to join us for an evening of inspiration and community at The Illumination Dinner! Join the Institut...
05/13/2026

Time is running out to join us for an evening of inspiration and community at The Illumination Dinner!

Join the Institute for Spirituality and Health next Tuesday, May 19, as we explore the power of compassionate language with keynote speaker Dr. Sunita Puri, author of That Good Night, who will share her insights on the intersection of medicine and humanity.

We will also honor the remarkable community contributions of the legendary Melanie Lawson by presenting her with the 2026 Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Caring Heart Award.

Your attendance directly benefits our four Centers of Excellence! Don’t miss your chance to be part of this special night. Visit www.spiritualityandhealth.org/events/illuminationdinner to learn more and secure your spot!

We are pleased to honor Melanie Lawson, award-winning journalist and community advocate, with the 2026 Rabbi Samuel E. K...
05/06/2026

We are pleased to honor Melanie Lawson, award-winning journalist and community advocate, with the 2026 Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Caring Heart Award. Melanie Lawson retired in January 2025 from KTRK ABC 13 after serving in both reporter and news anchor roles for 43 years. She is known as a champion of underserved Houston communities, advocating for social justice, spiritual enrichment, and service to benefit others.

“Melanie Lawson is a beloved native Houstonian. She was chosen as this year’s recipient of the Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Caring Heart Award because she embodies the integration of spirituality and health at the highest level. Melanie models compassion and integrity in every aspect of her life. Her dedication to uplifting others reflects the very heart of our work." - Stuart Nelson, President & CEO

Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

www.spiritualityandhealth.org/events/illuminationdinner

Purchase your tickets today to join us for this inspiring evening of community and conversation!

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Objetivos y logros de los participantes de nuestras recientes clases de DSMES en español:Goals and achievements of parti...
05/06/2026

Objetivos y logros de los participantes de nuestras recientes clases de DSMES en español:

Goals and achievements of participants from our recent Spanish-speaking DSMES classes:

Sinar Coronel:
Personalmente he estado haciendo más ejercicio y cambié mis malos hábitos de alimentación y una vida sedentaria.

Personally, I have been exercising more and changed my bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyle.

Zorelly Coronel:
Estoy caminando 45 minutos diarios, me gustó mucho la demostración culinaria y estoy poniendo en práctica la receta que nos compartió la Chef Katerine. Y he hecho cambios en mi alimentación.

I am walking 45 minutes daily; I really liked the culinary demonstration, and I am putting into practice the recipe Chef Katerine shared. And I have made changes to my diet.

Guadalupe Quezada:
Ahora estoy consumiendo una alimentación más sana, comiendo verduras, frutas y dejé de comer carne roja, estoy haciendo ejercicio y he bajado de peso y me siento mejor.

Now I am eating a healthier diet, eating vegetables and fruits, and I have stopped eating red meat; I am exercising, I have lost weight, and I feel better.

Carlos Lazo:
Este Seminario fue un pilar para aprender a controlar mi diabetes comiendo más saludable y las proporciones adecuadas tal como nos lo enseñaron y ha bajado mi nivel de azúcar.

This seminar was a pillar for learning to control my Diabetes by eating healthier and in the proper proportions as taught, and my sugar level has dropped.
Visite nuestro sitio web para obtener más información sobre nuestras clases de educación y apoyo para el automanejo de la diabetes, que forman parte de la Iniciativa Fe y Diabetes.

Visit our website to learn more about our Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support classes, which are part of the Faith & Diabetes Initiative.

https://www.spiritualityandhealth.org/faithanddiabetes

We’re looking back at the incredible energy from last year’s 70th Anniversary Platinum Jubilee at TMC Helix Park. It was...
05/01/2026

We’re looking back at the incredible energy from last year’s 70th Anniversary Platinum Jubilee at TMC Helix Park. It was a night of deep reflection, beautiful music, and honoring those who make our mission possible.

We invite you to carry that light forward with us at this year’s Illumination Dinner. Join us as we celebrate the connection between spirituality and health in the heart of the Texas Medical Center.

📅 Tuesday, May 19, 2026
🕖 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 TMC Helix Park

Secure your seat and be part of another unforgettable evening:
https://www.spiritualityandhealth.org/events/illuminationdinner

We have two newly placed ISCC Volunteers at Com for Care Assisted Living! We are so grateful for our volunteers and the ...
04/29/2026

We have two newly placed ISCC Volunteers at Com for Care Assisted Living! We are so grateful for our volunteers and the connections we have made with assisted living care facilities all around the Houston area.

Interested in joining our Interfaith Spiritual Care Coalition? Join our upcoming volunteer training session on August 1, 2026, in person at the Institute!

Visit www.spiritualityandhealth.org/ISCC to learn more and register for the volunteer training today.

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Join us for an inspiring Houston IANDS at the Texas Medical Center online meeting next week featuring a near-death exper...
04/27/2026

Join us for an inspiring Houston IANDS at the Texas Medical Center online meeting next week featuring a near-death experiencer Steve Boyles and his wife, Dr. Kathy Boyles. Discover how near-death experiences can deepen spiritual faith and gain insights into patient care for the critically ill. Open to all curious minds interested in the transformative power of these experiences. From the brink of death to a supernatural encounter with heaven—Steve and Kathy’s story is one of the most powerful testimonies you’ll ever hear.

Don’t miss Steve & Kathy Boyles next week!

Tuesday, May 5 | 6:00 - 8:30 PM CT
Virtual via Zoom

Learn more & register at https://www.spiritualityandhealth.org/events/houstoniandsboyles

Houston IANDS (International Association for Near-Death Studies) at the Texas Medical Center serves as a safe space to support those who have had a near-death experience as they integrate their experience into their lives. Houston IANDS also serves to inform the public about NDEs and the lessons and messages that experiencers bring back, and to educate the medical community to recognize and appropriately treat people who have had an NDE.

Did you know that we have a healthy recipe blog?As part of our Cities for Better Health-Houston initiative, we’ve partne...
04/20/2026

Did you know that we have a healthy recipe blog?

As part of our Cities for Better Health-Houston initiative, we’ve partnered with Chef Johanna Garcia from Bite of HOPE to create monthly posts featuring seasonal, nutrient-dense meals that nourish both the body and the spirit.

Chef Garcia has curated a collection of delicious, easy-to-follow recipes designed to support your wellness goals without compromising on flavor. Whether you're looking for a quick 15-minute salad or a hearty plant-based curry, we’ve got your kitchen inspiration covered.

Explore the full blog for step-by-step instructions and nutritional tips to help you lead a healthier life.

👉 www.spiritualityandhealth.org/healthyrecipes

Join us for an evening of inspiration at The Illumination Dinner benefiting the Institute for Spirituality and Health at...
04/08/2026

Join us for an evening of inspiration at The Illumination Dinner benefiting the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at the TMC Helix Park.

We are honored to feature keynote speaker Dr. Sunita Puri, an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, where she is the Director of the Inpatient Palliative Care Service. She is author of the critically acclaimed memoir "That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour." Dr. Puri will explore how compassionate language empowers patients and physicians to navigate the complexities of life and medicine.

Dr. Sunita Puri’s journey is uniquely defined by the intersection of medicine and spirituality. As the daughter of an anesthesiologist and a devout family, she grew up witnessing the tension between medicine’s drive to preserve life and a spiritual embrace of its temporality. This profound perspective led her to palliative medicine—a field dedicated to bridging the gap between medical intervention and compassionate, quality-of-life care.

RSVP Today!
https://www.spiritualityandhealth.org/events/illuminationdinner

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8100 Greenbriar, Suite 300
Houston, TX
77054

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