Group Dynamics and Dynamic Groups

Program Information:
While chaplains have often provided grief support groups and spirituality groups, very few learned group facilitation skills from their seminary/theological education or CPE programs. As healthcare continues to grow in ambulatory and community settings, there is a knowledge and experience gap for chaplains to successfully partner with key stakeholders and facilitate groups. Whether it is grief groups and behavioral health groups or caregiver groups and chronic pain groups, once a chaplain has foundational skills, they can be adapted across populations and settings.

We also know, however, that there continue to be great needs for Spiritual Care within behavioral health and addictions settings. Our country is struggling to address overwhelming mental health needs and an opioid crisis that continues to grow every year. Unlike years ago when patients would have a 28 day stay in the behavioral health/addictions unit, they are often in and out of the hospital in a matter of hours or days. How does a chaplain provide a meaningful spirituality group that addresses the needs of a very diverse patient population? In one session, there can be people with psychosis or those who are suicidal; people who are high-functioning and those who need assistance with daily cares; people who find comfort in their religion/spirituality and those who feel abandoned by God. In this environment, chaplains can use a curriculum framework based on Spiritual Practices to help patients identify coping strategies and develop their own Spiritual Plan of Care.

Program Objectives:
In this workshop, participants will develop basic group facilitation skills and learn programming content specific to Behavioral Health settings:

• Discuss opportunities for Spiritual Care in groups: inpatient, outpatient, community
• Explore group types and their corresponding strengths/weaknesses i.e. open vs. closed; non- structured peer support vs. curriculum based
• Review best practices: co-facilitation, screening and referral, keeping boundaries
• Teach strategies for achieving balance and managing a variety of personality types
• Discuss Behavioral Health Spirituality Groups for adult and adolescent populations
• Share Spiritual Practices curriculum and spiritual resources for use with Behavioral Health patients

About the Presenters:

Rev. Traci Houts, MDiv, MSW, BCC is a Board Certified Chaplain with Ascension Health and she is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Traci has been a chaplain for 14 years and now serves as the Manager of Spiritual Care for the South Region of Ascension, Wisconsin. Traci was formerly a family therapist and director of a counseling center in Iowa. She has experience facilitating many groups including: grief support groups, survivors of suicide, sexual assault and incest survivors, domestic abuse groups, cancer support groups, and mental health/ addictions support groups. Traci lives in Sussex with her husband and three young children.

Rev. Bob Turner is a board certified (BCC) professional chaplain and has supported patients and their loved ones throughout the Milwaukee area in hospitals, cancer care centers, nursing homes and hospices since 2004. His degrees include a Bachelor of Science (BS) from Texas Tech University and a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Asbury Theological Seminary. He has been married for over twenty years and has four children. Bob loves all things nerdy, a good workshop project and catching fish.

Ven. Dr. Chris Ozodi, PhD, BCC, CCC[/caption]Ven. Dr. Chris Ozodi, PhD, BCC, CCC, is an Anglican Priest, certified by APC and APCCSP. He provides pastoral ministry at Ascension All Saints (St. Luke’s), where he covers the Behavioral Health and Addiction units, and also at the main hospital (St. Mary’s), where he ministers in the acute care units. He also organizes weekly spirituality groups for adult and adolescent behavioral health inpatients and does the same for the adult Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP).

Rev. Joby Brown, BCC is a Board Certified Chaplain with Ascension Wisconsin. He facilitates spiritual wellness groups for adult behavioral health and cardiac rehab units at Columbia St. Mary’s Ozaukee, in Mequon, WI. He has a passion for spiritual care and behavioral health that began with work at Blessing St. Mary’s Behavioral Health hospital in Quincy, Illinois, in 2005. Since that time he has specialized in work with geriatric behavioral health and spirituality, the dementia spectrum and spirituality, and general spiritual care. Joby is married to wife Trina. They reside in Mequon with their two children and a dog.

Program of Events:
9:00 a.m. Registration; welcome, introductions and reflection
9:30 a.m. Group Dynamics and Dynamic Groups
12:30 p.m. Lunch (bring your own, or shop at onsite City Market cafe)
1:00 p.m. NACC updates and Closing Reflections
1:30 p.m. Ending

A $20 participant fee will cover refreshments and the program. 3.5 CEH’s are offered.

Please click here to download the registration form and send it, along with your $20 check made out to NACC to: National Association of Catholic Chaplains, 4915 S. Howell Avenue, Suite 501, Milwaukee, WI 53207. Alternatively, you may register and pay by credit card online: REGISTER.

If you have any questions please contact Andris Kursietis at the national office: 414-483-4898.