Relationship with G-d is Valued

A positive relationship with G-d that nurtures a sense of self-acceptance, belonging, and attachment provides many people with a source of emotional comfort when faced with a life-threatening illness (Burkhardt, 1994). Chaplains and pastoral counselors often serve as a reminder, or a conduit for this relationship. As those in crisis begin to reflect on the spiritual, chaplains are there to support those reflections, sometimes with prayer, sometimes just by listening and offering support.

Significant research has been conducted on the spiritual beliefs of cancer patients. Many women with cancer speak of how their active and intimate relationship with G-d helps them feel less alone and gives them courage to deal with their disease (Johnson and Spilka, 1991). Breast cancer survivors often speak of G-d as being an ever-present support, constant companion, and confidante who helps buttress their self-esteem and sense of personal control throughout their illness (Gall & Cornblat, 2002). Researchers have also found that survivors who experienced the presence of G-d in their lives reported having a more optimistic attitude toward their life and their survival after a diagnosis of cancer (Gall et al., 2000).

Patients also tend to increase their focus on religious issues and their connection to G-d as their cancer advances. When 231 patients with end-stage cancer were asked what maintained their quality of life, their “relationship with G-d” was the most common response among 28 choices that included “how well I eat,” “physical contact with those I care about,” and “pain relief” (McMillian & Weitzner, 2000). According to these findings, terminal patients maintained their relationship with
G-d in spite of severe functional difficulties and serious physical symptoms. In a study of 108 women in Michigan at various stages of cancer, about half felt they had become more religious since they were diagnosed and none said they were less religious (Roberts, Brown, Elkins, & Larson, 1997).

This research reaffirms the importance of spiritual caregivers. Cancer is just one example of the many challenging illnesses and crises our patients and clients face. Given the serious nature of the disease, these findings are a good indicator of how people rely on G-d and spiritual support to see them through their most difficult times.

Chaplains and other spiritual care professionals may wish to share these findings with healthcare administrators or other supervisors. In today’s bottom-line driven healthcare system, hard data can be an important tool in demonstrating the value of spiritual care.

REFERENCES
Burkhardt, M.A. (1994) Becoming and connecting: Elements of spirituality for women. Holistic Nursing Practices, 8(4), 12-21.
Gall, T.L., MIguez de Renart, R.M., Boonstra, B. (2000). Religious resources in long-term adjustment to breast cancer. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 18(2), 21-38.
Gall, T.L., & Cornblat, M.W. (2002). Breast cancer survivors give voice: A qualitative analysis of spiritual factors in long-term adjustment. Psycho-Oncology, 11, 524-535.
Johnson, S.C., & Spilka, B. (1991). Coping with breast cancer: The role of clergy and faith. Journal of Religion and Health, 30, 21-33.
McMillian, S.C., & Weitzner, M. (2000). How problematic are various aspects of quality of life in patients with cancer at the end of life? Oncology Nursing Forum, 27(5), 817-823.
Roberts, J.A., Brown, D., Elkins, T., & Larson, D.B. (1997). Factors influencing views of patients with gynecological cancer about end-of-life decisions. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 176(1), 166-172.

Diving Into the Wreck – Part 2
All in Due Time

This week Mary Ragan, Ph.D., director of the Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute in New York City, continues her discussion of the traumas confronted by chaplains and options for self-healing. The essay’s title, “Diving Into the Wreck,” is taken from the poem of the same name by Adrienne Rich, who writes:
I came to explore the wreck.
The words are purposes.
The words are maps.
I came to see the damage that was done
And the treasures that prevail. [in The Fact of A Doorframe. Norton, 1984]

Since clergy and other religious professionals are often first-responders in trauma situations, issues of self-care and nurturance become ever more urgent. Helpers in general, and clergy in particular, tend to be slow to recognize their own needs and to respond effectively in a timely manner. While it is generally true that more immediate interventions facilitate a better prognosis for healing, it was also made clear in this chaplains’ group [who were all involved in large-incident trauma—many in the World Trade Center tragedy—and met monthly with the author beginning in fall 2003] that many of them would have been unable to deal with the aftermath of 9/11 before now. They needed distance from the event and an opportunity to understand what had happened to them in a private way before “going public.”

For some, speaking of the experiences related to these catastrophic events could only be done effectively with those who had shared the same experience. They were especially sensitive to any kind of conversation that suggested an exploitation of the pain of others through telling the story in any way that capitalized on its dramatic content without protecting the sacred privacy of both the living and the dead.

Carrie Doehring’s book Taking Care is a helpful resource regarding the issues of self-care. The challenge of staying in touch with the humanity of the other and with one’s own humanity by monitoring movements toward disengagement or merger is clearly presented in her work.