Spiritual Wellness

Spiritual wellness is an invitation to wholeness in self, as it relates to questions about society, human relationships, and the meaning of life.

Some expressions of wellness include respect, honesty, spirituality, religious practices, community service, health, and continuing education.

When we are in tune with spiritual selves, we find meaning in life's events, comfort when things are not going well, beauty in life, and the ability to be compassion towards others.

Spiritual Organizations at UC San Diego

The Center for Ethics and Spirituality at UCSD 

The Center for Ethics and Spirituality:  CES supports students as they explore the central spiritual questions of their lives.

The Center for Ethics and Spirituality
201 University Center (located on Meyers Drive; building 986 on campus map) Map to CES
(858) 534-2521

The Center for Ethics and Spirituality (CES) at UCSD, established as the Office of Religious Affairs at UCSD in 1967, provides an accessible source for students to find spiritual, moral, and ethical guidance and support. CES supports students as they explore the central spiritual questions of their lives. The member denominations are all led by professionals for whom the campus is the primary responsibility. The office is self-supporting. The membership has varied over the years and is currently comprised of the Newman Center Catholic Community at UCSD, Hillel: the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, the University Lutheran Community, the Wesley Foundation, the Unitarian Universalist Campus Ministry, the Canterbury Episcopal Community, and the Islamic Center of San Diego.

CES. works to equip students with critical tools for the development of moral and ethical character. The members provide non-denominational spiritual and secular counseling, and act as referrals to other university services such as psychological and legal services. Some of the issues students bring to the C.E.S. involve familial relationships, peer relationships, sexuality, meaning of life, search for identity, and other issues of young adult development.

Promoting religious, racial, ethnic, and cultural tolerance and appreciation of diversity on campus is a major goal of the CES Another important function is to provide students with opportunities to connect with and serve in the larger San Diego community. - Source

Typical resources available through the Center include:

  • Secular counseling by professionals versed in theology, ethics, and spirituality

  • Quarterly lectures through the Burke Lecture Series on issues relating to ethics, spirituality, social norms, and morality

  • Workshops on strategies for recognizing and avoiding cults and high-pressure recruitment

Religious Professionals who volunteer at the Center for Ethics and Spirituality

Catholic

  • Fr. Dominic De Lay: 858-452-1957; dominic@mudpuddlefilms.com

  • Fr. John Paul Forte (trained as a Marriage & Family Therapist): 858-534-2548; jforte@ucsd.edu

  • Lynn Neu, Pastoral Associate: 858-452-1957; lneu@ucsd.edu

Episcopal

  • Mike Angell, Episcopal Campus Missioner: angellmike@gmail.com

Islamic

  • Imam Taha Hassane (Islamic Center of San Diego): 619-917-5434; imam@icsd.org; htahadz@yahoo.fr

Jewish

  • Rabbi Lisa Goldstein: 858-550-1792; lgoldstein@hillelsd.org

Lutheran

  • Reverend Brian Hooper (Psy.D. – Pastoral Counselor): 858-453-0561; 619-846-7073 (cell); bhooper@ucsd.edu

Methodist

  • Rev. Gary Anderson (Director of Student Office of Human Relations): 858-534-6951; gwanderson@ucsd.edu

Unitarian Universalist

  • Alice King (Campus Ministry Coordinator): 619-947-4610; alice@firstuusandiego.org