A1 Thur Apr 16 AMExperiential Learning and QA Results from an inter-professional "Spiritual Care Engagement Tool"
Description: Widespread characterization of "chaplains" as "the death people", together with reductions in chaplaincy staffing, have led to the development of a "Spiritual Care Engagement Tool" for inter-professional staff, supporting interprofessionals in (a) doing spiritual care to their full scope of practice, and (b) making better/broader referrals to Spiritual Care. The 'opening movement' for this Tool is a pilot project in the Welland Hospital Site's Emergency Room. The project's QA data will be explored in this workshop (after introducing the Tool itself). Also presented will be general 'experiential learning' from the project.
Target/Style: Hospital Chaplains - Advanced level -Lecture and Interactive - Quantitative & Qualitative
Presenter:Bob Bond is a Coordinator of Spiritual and Religious Care with the Niagara Health System, having come to the Welland Hospital in 1990. Bob is husband to Lynn, dad to adult children Sara, Jeremy and Jessica, and 'master' to Golden Doodle Shamus. His CASC Certification is in Pastoral Counselling, earned during his first years in Niagara. Bob's two areas of professional-life focus have been (1) anti-poverty and (2) regulatory college development. Bob is also an assistant clinical professor (adjunct) at McMaster's DeGroote School of Medicine, Niagara campus, teaching the "Professional Competence" curriculum. He enjoys being in nature, walking, boating, snorkelling, singing, playing piano, watching movies, and comedy.
A2 Thur Apr 16 AMThriving after Trauma: How a past trauma can be transformed into a hopeful future
Description: van Dijk and Brister met at the 2014 CASC National Conference in Winnipeg where van Dijk was presenting a poster on her research that explores the question "What are some factors that enable an individual to transform a self-defined trauma into post-traumatic growth?" This workshop will present the results of van Dijk's research accompanied by Brister's narrative of how he is transforming his own trauma and journey through PTSD into post-traumatic growth. Warning: Workshop participants should be aware of the possibility of vicarious traumatization from hearing Brister's story. Participation in this workshop is at your own discretion and we rely on your own ability to attend to appropriate self-care as needed.
Target/Style: Spiritual care, counselling, healthcare, mental health, caring professionals - Advanced - Lecture - Qualitative (phenomenological, narrative and case study)
Presenters: Alida van Dijk, MA is a Doctor of Ministry candidate at Waterloo Lutheran Seminary and has taught a number of counselling related courses there since September 2012. Her DMin thesis research is on transforming trauma into post-traumatic growth. She is a certified Specialist Pastoral Counselling with CASC and is working towards becoming a CASC certified supervisor at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton. Major Dan Brister (Ret’d), MTS, MABCS is a retired infantry officer formerly with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. Having obtained a BA in Military Studies at Royal Road’s Military College, Dan was commissioned into the infantry in 1987. He served overseas on several occasions the last being in Kosovo in 1999. Dan was retired from the Army for medical reasons following that tour and is now serving as a certified chaplain of pastoral care with Alberta Health Services at the University of Alberta Hospital within the Transplants Program. Dan is currently working on his first advanced unit of PCE as a distance student of the Toronto Centre for Pastoral Counselling Education.
A3 Thur Apr 16 AM Walking on the Edge of Ambiguity: Interviewing the Interior Other through Stages of Change
Description: Building on the foundational value of ambiguity as a key motivator throughout the Stages of Change Model, this workshop presents a fresh approach to deepening the therapeutic exploration of ambiguity and its potential application at each step of the stages of change through the narrative-based approach of "interviewing the Interior Other".
Target/Style: Prior knowledge of narrative or solution-focused therapy helpful but not required - Beginner/Intermediate - Interactive - Integrated
Presenters:Lawrence A. Beech, Ph.D., M.Div. Specialist and PCE Teaching Supervisor (CASC); Director, Pastoral Counselling Education Program, Toronto School of Theology, ON. Richard Tamas is a doctoral student at Wilfrid Laurier University in their DMin program: Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy. Richard is working toward certification as a CASC Specialist in pastoral counselling, and certification as an Emotionally Focused Couple Therapist.
