FR1.01 – African Cultural Values: Unity In Chaplaincy Growth And Development
Presented by John Ekeocha PhD BCC & Aloysius Ezenwata PhD MSP BCC
Overview:
The present day chaplaincy is faced with complexities of an increasingly changing health care setting, government regulations, threat from the forces of contemporary culture, impact of the ongoing pandemic, and challenges from emerging chaplaincy groups. All of these, call for innovative responses. One of the innovative responses offered here is a unitive chaplaincy grounded in harnessing the values of the diverse membership cultures for building and sustaining unitive chaplaincy growth and development. Join us as culturally-grounded panelists from different parts of Africa, represented in our organization, discuss how African cultural values can be resourceful for building and sustaining unitive chaplaincy.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand some of the major strengths of African cultural values towards unitive chaplaincy building and sustenance
- Discuss the connection and resourcefulness of some African cultural values with chaplaincy ministry
- Articulate and apply African cultural values to chaplaincy growth and development
Level: Intermediate
Handout included: NO
FR1.02 – Aggression Prevention & Management: De-Escalation As A Spiritual Caregiver
Presented by Rob Wolpert MDiv BCC
Overview:
No matter the setting, aggression and other escalated behavior seems to be a factor of concern. A growing number of hospitals seem to have aggression prevention teams (BERTs, BARTs, APTs, etc.) to address some of these issues. Prisons, the military, and other workplaces are also no stranger to these events. What is the role of a chaplain when something like this takes place? How can a chaplain collaborate with a team to address these issues? This workshop will aim to empower chaplains to address these issues and what it may look like to provide de-escalation as spiritual care.
Learning Objectives:
- As a result of this education opportunity, participants will be able to have a greater understanding of possible roles of a chaplain in de-escalation teams & individual visits, gain greater awareness of possible de-escalation models currently in use, and reflect on how to approach de-escalation when returning to their place of work.
Level: Beginner
Handout included: NO
FR1.03 – Caring For The Staff: Three Quality Improvement Projects
Presented by Rhonda Feurtado MDiv BCC
Overview:
As we have come through the season of the pandemic medical staff, particularly bedside nurses, have had so many more patient deaths to deal with and often don’t have time to process before they have to move on to the next patient or situation. Added to that are the staffing shortages as a well as personal issues people are dealing with of their own. So this has been a difficult season for health care workers. The medical team often experiences moral injury, secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout. So there has been a lot of turnover, especially in the nursing field, in the past few years. This workshop will present 3 quality improvement projects aimed at caring for staff in tangible ways to help them feel cared for and know they are valued.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to implement any or all of these projects in their own settings
- Get participants excited about providing care for coworkers and give them tools for devising quality improvement projects aimed at caring for staff in tangible ways
- Aid in staff retention by coworker care
Level: Intermediate
Handout included: NO
FR1.05 – First-Responder Chaplaincy: What it is and Why it is Important
Presented by Phil Reeves BCC
Overview:
First-responder chaplaincy involves providing spiritual, psychological, and emotional support in emergency situations, guided by the principles of Catholic faith. It is a ministry to individuals affected by crises and trauma (such as crime, accidents, or natural disasters), as well as to police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel themselves. Emphasizing the Catholic values of compassion, service, community, and the sanctity of life, these chaplains offer prayer, counseling, and wellness resources – addressing immediate spiritual needs in high-stress environments. First-responder chaplains offer a “field hospital church” ministry of presence, that reflects Christ’s love and compassion in times of need and trauma.
Learning Objectives:
- To provide an understanding of first-responder chaplains and what they do
- To compare and contrast first-responder chaplaincy to healthcare chaplaincy
- To explore first-responder chaplaincy as a nascent profession and ministry
Level: Beginner
Handout included: NO
FR1.06 – Partnering with Organ Procurement Organization in Whole Person Centered Care in Donor Care Unit
Presented by Martha Rucker MDiv BCC
Overview:
Participants will be able to hear about and learn the process of establishing a donor care unit and how to effectively partner with their state OPO. Participants will also learn how Spiritual Care is a vital part of the unit and how to implement our work as Spiritual Caregivers.
