Religion and spirituality can strengthen marriages and families. Many such results are found in a series of studies published by the American Psychological Association in two special editions of its journals.

A higher degree of commitment was found in romantic partners who prayed for their significant others. Couples with a strong sense of spiritual intimacy were more effective at handling their top three areas of conflict. The perception of the relationship as sacred led to a higher degree of satisfaction in marriage.

The effects of a strong spiritual bond or religious practice extended to the families of these couples. Their teenage children showed an increased experience of well-being. These patterns were found in couples at every socioeconomic level, and across a diverse spectrum of ethnic groups.

Section editors Annette Mahoney and Annamarie Cano said that the emerging field of “relational spirituality” looks at how spiritual beliefs and behaviors can affect intimate relationships. They hope this publication will increase research in this area and improve the exchange between the fields of family psychology and the psychology of religion and spirituality.

The bottom line is that it’s worth developing the spiritual aspect of your relationship, and perceiving your partner as a spiritual being on a human path, rather than trying to solve problems only at the material level.

Tapping can reinforce both your spiritual life and your marriage. There are dozens of stories written by people who use EFT to enhance their spiritual practice, and many more by couples who’ve transformed their marriages after learning EFT. The increased well-being that comes from both a strong spiritual life and a loving family doesn’t just make you feel better; it has measurable positive effects on your health and longevity as well.