A4 Thur Apr 16 AM Using CASC Competencies for Evaluation with special focus on Research
Description: This workshop offers an opportunity to explore the use of competencies in evaluation for the Summary and Assessment documents, as well as other CASC educational and certification processes.It further helps supervisors and students facilitate and evaluate students’ performance on the research competencies of CASC and the College of Registered Psychotherapists in Ontario (CRPO). It offers answers to the following questions: a. What do the research competencies in CASC and CRPO mean? What are the similarities and differences between the research competencies of CASC and CRPO? b. What knowledge, skill and judgment do students need to meet these competencies? c. What are the behaviours in the student’s performance that indicate that a student meets these competencies? d. What are some strategies and learning experiences that supervisors and students can utilize to help facilitate student learning in these research competencies?Two members of the Education Standards Commission from Atlantic and Ontario as well as a Teaching Supervisor and Associate members who use the CASC Competencies in the various evaluative processes will facilitate the workshop. Format will be a facilitated discussion following a brief presentation, so bring your questions, concerns, successes and challenges to discuss with your peers.
Target/Style: Teaching Supervisors or those in supervisory education, students and those who participate in assessment for education and/or certification process - Advanced - Lecture and interactive
Presenters:Thomas St. James O’Connor, ThD is Professor Emeritus, Waterloo Lutheran Seminary at Wilfrid Laurier and an Associate Clinical Professor, Family Medicine, McMaster. He is an approvedsupervisor in AAMFT and a CPE and PCE Supervisor in CASC. Tom currently is running a PCE unit at Trinity Care Village. He has authored and co-authored five books and over 50 articles in academic Journals. His research includes spiritual care, narrative therapy, and spiritual reflection. Rob McRae, MA is a graduate of the MA: Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy program at WLU. He is completing his second CPE unit under Tom O’Connor while working in spiritual care at St. Mary’s hospital and seeing clients for individual therapy at the Delton Glebe Centre in Waterloo. He is the author of a book on mystic spirituality – Living As God: Healing the Separation (Namaste Pub, 2012, ). Coryn Stehouwer, MA is a graduate of the Master of Arts in Theology: Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy at Laurier, and is a Partner Therapist at the Delton Glebe Counselling Centre. Coryn previously worked as a Recreation Therapist and lived and worked as an Assistant in a L'Arche Toronto home. She is currently participating in a PCE unit at Trinity Village Long Term Care Centre. Patricia O'Halloran is a teaching supervisor on staff at Capital District Health Authority in Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. She works as a part of a teaching collaborative, with three other teaching supervisors in a multi-site teaching hospital. A Spiritual Care provider for 15 years, and Teaching supervisor since 2008, she currently sits on the Education Standards Commission. Linda Kuschnik is a teaching supervisor since 2014 working at University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, a spiritual care provider for 15 years and a Past Regional Admitting Chair for both Atlantic and OCN regions.
A5 Thur Apr 16 AM Creative Approaches to Supporting Staff: Expanding the Scope of Spiritual Care
Description: This workshop will present 2 different approaches for staff support. How can Spiritual Care grow and expand in the challenging healthcare environment? With this question in mind, the Spiritual Care department at London Health Sciences Centre embarked on an innovative expansion of its scope of practice with the founding of the Staff Support Program in 2011. Broadening the Spiritual Care role to include care of staff, leaders and physicians, the Staff Support Program is a strategic collaboration with Human Resources and the result of long-term relationship building and intentional partnerships. Today the Staff Support Program responds to a 24/7 Pager focusing on workplace stress and trauma through individual and group support, critical incident interventions, as well as resiliency education. Come hear an innovative success story built upon traditional spiritual care values of collaboration, compassion and relationship.
Hospitals have come to the realization that it is vital to all successful treatments that employees as well as patients and their families feel that they have the mental and emotional excess strength and energy to cope with challenging situations. At University Health Network in Toronto, a leading edge pilot project, Code Lavender, has been adapted from an initiative at ExperiaHealth, a Cleveland Clinic. Through consultation with ExperiaHealth, and our own research in collaboration with nursing, we have created a program to care for staff emotionally and spiritually which we hope will improve employee satisfaction, create a community of collegiality and improve staff resilience. Code Lavender involves caring for employees who have reached an emotional breaking point or state of fatigue.
