What We Do
Core Elements of Practice
With a holistic approach, Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists support people, especially during key moments of crisis and life transitions that impact their emotional, physical and spiritual health.
Illness, poverty, loneliness, addiction, homelessness and violence, are unfortunate aspects of our culture, whose causes and management can be addressed by spiritual care and psychospiritual therapy.
Recently developed by leaders in the Association, the Core Elements of Practice highlights four key elements that characterize the practice of spiritual care and psychospiritual therapy.
Impact & Benefits of our work
Why Spiritual Care?
People seek out Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists to support them holistically, especially during key moments of crisis and life transitions that impact their emotional, physical and spiritual health.
Role of spirituality and faith
Research demonstrates that religion and spirituality play an important role in helping people cope with illness, and these needs are minimally met by medical teams or even faith communities.
Special Training
Most people want medical teams to attend to spiritual needs, but most physicians do not feel confident to address spiritual issues with their patients. Spiritual Care Professionals are uniquely trained and qualified to provide these specialized spiritual assessments and interventions.
Responding to a need
A majority of people facing serious illness or end of life show signs of spiritual distress and report having some spiritual pain.
Four Benefits
Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists help people cope with grief and loss, stress, depression, illness, issues with self-esteem, and finding purpose in life.
Professional Spiritual Care provided as part of health care is associated with;
- increased patient satisfaction,
- increased patient engagement with health care decisions,
- faster recovery from illness and
- decreased lengths of stay.
Increased Hope
Research shows Spiritual Care Professionals help people cope, feel more hopeful, and find the strength to continue on.
Benefits to organizational Staff
Spiritual Care Practitioners support health care institutions by leading staff debriefings and rounds which increases staff wellness and reduces risk of burnout and compassion fatigue, fostering staff well-being and team cohesiveness.
Wider scope
Poverty, loneliness, addiction, homelessness and violence are unfortunate aspects of our culture, whose causes and management can be addressed by spiritual care and psychospiritual therapy.
Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists support in
Connecting with the Body
Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists support and facilitate an awareness of how the sacred is being experienced in and through the body.
Engaging with the Mind
Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists engage with and bring attention to the stories that shape individuals and communities. They facilitate a “restorying” process when individuals or groups are struggling to navigate their current reality.
Embracing the Emotions
Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists welcome and hold space for the full range of emotions, enabling clients to safely engage with, rather than avoid, the fullness of their internal experience. This in-turn supports the client in building life-giving relationships.
Supporting the Human Spirit
Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists support individuals and communities in creating, building and sustaining their sense of wellbeing in the face of changing circumstances.
What we Offer
Membership
Offering certified, qualifying, associate and student memberships.
Become a member today and have access to financial assistance, support and resources, professional support and advocacy, and special insurance coverage packages.
Educational Programs
CASC/ACSS offers internships or placements, called Supervised Psychospiritual Education (SPE), within CASC/ACSS accredited teaching centres across Canada.
Certification
Certified Psychospiritual Therapists, and Certified Supervisor-Educators in a variety of institutional, community and private-practice settings.