Psychology, Ontology and Cosmology - A Narrative, Mythopoetic Approach to the Provision of Integrated Psychological and Spiritual Care Services by Social Workers

Live Online Workshop

Capability Level: Established

Consumers of mental health care services report feeling weary of fractured approaches to their wellbeing, having to seek psychological and spiritual health services from different providers, often with significant disconnects or even direct clashes between the two. Many providers of psychological care services do not feel adequately trained or equipped to identify or respond to spiritual emergencies. In an effort to avoid projecting their own personal spiritual beliefs onto their clients, they either shy away from it entirely, or unintentionally practice from their own worldview or belief system which can potentially compound trauma or even cause more harm for clients. Social Workers are uniquely trained to respond to these kinds of intersectional dilemmas, and the AASW Code of Ethics and Practice Standards provide clear guidelines for a new methodological paradigm for working with clients presenting with both psychological and spiritual suffering.

This workshop will introduce the foundations and theory behind how polyvagal theory, focused psychological strategies and non-violent, trauma-informed spiritual assessment and intervention can be integrated into a methodological approach to understand the intersection between spiritual and psychological distress and suffering. The therapeutic setting can be a safe space for clients to integrate and work deeply with phenomenological material as part of their psychological work, with the accompaniment of a skilled Mental Health Social Worker.

Who should attend?

This workshop will provide the foundations for this topic, and will be suitable for students, emerging Social Workers as well as intermediate and established practitioners. Further seminars will be offered on this topic for intermediate and established Mental Health Social Workers who have a well-integrated practice framework which can support the application in practice of these methodological and theoretical foundations.

This workshop may not be suitable for those who have suffered spiritual trauma and abuse, as it may trigger distress. It may also not be suitable for practitioners who hold private spiritual beliefs which tend toward high control or orthodox religious expressions - as it may generate uncomfortable levels of cognitive dissonance and / or psychological distress. Attendees are encouraged to attend to their own well-being as a priority.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Understand the difference between consciousness, perception, belief and worldview and apply matching symbols and language.

• Evaluate how spiritual frameworks along a continuum of fixed to fluid and understand predictors for shifting states which create spiritual crises.

• Analyse the connection between the nervous system, consciousness and meta consciousness, cognition and awareness in order to risk-manage therapeutic responses to spiritual distress.

Event Structure:

Introduction

Learning Session 1: Understand the difference between consciousness, perception, belief and worldview and apply matching symbols and language. (55 minutes)

Learning Activity 1: Case study and group discussion

Learning Session 2: Evaluate how spiritual frameworks along a continuum of fixed to fluid and understand predictors for shifting states which create spiritual crises. (55 minutes)

Learning Activity 2: Case study and group discussion

Learning Session 3: Analyse the connection between the nervous system, consciousness and meta consciousness, cognition and awareness in order to risk-manage therapeutic responses to spiritual distress. (55 minutes)

Learning Activity 3: Case study and group discussion

Conclusion and Q&A

AASW Credentials: Mental Health

This Workshop is not recorded, however, you will have access to materials and resources on AASW Online Learning for 4 weeks after the completion of the workshop.