Target/Style: Spiritual Care practitioners, leaders and administrators - Beginner or Advanced - Interactive - Qualitative and Integrated, Case Study
Presenters:Warren Litt (Professional Practice Leader and Teaching Supervisor), Georgina Foster-Haig (Interfaith Chaplain), and Dale Nikkel (Interfaith Chaplain and Provisional Teaching Supervisor) are members of the Spiritual Care team and Staff Support Program at The London Health Science Centre (LHSC) in London, Ontario. LHSC is one of Canada’s largest acute-care teaching hospitals and is dedicated to excellence in patient care, teaching and research. Through our affiliation with Western University and more than 30 other educational institutions, the hospital trains more than 1,800 medical and health care professionals annually. Our physicians, residents and staff numbering nearly 15,000 provided care for more than one million patients last year.June Mawhinney is the Spiritual Care Professional in the Malignant Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant units at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre for the past eight years. June is also a certified Specialist in CASC and is working towards a diploma in Spiritual Direction. Danielle Slump is the Spiritual Care Professional on the General Internal Medicine Units at Toronto Western Hospital. Danielle is a Specialist in CASC and a Professional Member in the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.
A6 Thur Apr 16 AM Spiritual Care and Social Work: Partnering for best practice outcomes for clients
Description:The ability to work collaboratively with other disciplines is considered a critical element of professional practice. Research indicates that client safety and reduced costs occur as a team work together within their scope of practice. Spiritual care and social work share significant similarities in our value base and are equally effective communicators on our professional teams. Through the clarification and understanding of one another's scope of practice we can avoid role blurring, territorial tensions and duplication of our work. This workshop will provide attendees with clinical examples drawing on each discipline as a resource from our collective past and present as we work towards best practice outcomes in spiritual care for our future.
Target/Style: Those who wish to collaborate effectively - Beginner or Advanced - Interactive and experiential - Qualitative and Integrated
Presenters:Karen Grant M.A. Specialist Pastoral Care: Karen has been working as a multi faith Chaplain at the Ottawa Hospital, General Campus for many years; working extensively with cancer patients and their families, as well as being assigned to surgical, respiratory, psychology, and maternity. She is currently part of the ICU for over three years with her co-presenter, Donna, and has further developed her experience in the area of critical care. Karen is a Specialist in Pastoral Care, is a part of the Corporate Debriefing Team, the Spiritual Care Advisory and Organ Donation Committees and the training facilitator for the Emergency Spiritual Care Assistance Team at the Ottawa Hospital. Karen understands and appreciates the value of working as a team and enjoys the challenge as well as the variety of voices and expertise to provide the best care for clients. She is married and has two adult children.
Donna Bottomley MSW RSW: Donna has been working at the Ottawa Hospital, General Campus for over 14 years. She has been the social worker for the ICU for the past 7 years and has also worked in Obstetrics, perinates, NICU and Psychiatry while at the General Campus. In addition, Donna has held positions in the community with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario as well as being a Foster Family Supervisor with a private organization and a Protection Worker at the Children’s Aid Society. Donna obtained her Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 1983, and her Master of Social Work from Wilfred Laurier University in 1989. She brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge in a variety of situations and a passion for people and her work.
B1 Thur Apr 16 PMDementia and Psychotherapy
Description: Individuals with moderate to advanced dementia rarely are seen as candidates for psychotherapy. This workshop will explore the question of whether people with dementia can benefit from psychotherapy; especially spiritually focused psychotherapy and what are some psychotherapeutic interventions that can be used successfully with this population.
Target/Style: Chaplains, spiritual care psychotherapists, caregivers - Beginner - Interactive – Integrated
Presenter: Gloria Ryder is the Spiritual Care Co-ordinator at Trinity Village Care Centre in Kitchener. She is a graduate of Waterloo Lutheran Seminary and is currently competing her advanced PCE clinical training at Trinity Village with Tom O'Connor.
