About the The Practice of Spiritual Care course
Spiritual care has been developed over the last 30 years, and for some is most closely associated with the hospice movement. There is a growing interest in how we define the nature of spiritual care and what framework might enable us to develop good practice.
We instinctively think of people of faith when considering spiritual needs, but everyone has a soul which requires nurture and attention. As Richard Billings says in A Handbook of Chaplaincy Studies (2015), ‘while not everyone comes from a religious background, all human beings share a general need to find value, meaning and purpose in their lives’ (p41). Care services are required to meet the ‘spiritual needs’ of every service user as part of a holistic response, but what does that mean for those with no faith?
The day will focus on the broader spiritual needs we all share, whether or not we profess religious faith. How can chaplains, and others with a concern for the wellbeing of each person they meet enable spiritual flourishing?
This practical workshop will aim to do three things:
1) Introduce the participants to the nature and scope of spiritual care;
2) explore the possible means of mechanisms of assessing spiritual care;
3) help participants understand their own experience and listen to others.
Through input and discussion, we will explore what it might mean to nurture a culture of spiritual care.
The day also offers participants a range of takeaway resources to support their further thinking and practice.
Those interested might include chaplains and others with an outward facing ministry, like street pastors, those volunteering in schools and other public settings. But the topic is relevant to pastoral care teams and lay and ordained ministers.
About the Tutor
Julia Burton-Jones has been working on issues surrounding ageing, dementia and the needs of family carers throughout her working life. She is an author on these themes and an adult educator and has worked with several national charities for older people in development and project management roles.
Her first degree was in Sociology and Social Administration from Bristol University, and she has an MEd in Adult and Continuing Education from Nottingham University. Since 2015 she has worked within the formation and ministry team at Rochester Diocese as Anna Chaplaincy lead and dementia specialist and now works with a team of over 100 Anna Chaplains and Anna Friends in both Rochester and Canterbury Dioceses.
In 2020 Julia took on a part-time post as training and development lead for Anna Chaplaincy at BRF, a Christian charity whose vision is to enable people of all ages to grow in faith and understanding of the Bible and to see more people equipped to exercise their gifts in leadership and ministry.
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