The Rev. Margaret Crowl on breaking
in a new boss
Have
Your "Spiel" Ready
I have been in my current
position for less than six years
and have had seven different bosses,
with boss number eight to be hired
soon. Other colleagues describe similar
boss turnover rates.
Why does this happen? It may be
due to the usual ebb and flow of
people coming and going. Or, a restructuring
may assign Pastoral Care to a different
position within the organization.
My most recent boss left for a better
position after only six months. He
predicted that due to a perceived
shortage of talent in the marketplace,
frequent turnover of upper administration
is going to be the rule rather than
the exception.
When a turnover happens, we may
report to an administrator that has
never before worked with Pastoral
Care. This gives us an opportunity
to be intentional about educating
our bosses about what we do, why
we are important to the institution,
and why they should support us. This
serves not only to establish a strong
supportive relationship, but also
to enhance the administrator’s
regard for Pastoral Care as he or
she may be promoted or move to a
higher position at another institution.
The boss who left us a few months
ago is already telling me that one
of his goals in his new hospital
is to establish a Pastoral Care department.
When you are awaiting a new boss,
use the time to get your policies
and procedures updated. Also assemble
some print resources to give to your
new boss. He or she will want to
get up to speed quickly. (See Suggested
Reading at the bottom.) Try to learn
everything you can about your new
boss before he/she comes. If it is
someone being promoted from within,
talk to former co-workers. If the
person is coming from another hospital,
try to make contact with the Pastoral
Care department in that hospital.
You may be able to obtain a resume.
The more you can operate within
your boss’s comfort zone, the
better relationship you will have.
As you are getting to know your new
boss, assess what’s important
to him/her. How is the boss going
to measure your department? How does
the boss prefer to communicate? Does
he/she like e-mail, voicemail, or
face-to-face? Does he/she want details
or overview; numbers or narrative?
Does he/or she like to chat or get
down to business right away and be
finished quickly? Try to assess the
boss’s Myers Briggs personality
type. Ask your new boss to identify
a favorite management book…then
READ IT. Inquire about religious
affiliation and offer help in finding
a new congregation or parish. My
experience is that a boss who is
well tied to his/her faith community
will more likely appreciate the value
of Pastoral Care.
Finally, be prepared for the new boss to arrive in your office one day unannounced,
asking you, “So tell me about your department.”Have your spiel
ready. Use language the administrator understands. Your boss will want to know
about your budget, your staffing, your coverage, and your goals.
Suggested Reading:
Clark, P.A., Drain, M, and Malone,
M. “Addressing Patients’Emotional
and Spiritual Needs,”Joint
Commission Journal on Quality and
Safety, Vol. 29 No. 12 (Dec.
2003); 659-670.
Graber, D.R., and Johnson, James
A. “Spirituality and Healthcare
Organizations,”Journal
of Healthcare Management, Vol.
46, No. 1, (Jan./Feb. 2001); 39-50.
LaRocca-Pitts, Mark. “Walking
the Wards as a Spiritual Specialist,”The
Harvard Divinity Bulletin, (summer
2004); 20.
Smith, Eric. “Assessing the
Bottom Line Impact of a Hospital
Pastoral Care Program,”The
Journal of the Association of Professional
Chaplains, Vol. 19 No. 2 (autumn/winter
2003); 22-25.
VandeCreek, L., and Burton, L. eds. “A
White Paper —Professional Chaplaincy:
Its Role and Importance in Healthcare,”Journal
of Pastoral Care 55, 1 (spring
2001); 81-97.
The Rev. Margaret Crowl, M.Div.,
BCC, is the Pastoral Care Coordinator
at Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown,
NJ. She is the APC State Representative
for New Jersey and its former Certification
Chair. She is a minister of the
Presbyterian Church, USA. Margaret
sings and plays the autoharp. She also
enjoys making tie-dyed shirts and other
clothing items which she sells at craft
shows and folk music festivals.
Do you have thoughts about advocacy
you’d like to share with your colleagues?
Send an e-mail to info@PlainViews.org.
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Education & Research |
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The Rev. Cornelius “Corky”DeBoer on
being and doing
An
Integrated Approach
to the Spiritual
Care Dance
There is often a tension
felt in spiritual care
ministry between “being”and “doing.”Often
in the course of a verbatim
presentation, these “being”/ “doing”tensions
arise. The student presenting
the verbatim will ask
for feedback regarding
what she “did for”the
patient. Did she assess
the need correctly and
do the right thing? Another
student will present
a verbatim in which he
was a silent presence
during a crisis situation.