B2 Thur Apr 16PMWorking with Resistance: On the Threshold of Meaning, Learning and Living
Description:As Spiritual Care and Counselling Practitioners, we often have clients, patients or students that are resistant. Resistant to change, to progress, to exploration, to life. In these situations when we encounter challenging forms of resistance we often feels unable to respond in an effective way. This workshop will explore: •resistance as a normal reaction which often serves an important function in the life of the client, •the most common reasons for resistance, •a number of techniques for approaching resistance, •the importance of the therapeutic relationship, and how to maintain a positive therapeutic alliance through those times when the client is most resistant, and •how to create space for the resistant parts and how to support and build on the client’s own strengths and capacity for transformation.
Target/Style: Spiritual care practitioners, Pastoral Counsellors, CPE/PCE Supervisors, Mental Health, Institutions, Community Practice - Intermediate - Lecture & Interactive - Theory and Clinical experience Integrated
Presenter:Cindy Elkerton is a CASC Certified Specialist in Pastoral Counselling and a CASC Associate Teaching Supervisor in Pastoral Counselling Education. She works with individuals, couples and families at her private practice. Her treatment approach is integrative of Relational Psychodynamics, Marriage and Family Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness. Cindy has two locations, one at Broadview Ave and Danforth Ave in Toronto and a second at Bayly St and Brock Rd in Pickering. She is a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Certified Practitioner with Psychometrics Canada and facilitates MBTI with individuals and groups. Cindy contributes to CASC on the regional, provincial and national level as Chair of the CASC Ontario Central and North West (OCN) Region, OCN representative on the CASC Ontario Council and Secretary on the CASC Professional Practice Commission. She is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Bereavement Ontario Network. Cindy resides in East Toronto with her partner and three sons.
B3 Thur Apr 16 PMAttachment Styles to God-What are they and why are they important
Description: Attachment style refers to how we relate to significant others in our life as a function of our experience as an infant with our primary caregiver. Research has identified several styles and documented that these relate both to the quality of an individual’s relationships throughout the lifespan as well as to well-being following stressful events. Recently, researchers have begun to examine attachment styles in relation to God. In this workshop, you will learn how to identify your attachment style to people and God. You will also learn how this can affect your personal experience and communication with God.
Target/Style: Everyone - Beginner - Lecture/Interactive - Quantitative
Presenter: Jolena-Sophia Des Alexandra is a recent graduate of Brock University, graduating with a Master of Arts in Psychology. Previously, she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the State University of New York. She is of Aboriginal descent, belonging to the Osoyoos Indian Band in British Columbia and was adopted out as a baby to a Caucasian family in Arkansas. She lived there until she moved to Rochester, New York to work as an administrator in the textile manufacturing business for several years before moving to St. Catharines, Ontario to study for her MA.
B4 Thur Apr 16 PM Thriving on the Edge of Childhood: Building the future by investing in children's spiritual wellbeing
Description: Children have unique spiritual care needs; however, gaps in understanding patterns in child spirituality make these needs difficult to understand. In this research-based workshop, we use national data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey (n=26000) to explore relationships between spirituality, age and wellbeing in Canadian children (11-15). Spiritual wellbeing progressively decreased with age, yet those maintaining a high level of spiritual wellbeing had significantly higher emotional wellbeing. We reflect on these findings and suggest strategies for nurturing spiritual wellbeing in children. This contributes to shaping best practices in pediatric spiritual care, and in turn impacts adult spiritual wellbeing.
Target/Style: Researchers, spiritual care practitioners, anyone who cares for children - Beginner - Interactive – Quantitative
Presenters: Drs. Michaelson, Trothen, and Pickett are researchers at Queen’s University with an emerging program of research in pediatric spiritual care. Collectively, this research team includes expertise in spiritual care, child health research and epidemiology. Over several years, Drs. Pickett (Emergency Medicine and Epidemiology) and Michaelson (Child Health and Spirituality) have been involved with the development of a novel measure of pediatric spirituality that is being used internationally for the first time in 2015. Dr. Trothen is a professor of theology and a CPE Supervisor. They are authors on several international papers on pediatric spirituality.