The Examen: A 5-Step Daily Prayer for Peace, Clarity, and Connection

In Episode 7 of _Post-Traumatic Growth with Dr. Gerry Crete_, Dr. Thomas Plante introduces the Examen, a five-step daily prayer from St. Ignatius of Loyola. The Examen invites us to reflect on the day with God by noticing gratitude, reviewing our thoughts and emotions, acknowledging where healing or forgiveness is needed, and choosing one small step toward greater love and purpose. This simple 15-minute practice can help deepen spiritual connection while also supporting emotional awareness, hope, meaning, and mental health. Featured Resources The Elijah Institute offers a downloadable Examen card along with two research papers exploring the psychological benefits of Examen-based practices: *“A Clinical Trial of the Examen and Mindfulness Within a Secular Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program” *Christopher M. Buenrostro and Thomas G. Plante, _Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling_, 2024. *“A Randomized Controlled Trial Assessing the Psychological Benefits of a Daily Examen-Based Practice” *Thomas G. Plante, David B. Feldman, Jacqueline Ge, and Anthony Cortese, _Journal of Religion and Health_, 2025. Download the Examen card and research papers here: https://elijah-institute.org/white-pa... Elijah Institute  Post Traumatic Growth with Dr. Gerry Crete is presented by the Elijah Institute.  Find out more about Elijah Institute’s nationally approved, continuing education courses in spiritually integrated whole person care at http://elijah-institute.org.   examen, Jesuit spirituality, mindfulness, trauma healing, spiritual practices, mental health, research, therapy, religious integration, post traumatic growth key  topics The examen prayer and its elements Research findings on the examen's effectiveness Adaptations for diverse populations Comparison with mindfulness and secular practices The role of imagery and visualization in healing Christian distinctives in spiritual practices Music and other sensory elements in spirituality Implications for trauma and addiction treatment Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Post Traumatic Growth 01:36 Exploring the Examen: A 500-Year-Old Prayer 05:18 The Five Steps of the Examen Prayer 10:21 Research Findings on the Examen vs. Mindfulness 12:21 Imagining Tomorrow: Visualization in Recovery 16:18 The Power of Experiential Prayer 22:16 Christianity's Unique Approach to Suffering 25:52 Researching Sacred vs. Secular Music 30:02 Integrating Music and Spirituality in Therapy 34:24 Conclusion and Next Steps in Therapy