He may ask “Was
simply ‘being with’the
family enough?”Were
there other things that
he could have or should
have done? As questions
like these are discussed,
typically several students
will value and emphasize
the “being”aspect
of ministry, while others
value and emphasize the “doing”aspect.
Some believe that the
primary style of pastoral
care is simply “being
with”people, and
not “doing for”them.
They see themselves as
neutral participants
in the pastoral care
dance, and are skilled
at letting their warm,
empathic presence provide
an inviting dance floor.
In the context of their
presence, patients may
choose to raise issues
and deal with their stresses
as they feel comfortable.
The chaplain’s
presence offers opportunity
if the patient so chooses
to dance (share their
stories, etc).
On the other end of
the continuum, there
are some that believe
that the primary style
of pastoral care should
be “doing for”others,
not just “being
with”them. In this
context, the importance
of pastoral initiative
is often referenced.
They see themselves as
taking the lead in the
pastoral care dance,
and demonstrate skills
in engaging in or stimulating
conversations with patients.
They take the initiative
in the dance, asking
for other information
or feelings that may
be helpful for the patient
to explore.
While each of these
styles has its place
in pastoral care ministry,
they are often set against
one another. When working
with students in the
struggle of this tension,
it dawned on me one day
that there was another
way to consider “being”and “doing”which,
interesting enough, was
congruent with my own
theory and practice of
ministry and supervision.
This new perspective
doesn’t emphasize
one over against the
other, but rather enables
the two to intertwine
in a more integrative
way.
The paradigm shift I
am referring to occurs
when one considers the
different nuances that
occur when the prepositions
normally paired with “being”and “doing”are
switched. Instead of “being
with”the patient
or student, I focus on “being
for”the patient
or student. Instead of “doing
for”the patient
or student, I focus on “doing
with”the patient
or student. The end result
is that instead of a
separation (either “being
with”or “doing
for”) or alternation
(alternating “being
with”or “doing
for”) ministry
approach, this new paradigm
shift (“being for”and “doing
with”) enables
one to enter the spiritual
care dance with an integrated
ministry approach.
Rev.
Cornelius “Corky”DeBoer
, M.Div, Th.M, is an ACPE
Associate Supervisor at
Advocate Christ Medical
Center in Oak Lawn, IL. He
is ordained in the Christian
Reformed Church in North
America (CRCNA). His
Th.M. dissertation, "The
Use of Lament in Pastoral
Care: Exploring Its Use
With Those Working Through
the Loss of a Child," is
available through the Calvin
Theological Seminary Library
in Grand Rapids, MI.
Do you have thoughts
about education & research
you’d like to share with
your colleagues? Send
an e-mail to info@PlainViews.org. |
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Spiritual
Development |
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The Rev.
Dr. Joan Murray on having
one's favorite place
known by Another
The
Lost Sheep
I was a
student at a southern
seminary while preparing
for the ministry of chaplaincy.
During a clinical pastoral
education unit in the
associated hospital complex,
an unexpected event became
an epiphany. The on-call
chaplain responsible
for Sunday School at
the children’s
hospital was inexperienced
so I offered some assistance
for which she was appreciative.
Both of us planned to
be present.
The multipurpose room
was ready for the children,
family, and friends.
Several young children
came with their mothers.
They wore pajamas and
carried toys. Just as
we began, a boy of about
ten came in alone slowly
pushing his IV pole.
He found a seat toward
the rear of the room.
He had a non-anxious
presence.
I drew upon my knowledge
and experience with storytelling
and using what was at
hand to bring the children
and their families into
the moment. I decided
to use the blackboard
and tell the story of
the lost sheep by drawing
with colored chalk a
pasture with trees, a
corral, and a few rocks.
The gate was left open
so they could visualize
the shepherd waiting
for the flock to return
for the night. Trees
were placed inside the
corral as well as in
the surrounding pasture.
The children were given
a cotton ball dipped
in water so they could
come, at the appropriate
time, and place themselves
in the scene on the blackboard.
The story of the lost
sheep was read from Matthew
18:12-14 to the four
small children, their
parents and the lone
ten-year-old sitting
at the back of the room.
