The Institute offers a wide range of programs that support healthcare provider wellness, promote compassionate health care, and provide a nurturing environment for collaborative education and research relevant to health, healing and spirituality.

The Institute of Religion was founded at the Texas Medical Center in 1955 with the goal of supporting the religious and spiritual aspects of health and healing within the medical center’s institutions.

For more than 50 years, the Institute has been an international leader in several areas related to medicine and religion. Throughout its history, the Institute has played an important role in educating healthcare professionals relating to health and spirituality. In 2008 the name was changed to Institute for Spirituality and Health.