Foundations for Chaplains

Class Details

Foundations for Chaplains

People from almost every walk of life enter into the field of spiritual care during crises and disasters. Many also serve in institutions and agencies such as corporations, hospitals, schools, police and fire departments, EMS and a myriad of other contexts. Since there is no universally accepted training program for “chaplains” and other spiritual care providers, many people who enter into chaplaincy never receive the foundational training that helps to equip them for the role of chaplain or spiritual care provider. Being a “nice person” helps. It isn't enough. Chaplains need to learn about the psychological stress that many people experience and must learn how to mitigate that stress. Helping people cope during the aftermath of bad news, civil unrest, homicides, terrorism, and other emergencies becomes one of the most import tasks for the chaplain. Facilitating adaptive functioning and access to more appropriate care are essential.

What You'll Learn

• Uniqueness of chaplain ministry
• Broad overview of disasters, phases of disasters, phases of emergency management
• Human needs and human development – why we do what we do
• Distress as the trauma response
• Story listening as an art form
• Suicide response in emergencies
• Comforting grief after losses of many kinds
• Ministering in cultural and religious diversity
• Applying spiritual first aid
• Spiritual care in action
• Crisis care for the caregiver
• Laws, accountability, and boundaries for the chaplain
• National expectations for providing spiritual care in context
• Applying spiritual first aid
• Spiritual care in action
• Crisis care for the caregiver
• Laws, accountability, and boundaries for the chaplain
• National expectations for providing spiritual care in context