After reading the story,
comments were made about
the shepherd looking
for the lost sheep and
how important each sheep
was to the shepherd.
Each child was invited
to come to the board
to place themselves as
sheep wherever they wanted
to be. The smaller children,
when brought one by one
by their mothers, placed
themselves in the corral
or on the board wherever
they could reach.
The ten-year-old boy
slowly pushed his IV
pole to the board and
placed himself under
a nearby tree outside
the corral. He then returned
to his seat. We talked
about where they had
placed themselves. Finally,
it was time to speak
about the sheep outside
the corral under the
tree. The storyteller
asked, “How will
the shepherd know where
to find you?”Quietly
he said, “Oh, the
shepherd will know that
is my favorite place.”There
was silence.
The story of the boy
is not known. His spoken
word is remembered. His
story is a favorite place
of mine, and I find God
there. What had happened
in this brief life that
gave him the assurance
that he would be found?
To have one’s favorite
place known by another
is an intimacy lacking
in many relationships
today. God will find
you, and you will find
God.
The Rev. Dr. Joan L.
Murray, MN, D.Min., BCC
is a chaplain, spiritual
director, registered nurse
and ACPE supervisor. Currently
she is the Coordinator
of the Chaplaincy Department
for Children's Healthcare
of Atlanta at Egleston.
She is an elder in the
North Georgia Conference
of the United Methodist
Church and a graduate of
the Shalem Institute for
Spiritual Formation. Her
area of interest is in
the many ways we are loved
into being.
Do you have thoughts
about spiritual development
you’d like to share with
your colleagues? Send
an e-mail of any length
to info@PlainViews.org. |
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EthicsWalk |
EthicsWalk addresses
spiritual care
as an ethical
enterprise. It
explores why
relationships
between spiritual
care providers
and those they
serve need protection,
and examines
what that protection
entails. PlainViews invites
our readers to
share their responses
to each EthicsWalk column,
which will be
published in
the following
issue.
If you’d like
to respond to EthicsWalk,
please send a
comment of no
more than 100
words. You can
use the e-form
below (click
on "hearing
from you," link)
or submit your
commentary to
the editors in
the body of an
e-mail (or as
a Microsoft Word
attachment) sent
to Info@PlainViews.org.
Please put the
phrase “EthicsWalk”
in your subject
line.
We look forward to hearing
from you.
Boundaries:
Navigating
or Negating?
Last month’s
column suggested
that experienced
spiritual care
providers might
occasionally
navigate boundaries
to benefit persons
served. How does
one discern beneficent
boundary navigation
from maleficent,
self-serving
boundary negation?
Some sticky
wickets:
Self-disclosure:
Appropriate self-disclosure acknowledges the spiritual care provider’s
humanity and may be re-assuring. Disclosures must address the needs of
the other and be directly applicable to them. Disclosures to impress,
seek advice, sympathy, or admiration from the other, are never appropriate.
Similarly, discussions of the provider’s sexuality, relationships,
or other personal matters are reserved for friends or professionals engaged
for that purpose.
Availability:
Availability is vital to good spiritual care. However, availability has
parameters. When reasons are frequently found to stretch parameters
with a particular person in care, problems may be developing. Examples
include:
—arranging
to see the person
outside “normal”hours
—rearranging one’s schedule
—excitedly anticipating visits
—extra care with clothes and grooming
—meeting at a “special location”
—frequently thinking about the person
—giving or receiving gifts
—keeping secrets beyond confidentiality requirements
—failing to note contact in the office schedule
—not wanting other staff to know about the meeting
Unusual
Touching
Touch is important and prudent touching is often appropriate in spiritual
care. Before touching, consider:
—“What
is the likely
impact on this
particular person
of my touch?”
—“What is my intent?”If your
intent is about “you,”don’t touch.
If you are
uncertain about
the impact, ask.
[“Are you
comfortable with
shaking hands?”“Is
a hand on your
arm comforting?”]
Be conscious of touching a particular person more frequently or in ways
different from normal patterns of touch in the professional care environment.
For example, hugs rather than handshakes, hand lingering on arm rather
than touch-and-remove.
Sexualized
Attraction
“I’m really sexually attracted to this other person, I think...”