Learning Objectives:
- o learn of one model of spiritual care involvement with organ donation
- To share examples of how to enhance the relationship between OPO and spiritual care
- To provide a model in setting up a Donor Care Unit
Level: Advanced
Handout included: NO
FR1.07 – Providing Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care
Presented by Victoria Kumorowski JD DMin BCC
Overview:
This workshop is designed to enable participants to gain a greater understanding of the signs and impact of trauma upon the lives of patients, family members, and medical staff. It is also designed to encourage chaplains to promote healing and resilience by providing trauma-informed pastoral care.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to identify the three key components of trauma, including the factors that shape how a traumatic event is experienced
- Participants will be able to describe the four key concepts that underlie trauma-informed care
Level: Intermediate
Handout included: NO
FR1.08 – Recovering Childlike Ways Of Being With Others And Navigating The World
Presented by Nikki Kleinberg MDiv BCC & Rebecca Orsini MEd
Overview:
During this workshop, learners will find opportunity to play like a kid, interact with others in childlike ways, and enhance capacity for engaging environments with self-regulation through attention to sensory input. As a result of this educational opportunity, participants will increase or refine their ability to consider various ages and stages present within themselves and those they serve at any age and stage for more effective assessment of spiritual care needs as well as intervention possibilities. Participants will learn a few practices to try with themselves and/or those they serve to facilitate inner child work, healing and resilience.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand an overview of various approaches and resources that explore “inner child work” as beneficial for human health and group dynamics
- Reflect on a variety of theistic and atheistic religious and contemplative perspectives on the care and preservation of “child-likeness” into adulthood from religious, spiritual, philosophical and/or art communities and traditions
- Gain a working knowledge of 3-5 multisensory “childlike” practices for healthy processing of sensory input and emotions, appropriately promoting resilience, and building community. Chaplains will learn new skills to offer in acute care settings for people of any age, or for their own self-care
Level: Beginner
Handout included: NO
FR1.09 – Spiritual Care & Community Wellness: The Results of a Mixed-Methods Inquiry of Chaplain Involvement in Population Health Initiatives
Presented by Kelsey White PhD BCC
Overview:
A team from Transforming Chaplaincy and Virginia Commonwealth University undertook a mixed-methods exploratory study to find out where and how chaplains were engaging in population health efforts. The team conducted a survey and interviews to gather the extent of how chaplains support or lead initiatives that improve community wellness.
Learning Objectives:
- Summarize the project’s findings
- Identify future research needs around chaplaincy and population health
- Define population health
Level: Intermediate
Handout included: NO
FR1.10 – Technology: An Essential For 21St Century Spiritual Care
Presented by Justin Martin MDiv BCC & Cody Alley MAR MDiv BCC
Overview:
This workshop will reflect on the reality that technology has become a cornerstone of healthcare and how healthcare chaplaincy can and must respond. Chaplains can not risk being technology illiterate for it will be foundational to our growth within the interdisciplinary team. Technology can be a tool to help solve some historic problems (e.g. staffing) while also addressing other systemic barriers to traditional care (e.g. Social Determinates of Health). Chaplains will need a firm understanding of how to use technology to translate its value to executive leaders and patients alike. Come learn more about yourself and your relationship to technology.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to identity the strengths and limitations of virtual care and the its uses of technology
- Participants will learn about several modalities of virtual care that are highlighted through Mercy’s healthcare ministry
- Participants will learn about some tools they may be able to introduce into their own practice to further their care
Level: Intermediate
Handout included: NO
FR1.11 – With The Best Of Intentions: Interreligious Missteps And Mistakes
Presented by Soren Hessler PhD, Lucinda Mosher ThD & Bilal Ansari DMin
Overview:
A discussion with contributors to “With the Best of Intentions: Interreligious Missteps and Mistakes,” edited by Lucinda Mosher, Elinor Pierce, and Or Rose, published by Orbis Books in October 2023. The volume features personal essays—including several by chaplains—on the mistakes, disappointments, conundrums, and failures in attempts at engaging in or crafting transformative interreligious encounters. We believe that such reflections can be helpful to others involved in this sacred and complicated work. Further, as the field of Interreligious Studies continues to grow, we need more self-critical discussion of the times and places that interreligious efforts go awry.
Learning Objectives:
- Interrogate more deeply and openly interreligious and cross-cultural encounters that have gone awry
- Be knowledgeable of a new resource for cultivating critical discussion of interreligious missteps and mistakes
Level: Intermediate
Handout included: NO
FR1.12 – The Spiritual Power Of Play: A Curriculum For Pediatric Spirituality Groups
Presented by Kjirstin Almos MA MDiv BCC
Overview:
This interactive workshop will present a six unit spirituality group curriculum developed for an inpatient pediatric behavioral health setting. The curriculum uses play to foster spiritual reflection and affirm dignity and personhood. Each unit introduces games and activities to explore spiritual themes such as gratitude, personal values, and compassion. This workshop will present the theoretical foundations and theological influences that shaped the curriculum, with workshop participants engaging with some of the games and activities used in a typical group session. It will also provide an overview of the curriculum structure and suggestions and strategies for implementation in other settings.
Learning Objectives:
- Articulate a basic understanding of developmental theories and role of play in providing pediatric spiritual care
- Identify relevant factors that inform spiritual care in pediatric behavioral
Level: Beginner
Handout included: NO
FR1.14 – Working With Gender Fluid Patients & Family: Body, Mind, And Spirit
Presented by Adrian Mazur MDiv DN BCC
Overview:
The presentation will offer insights into working with gender-fluid individuals and their families from the perspective of the medical center chaplain. Special attention will be given to the challenges of working through unintentional bias and acceptance issues with families and staff. The presenter will offer didactic content, case studies and encourage reflection.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the unintended bias you may be holding when serving/caring for a genderfluid individual and their family
- Appreciate that we all have an unintended bias toward individuals with diverse life choices
- Explore ways in which you can serve/care for the gender-fluid individual and their family from a body, mind, and spirit perspective
Level: Intermediate
Handout included: NO
ONLINE VIDEO/AUDIO RECORDING RETURN POLICY
Effective as of: July 1, 2023
This applies to Annual Conference Recordings, Professional Education Webinar Recordings, Chaplain Symposium Recordings, and Webinar Journal Club Recordings.
