Spiritual Distress, Crises and Care: Theory and Practice

Practitioners of spiritual care, whether in institutional, community or ecclesial contexts, need to be able to recognize and respond to the multiple ways that death, major loss and mental health can impact human behaviour, relationships and functioning. This course covers central theories related to care in the face of trauma, suicide, crisis, and grief. As well, it provides a strong grounding to understand common mental health challenges that can impact healing, including mood disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as identified in the DSM-V. Students will have the opportunity to develop assessment and spiritual care practices to work effectively with people facing life-altering situations. This course is intended for CPE students and interested others.