About the Conference

Stories have the power to touch the heart, mind and soul. This conference will explore how to harness the power of listening as a means to facilitate grieving and promote healing. Participants will learn to hear and see the connections between cultures, religions and people, and to support the process of finding meaning in the end of life journey.

Who Should Attend

This conference will benefit spiritual leaders, lay leaders and parish nurses in the faith community, as well as health care providers, especially those involved in hospice and palliative care.

Conference Objectives

1. Examine personal and professional frameworks for influencing patient and family health through narrative techniques.
2. Offer strategies for enhancing listening skills to better understand the patient’s story.
3. Discuss the therapeutic effects of journaling during the last months of life.
4. Summarize ways in which storytelling can provide comfort and healing at end of life.

Faculty

Gail Rosen, MEd is a consultant, storyteller, bereavement facilitator, hospital volunteer and workshop leader for hospice, schools and special populations. She tells stories that address the “big questions” about life and death, purpose and despair, grieving and comfort. She is also the founder of the National Storytelling Network’s Special Interest Group, the Healing Story Alliance.

Panelists

Pam Czech
Parent and founder of Cassidy’s Hope Foundation

Laura Gerak, PhD
Division of Pediatric Psychiatry/Psychology
Akron Children’s Hospital

Sarah Friebert, MD
Director, Haslinger Family Center Pediatric Palliative Care
Akron Children’s Hospital

Jenny Hengle, RN
Showers Family Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders
Akron Children’s Hospital

Facilitated by Karen Ballard, MCM, BCC
Director, Chaplaincy Services
Akron Children’s Hospital

Befriending the Dying on Their Sacred Journey

Stay tuned for announcements regarding our 2011 Conference.
Below are details of our 2010 past Conference.

Participants were introduced to the objectives of the Sacred Art of Living and Dying which include the historical and cultural context of death and dying, a demonstration of the difference between spirituality and religion and the explanation of the concept of spiritual pain and its impact at end-of-life.

Three breakout groups were offered. A panel of religious leaders provided the medical professionals information regarding the rituals of their particular traditions at the end-of-life. Through case discussion, palliative care team members provided the religious professionals information regarding their work with patients who are facing their end-of-life. The needs of the bereaved family members were discussed by bereavement coordinators who have expertise as clergy and social worker.

Faculty

Main Speaker

Sister Mary Assumpta, CSSp, is director of Mission Effectiveness at the Jennings Center for Older Adults, Garfield Heights, OH and regional representative for the Sacred Art of Living and Dying Center which provides education on the spiritual components of end-of-life care. Since 2004 she has been affiliated with the Sacred Art of Living and Dying Center having completed all of their training programs and currently serving as a facilitator for training and certification in the program.

M. Karen Ballard, MCM, BCC, facilitator for Panel of Religious Leaders
Kevin Dieter, MD and Sarah Friebert, MD, facilitators for Panel of Palliative Care teams
Nancy Carst, LISW-S, CT and Beth McGuire, M.Div., CT, Co-Presenters for “Journey of Grief.”

Objectives

1. Identify the seven historical/cultural traditions related to death and dying and how our Western culture has departed from those traditions.
2. Differentiate between spirituality and religion.
3. Describe the concept of spiritual pain and its relevance in end-of-life care.
4. Describe dimensions of spiritual pain and its meaning in terms of treatment.
5. Discuss the challenges of the grief journey.
6. Identify rituals of various religions as death approaches, at the time of death, and following death.
7. Through an interdisciplinary team process, identify the spiritual care needs of the hospice and/or palliative care patient and family.
8. Discuss the challenges of the grief journey.
9. Recognize and experience techniques in spiritual practices distinct from religious activities.