Spiritual Care

Why a chaplain?

All people believers and non-believers have spiritual needs. A person can have a strong Christian faith and belief in God and yet have spiritual needs   Also a person can identify as agnostic and still have spiritual needs.

Chaplains work to help patients, family members and staff to address both spiritual, emotional and religious needs.   Chaplains can help people of all faith traditions.

What do we mean by “spiritual needs”?  Spiritual needs and concerns usually relate to what we call the “big” questions of life. These questions can include: Who or what gives me comfort in this situation?  How can I make meaning or find hope in this situation?  How can I believe and yet be angry with God?

Chaplains promote advocacy

Chaplains often describe their work in health care as “advocate” between the world of the patient and the world of hospital medicine.  

Although chaplains are trained to lay aside their personal beliefs at the door to the patient’s room and seek instead to immerse themselves in the spiritual worldview of the patient or the patient’s, it perfectly okay to ask for a chaplain from your faith tradition.  A patient can request a chaplain visit at any point of their hospital stay whether they are in the emergency room or ready to be discharged from the hospital.

Chaplains are the patient companion

The role of the chaplain is to be a companion to the patient in their response to their Soul Call.  

A soul call is a cry for help from within ones selves. It is a desire, a prayer, a request to the universe, to God, to bring aid and help, to deliver the caller from their current situation, to find hope and or meaning, to reveal a higher calling, it is an awakening to the greater universe.

Through the companionship of the chaplain one begins to recognizes the things that block the conscious ,like -over eating, over drinking, smoking, inordinate sexual activities or endless social media. 

When we feel pain we look for comfort but for many us our drug of choices is impeding our healing process.

Many patients and their family members have taken advantage of this compassionate service while at the breast center. Some of the reasons you may wish to speak with our chaplain might include experiencing one or more of the following:

• Sadness or grief
• Feelings of anxiety or fear
• Loneliness
• Anger
• Distress in your life
• A recent loss
• A need for spiritual or religious support

If you or a family member would like to speak with our Chaplain during your visit at the breast center, please contact our breast center at 253.759.2622 or let any of our staff know.