Another thought from one of our members

Stephen Kliewer. D.Min.
Assistant Professor
Rural Resource Center and Department of Family Medicine
Oregon Health and Science University

Phone: 541-426-4524
FAX 541-426-3035


Email: kliewers@...

I am not in the educational field. I retired from 40 years of
general/family practice in 2000. I have been doing only "counseling"
(more accurately, it's psychotherapy) for 2 days/wk since then. I use
Spirituality as the foundation. I am amazed at how many patients are
down on themselves, having been told early in life that they were
inferior and how they were to believe. They (most of us?) had a
religious philosophy crammed down their throats. Many times parents,
"friends," clergy, or others used religion to judge them. I use the
spirituality shared by Neale Walsch, Wayne Dyer, and many others to
attempt to "give patients back to themselves," realizing that they are
each a truly miraculous creation of "The Higher Power." I do this with
a talk I have developed, which fits virtually all situations. (As Dyer
says, "there is a spiritual solution to every problem.) If the patients
are fulfilled and inspired by their religion, the spiritual approach
augments this. I am careful to explain to them that I am in no way
trying to tell them how or what to believe. Just sowing some seeds to
give them a little different viewpoint of themselves.
I am very supportive of the approach inviting each resident to map
their own spiritual paths. I don't see any way to have absolute
conformity in this endeavor. If they are to use Spirituality in their
practices, it will be applied by each one individually, for each of us
defines our own truth, using that as our foundation.
But I feel that introducing some of Walsch, Dyer, or even Lynn Grabhorn
would accomplish two things: 1)allow each resident to at least
partially put ego aside and see each patient as a miracle, and 2) to
realize that they too are miracles, with a beautiful opportunity to
share God's love in very special ways with their patients.
So I would recommend that some work like the ones I've mentioned (and
there are many more--some ancient, some modern, all saying the same
thing) and have open discussions about it in one of their courses.

Jim Bell
belldsm@...
On Aug 6, 2004, at 5:43 PM, Stephen Kliewer wrote:

> This comes from Mayank Shah. I think it is an interesting question.
> How do we promote spirituality (not just teach about it, or the
> integration of spirituality and healthcare).
>
>
> _____________________________________________________________
> I have a question to pose to the group. I
> am curious to know what teaching techniques people have used to promote
> spirituality in residency programs? As you are all aware, one must be
> comfortable about spiritual concepts and understand one's own beliefs
> before
> trying to help someone else with theirs. I would appreciate any
> creative
> ideas. Thanks.
> _______________________________________________________________
>
> At OHSU we ask residents to do a spiritual "pathway" or use some sort
> of media to describe their spirituality journey. Where they are now,
> how they got there, landmarks or crossroads along the way....
>
> Some have done charts showing whether they have felt close (connected)
> to the sacred, or distant. They share why they felt that way at that
> moment.
>
> One share a collage of pictures taken of herself, family, etc.
>
> Another brought in a group of drawings from her Native American
> heritage/background to talk about her spirituality
>
> Others have done "maps", with various illustrations along a trail to
> show their "journey."
>
> It helps us get into spirituality, spiritual issues, how their history
> may influence the way they respond to others, etc.
>
> Steve
>
> Stephen Kliewer. D.Min.
> Assistant Professor
> Rural Resource Center and Department of Family Medicine
> Oregon Health and Science University
>
> Phone: 541-426-4524
> FAX 541-426-3035
>
>
> Email: kliewers@...
>
>
>
>
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James R. Bell, MD
304 52nd St.
Des Moines, IA 50312
Voice: 515-277-4860
FAX: 515 277-1913
Email: belldsm@...