Note from the Director

This spring has certainly been a time of new growth.  The Basic Preparation Course for Parish Nurses had 12 attendees. Pat Midkiff, our education coordinator, is a gifted teacher and she created an enriching experience that will greatly enhance the ministries of these wonderful women. Our office space has grown too. Beatitudes Center D.O.A.R. was a recipient of a grant from the Virgina Piper Trust  which expanded our staff and the need for more desk space. Rose and I are now located on the second floor. I experienced some special growth opportunities this spring. I attended the Donohoe Forum, sponsored by the Arizona Ecumenical Council. The topic was “Medical Ethical Issues and Guidance for Pastoral Ministry”.  I also attended “The Coming of Age” sponsored by St. Luke’s Health Initiatives and the Arizona State Hospital’s Annual Symposium, “Creating a Healing Community for Hurting People”. The conferences were all mentally stimulating, filled with good information and I met some lovely people. I look forward to incorporating the information into our programs. We concluded our spring with a delightful Celebration Luncheon to honor the ministry of parish nurses, clergy and people in health ministries. Beatitudes Campus of Care was our host. Health Ministry continues to flourish and bless so many people. Thank you for the work you do!  I hope your summer brings you some relaxation and re-creation.                                

Blessings, 

Sandy Somers, RN, MS

Workshop Review - Degriefing

by Rose Coulter, RN

Assistant Director,

Nurse Ministries Network

I recently attended a workshop entitled  “Degriefing”, how to develop a unique and successful approach to grief counseling by Lyn Prashant. Lyn defines grief as a mental and emotional experience, usually triggered by a traumatic loss that has physiological correlates associated with deep pain.

For instance, we are all familiar with the term “heartache.”  It is commonly accepted that if a person experiences a traumatic emotion, even this mental and emotional state, often results in a definite physical sensation.  We can feel the grief in a specific part of our body.  Our insides hurt.  Because our society does not deal with the grieving individual effectively, she believes such grief can create long lasting physical imbalances in the human body.

Degriefing is the process of recognizing mental and physical pain, which accompanies grief, and treating it with a combination of somatic therapies.  Lyn believes certain types of physical therapies can be used to unlock and remove grief from an individual’s body, and thereby heal not only physical symptoms, but mental and emotional wounds as well.  She further states she also believes once an individual realizes the amount of grief he or she is exposed to, and is repressing, ignoring and carrying, that individual can build new behavior patterns that will heal them with the rest of their lives. 

Perhaps it was because of my own personal journey and what I have experienced this past year that made this one of the best workshops I have ever attended.  It released many stored up tears and began the healing journey.  It brought me face to face with the reality of how can we be effective in our parishes if we are not in touch with our own pain and grief.  How can we expect people to go through the healing process by sitting in a class without embracing all parts of their healing including the physical changes they are dealing with as well as the emotional and spiritual.  We practice breathing exercises, yoga, aromatherapy, music therapy, etc. etc. but do we incorporate these entities into one so we can help facilitate holistic healing on all levels?  Do we balance prayer and play?   This leads to much thought and reflection.  I would welcome your thoughts, articles, and feelings.    Lynn has a web site www.degriefing.com. 

Arizona Ranks 43rd Worst Nationally in Measures of Child Well-Being

Ben Sanders, from Community Ministries at the Church on Mill in Tempe, sent out this very thought provoking e-mail that is worth sharing: “The Annie E. Casey Foundation released the results of the 2002 Kids Count Data Book, highlights of which were printed in the Republic and Tribune.  Arizona ranks 43rd worst in the nation in a composite score on key measures of child welfare.  Our state ranks among the worst in percent of children living in poverty (41st out of 50), median income of families with children (42nd), percent of immunized 2-year-olds (45th), percent of children without health insurance (46th), teen birth rate (47th), percent of teens not attending school and not working (48th), and percent of high school dropouts (50th). 

For more details, see http://www.aecf.org/kidscount/kc2002/.   The statistics are based on 1999 data, before the economic downturn and before state budget cuts for social services.  That's bad news.

When Nehemiah was confronted with bad news about his own community, Jerusalem, the scriptures state that he "sat down and wept" and for days he "mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven" (Nehemiah 1:4). God responded with a plan to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and with this plan came the provision to carry it out.  Have we been dry-eyed, prayer-less, and plan-less about the desolation of so many children and families in our state?  (I am convicted about my own complacency!)  Are there any Nehemiahs out there?  (I believe there are!) “.