Institute for Spirituality and Health

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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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

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

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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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.

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

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

04/07/2026

Deepen your yoga journey and share the gift of mindfulness. Join us for one of our Yoga Teacher Training & National Certification Courses this summer at the Institute! Whether you’re new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, everyone is welcome.

Choose between two sessions:
🗓️ May 2 - 9, 2026
🗓️ July 25 - August 1, 2026

Spaces fill quickly—reserve your spot today!
www.spiritualityandhealth.org/events

04/03/2026

Join us for the 2026 Illumination Dinner benefiting the Institute for Spirituality and Health on Tuesday, May 19th!

This year, we dive into the intersection of medicine and humanity with keynote speaker Dr. Sunita Puri, Director of UC Irvine Palliative Care. Her work on compassionate communication is transforming how we navigate the complexities of serious illness.

We are also honored to present the 2026 Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Caring Heart Award to the incredible Melanie Lawson, for her tireless advocacy and commitment to the Houston community.

🗓️ May 19, 2026 | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 TMC Helix Park, Houston, TX

Learn more and RSVP at www.spiritualityandhealth.org/events/illuminationdinner

Our mission is to enhance well-being by exploring the relationship between spirituality and health.

03/20/2026

The intersection of healthcare and spirituality is a complex, vital space. Yesterday, Stuart Nelson, the Institute's president and CEO, Dr. Kerry Horrell of The Menninger Clinic & Baylor College of Medicine, and Rev. Laura Mayo of Covenant Church sat down for an enlightening conversation to preview the upcoming Conference on Medicine and Religion.

They explored the essential questions: Where should these two worlds intersect to improve patient care, and where should they maintain their distinct boundaries?

Catch the full discussion and get a sneak peek into the national conference at the link below!
https://www.youtube.com/live/_D-Xq_ouFVg?si=pBfMmSUpmfKBfMNA&t=1258

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03/18/2026

LAST CHANCE: Join us THIS SUNDAY in Houston!

The Conference on Medicine and Religion is beginning this weekend, and we have a special invitation for the local community: Our exclusive Educational Excursions and Interactive Workshops are happening THIS SUNDAY ONLY (March 22) and are open to the general public!

You do not need to be registered for the full conference to attend these Sunday sessions.

🗓️ Date: Sunday, March 22, 2026
💰 Cost: $50
📍 Location: Hilton Houston Post Oak in the Galleria

Sunday’s Special Programming:

Educational Excursions (12:45 PM – 5:15 PM): Immersive tours of Houston’s most spiritual and healing spaces, including the Rothko Chapel, Live Oak Friends Meeting, Ismaili Center Houston, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and HOLOCAUST MUSEUM HOUSTON.

Interactive Workshops (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM): Expert-led sessions on Faith-Engaged Public Health, Bioethics, and the "Healer’s Ethos."

✨ Registration is closing fast! Don’t miss this one-day opportunity to explore the intersection of faith and medicine.

🔗 Register for Sunday sessions here: https://www.medicineandreligion.com/registration-and-fees.html

03/03/2026

Houston Diabetes and Healthy Living Peer Support Network

Managing diabetes is a multifaceted challenge that benefits significantly from community support. The CORE Initiative, in partnership with The Institute for Spirituality and Health, offers a structured Peer Support Network designed to provide practical wisdom and encouragement for those navigating life with diabetes.

Peer Support facilitators utilize a specialized curriculum developed by the Peer Support Action Work Group—a collaborative team of healthcare providers, community health workers, and individuals living with diabetes. The program follows evidence-based recommendations established by Peers for Progress at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health.

The Peer Support network provides both virtual and in-person meeting formats, including some Spanish-speaking options. These sessions are provided free of charge to the community!

For those interested in attending an in-person session or seeking more information, visit https://www.spiritualityandhealth.org/peersupport