Erotic energy is good. Erotic energy is healthy and helpful in many professional
relationships. The danger is letting erotic energy sexualize the context,
content and contact of the spiritual care provider’s association
with a particular person. If you suspect this is happening, ask:
—what
is lacking in
me, in my committed
relationship
with partner
or religious
community, in
my social life,
in my prayer
and study life that
becoming involved with this other person would hope to satisfy?
—why am I vulnerable in my personal or professional
life to this infatuation, to falling in love outside my commitments?
—what do I need to know about myself to understand
this attraction?
—from whom can I get some enlightenment -- immediately?
—if the spiritual care provider asks, “Is
this a relationship I should discuss with a colleague?”the answer is “definitely
and soon.”
—if the care provider wonders, “Can I handle
this relationship”the answer is, “probably not.”
—if he or she ponders, “Should I terminate
this contact?”the answer is, “Yes, and, now!”
Relationships
carry risk. A
spiritual care
provider does
not avoid relationships,
even with difficult
or troubled people
to avoid risk.
However, a spiritual
care provider
is responsible
for establishing
and maintaining
relationships
which respect
the provider’s
and the other’s
integrity and
safety.
To be continued from other perspectives. Comments welcome!
Anne
Underwood has
an undergraduate
degree in religious
studies, a master’s
degree in rural
sociology and
a mid-life law
degree obtained
after working
over a decade
as a college
administrator.
She has mediated
for the Maine
family courts
since 1983. Currently
she serves as
an advisor to
the ethics commissions
of ACPE, APC,
the CCAR (Central
Conference of
American Rabbis),
and NAJC, and
consults with
a variety of
Protestant faith
communities on
issues of power,
fair process,
and congregational
conflict management.
Her articles
on mediation
and restorative
justice have
appeared in the
ACPE News, The
APC News and
on the ACPE web
site. Articles
on clergy accountability
and judicatory
processes are
published by
the Alban Institute
and The
Journal on Religion
and Abuse. A
chapter, “Clergy
Sexual Misconduct:
A Justice Issue,”
appears in Body
and Soul: Rethinking
Sexuality as
Justice-Love,
Marvin Ellison
and Sylvia Thorson-Smith,
editors, The
Pilgrim Press,
2003.
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Reviews |
Macky Alston reviews
the film Father
Thomas Keating: The
Contemplative Life
Father
Thomas Keating:
The Contemplative
Life
St. Benedict’s
Monastery in Snowmass,
Colorado, is the
lovely spiritual
setting for a beautifully
filmed meditation
with Cistercian priest,
monk and abbot Father
Thomas Keating on
a practice he calls “centering
prayer.”The
goal of centering
prayer is to let
go of self-interest
and to surrender
to God, and Keating
serves as a luminous
example of one who
has committed his
life to this discipline.
At the center of
this film and Keating’s
life is the sense
of God’s constant
love, that, if received,
heals us and inspires
us to heal others.
Father Keating’s
meditations are interspersed
with images of daily
monastic rituals
and commentary from
his brothers at St.
Benedict’s
Monastery. Life there
is “a process,”and,
in the words of Father
Keating, the daily
rituals of a Trappist
monk involve “…a
friendship going
on with Christ that
is tangible, not
a one-way street.”
If one listens,
Father Keating says,
one will be invited
to receive “the
divine hospitality”of
God. In The Contemplative
Life, Keating
quotes 16th century
mystic, St. John
of the Cross, who
wrote: “Human
health depends on
the continuous awareness
of God’s presence.”
Macky Alston is
the director of Auburn
Media, a division of
the Center for Multifaith
Education at Auburn
Theological Seminary
committed to supporting,
cultivating and promoting
powerful, engaging,
balanced and responsible
media on religion,
spirituality and ethics.
He is a graduate of
Union Theological Seminary
and an award-winning
documentary filmmaker.
Completed: 2004
Running Time: 60 Minutes
Producer: Kathy Close
Technical Director/Editor: Michael Gleaton
Camera Operator: Peter Hutchison
If you are interested in purchasing this film,
you can do so at the Hartley Film Foundation’s
Web site, www.hartleyfoundation.org.
Just click on “Great Minds”on the
homepage for more information. The cost
is $24.95 for a VHS copy and $29.95 for a DVD
copy of the film.
Do you have thoughts about reviews you’d like
to share with your colleagues? Send an e-mail
to info@PlainViews.org.
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1/5/2005
Vol. 1, No. 23
