Introduction
The CPE process helps build awareness of self and others as a vehicle for greater spiritual care. Awareness includes learning about oneself and developing greater awareness of the experiences and values of others.
Self-Care is essential to deeply engage the pain of others. Being present and holding the pain and grief of others necessitates self-care to promote sustainability and resiliency in this sacred work. Research has shown that trauma-informed approaches are beneficial for realizing and addressing the needs present.
Increased self-awareness also includes the ways that one’s biases affect oneself and others, demanding that we develop Justice-Seeking awareness of biases. Some of the biases are well known, like race, gender, ability, culture, etc. Others are less well known, like age and weight. Self-awareness of one’s own implicit biases and systemic biases will translate into attempts to provide equitable spiritual care. Spiritual care providers will then use the resources available to them to attempt to address the implicit and systemic biases that impact spiritual care.
Finally, our work as spiritual care providers require us to engage others from a place of Intercultural and Interreligious Humility. We are multidimensional individuals living in a complex and diverse society and world, with complex histories. Our cultures, experiences and relationships shape our values and beliefs. Understanding that all humans have universal beliefs and needs can help us to see our common humanity. Intercultural and Interreligious Humility includes acknowledging one’s limited vision of others, acceptance and appreciation of difference, and an openness and curiosity to new perspectives. Cultivating Intercultural and Interreligious Humility will expand one’s ability to address the complexity in others’ lives and needs.
Attending to Self-Care, addressing Justice-Seeking awareness of bias, and cultivating Intercultural and Interreligious Humility ensure dignity is afforded to oneself and others.
Outcome 1: Self-Care
| Level IA | Level IB | Level IIA | Level IIB |
|---|---|---|---|
| IA.6 Demonstrate knowledge of the varieties of self-care and initiate the use of self-care practices. | IB.6 Articulate how one’s self-care practices, including trauma informed approaches, support wellbeing in spiritual care. | IIA.4 Demonstrate how one uses self-care practices, including trauma informed approaches, for support of wellbeing, including when providing spiritual care. | IIB.4 Evaluate how one uses self-care practices, including trauma informed approaches for support of wellbeing, including when providing spiritual care. |
Outcome 2: Justice-Seeking Awareness of Bias
| Level IA | Level IB | Level IIA | Level IIB |
|---|---|---|---|
| IA.7 Demonstrate an awareness of implicit and systemic bias including cultural and value/belief-based prejudice and its impact on spiritual care. | IB.7 Articulate an understanding of one’s implicit bias and systemic bias when providing spiritual care. | IIA.5 Demonstrate how one is addressing one’s implicit bias and systemic bias when providing spiritual care as appropriate to one’s context | IIB.5 Evaluate one’s ability to address bias and seek justice when providing spiritual care as appropriate to one’s context. |
Outcome 3: Intercultural and Interreligious Humility
| Level IA | Level IB | Level IIA | Level IIB |
|---|---|---|---|
| IA.8 Demonstrate respect for the orienting systems of others arising out of a sense of common humanity. | IB.8 Articulate how one uses intercultural and interreligious humility when providing spiritual care. | IIA.6 Demonstrate intercultural and interreligious humility when providing spiritual care. | IIB.6 Evaluate one’s use of intercultural and interreligious humility when providing spiritual care. |