Laurel A Burton

Tremendous strides are being made in the medical field in the treatment of cancer. However, excellence in cancer care requires attention not just to physical symptoms, but to the whole person within the context of his or her larger system. This book addresses some of the great variety of issues facing chaplains and others concerned about the spiritual care of patients who work with those who live with cancer. Health Care Chaplaincy in Oncology, divided into four sections, covers important topics that help spiritual caregivers become more effective in their ministering to cancer patients. The first section provides a clear, concise introduction to cancer risk and survival and a first-hand account of the experience of cancer by a member of the College of Chaplains. Chapters in the second section reflect on the roles of spiritual counselors, shedding light on the special identity and calling of pastoral care providers and their relationship with God in the midst of work with oncology patients. The next section explores the systems approach, viewing the whole family, not just the individual with cancer, as the patient. This section also relates one chaplain’s experience with a particular family and the chaplain/family/patient relationship that evolved. The final section discusses such special issues as specific techniques chaplains may use to promote wellness among cancer patients, special characteristics of caring when a patient is at the end of his or her days, and a practical model for training local clergy to minister more effectively with people who have cancer. This book is an ideal ancillary reader for courses on subjects such as pastoral care, hospital ministry, and clinical pastoral education. Chaplains, chaplains-in-training, clinical pastoral education students, and graduate students in social work and counseling education, will find Health Care Chaplaincy in Oncology an extremely helpful guide to increase the quality of the support and care they give when working with individuals with cancer.

This fascinating book guides family therapists in recognizing the importance of their clients’spirituality or religion to therapy. Experienced therapists demonstrate how to incorporate patients’spiritual beliefs in successful family therapy. Religion and the Family explains how the spirituality of individuals and families can be used as a valuable resource for understanding and healing family problems. Therapists will learn to utilize a couple’s or family’s particular god-construct as a fundamental part of the treatment system. Through a balanced combination of theory and clinical data, this comprehensive book gives family therapy practitioners and graduate-level students insight into the role of spirituality in therapy. Beginning with a brief historical overview of the relationship between religion and therapy, the book emphasizes the three areas of theory, clinical applications, and research. Family therapists will find important topics applicable to their practice, such as a model for the use of religion in therapy, a model for taking a spiritual genogram, observations about interfaith marriages, and a theory of therapy as spirituality. Graduate-level students, therapists in training, and therapists needing an introduction to religion in therapy will find this a valuable guide for incorporating spiritual and religious factors into treatment systems.

This fascinating book guides family therapists in recognizing the importance of their clients’spirituality or religion to therapy. Experienced therapists demonstrate how to incorporate patients’spiritual beliefs in successful family therapy. Religion and the Family explains how the spirituality of individuals and families can be used as a valuable resource for understanding and healing family problems. Therapists will learn to utilize a couple’s or family’s particular god-construct as a fundamental part of the treatment system. Through a balanced combination of theory and clinical data, this comprehensive book gives family therapy practitioners and graduate-level students insight into the role of spirituality in therapy. Beginning with a brief historical overview of the relationship between religion and therapy, the book emphasizes the three areas of theory, clinical applications, and research. Family therapists will find important topics applicable to their practice, such as a model for the use of religion in therapy, a model for taking a spiritual genogram, observations about interfaith marriages, and a theory of therapy as spirituality. Graduate-level students, therapists in training, and therapists needing an introduction to religion in therapy will find this a valuable guide for incorporating spiritual and religious factors into treatment systems.

With compassion and commitment, practicing chaplains draw on a wide range of professional experiences and discuss principles, themes, and guidelines that have enhanced their ministries. These practical and successful approaches are aimed at helping others face the daily professional challenges of health care chaplaincy. The issues and responsibilities of chaplaincy work with a variety of patient populations--AIDS sufferers, long-term care patients, stroke victims, and the terminally ill--are thoroughly explored. Contributors provide creative and innovative methods of meeting the needs of hospital patients and their families as well as health care personnel, such as implementing a volunteer clergy program and establishing a surgical reporting plan.