Emotional and Spiritual Care in Disasters

1 Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters Instructor Guide, 2006 4-1 Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters Copyright 2006 by Church World Service, Emergency Response Program, New York, NY Course Name: Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters Lesson 4: How to Minister During a disaster Learning Objectives At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to: Identify strategies and resources for providing individual and community Emotional and Spiritual care after a disaster Provide pastoral care to individuals and communities while in the throes of a disaster Time Required 1 hour Topics 1. Overview (5 minutes) 2. How to Provide Emotional and Spiritual care (25 minutes) 3.

2 Community-Focused Spiritual care After a disaster (25 minutes) 4. Summary and Transition (5 minutes) Training Methods 1. Small group activity 2. Participative lecture/guided discussion Participant Materials 1. Participant Manual Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters Instructor Guide, 2006 4-2 Training Materials 1. PowerPoint slides and projection system 2. Easel pad, markers, and tape Instructor Notes 1. Read the Administrator Guide for guidance in presenting this lesson. 2. The term used in this course is Spiritual care provider. Spiritual care providers include any person who assists others to draw upon a Spiritual perspective as a source of strength and hope in difficult times.

3 These persons certainly include clergy, chaplains, other ministers, counselors, and any persons considered the appropriate person to provide this service by their own faith community. 3. An important resource used in developing this course was Light Our Way: A Guide for Spiritual care in Times of disaster for disaster Response Volunteers, First Responders and disaster Planners. It is available at Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters Instructor Guide, 2006 4-3 How to Minister During a disaster Lesson Plan Instructor Notes Overview 5 minutes Show Slide 4-1. Say that this lesson will help participants understand how to provide Emotional and Spiritual care to individuals, whole communities, and congregations, using disaster worship strategies and resources.

4 Explain the lesson objectives. At the end of this lesson you will be able to: Identify strategies and resources for providing Emotional and Spiritual care after a disaster Provide pastoral care to individuals and communities while in the throes of a disaster Show Slide 4-2. Emotional and Spiritual care in DisastersLesson 4 How to Minister During a DisasterEmotional and Spiritual care in Disasters4-2 How to Minister During a DisasterWhat You Will Learn Strategies and resources for providing Emotional and Spiritual care after a disaster How to provide pastoral care to individuals and communities while in the throes of a disaster How to Minister During a disaster Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters Instructor Guide, 2006 4-4 Lesson Plan Instructor Notes How To Provide Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters 25 minutes Show Slide 4-3.

5 Say that, when people go through a disaster or trauma, their whole life is affected. They will never be the same. But they can be stronger and better as they learn from their experience. Explain that, as they recover from the disaster or trauma, survivors need effective support and help as they work to find a new normal a new way of living that will eventually feel right and productive. Healing and forgiveness are processes, not events. Healing and forgiveness take time. They cannot be forced or demanded. They are a choice each survivor makes, as they are ready. Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters4-3 How to Minister During a DisasterProviding Emotional and Spiritual care in DisastersDenny AngelleUnited Church of ChristHow to Minister During a disaster Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters Instructor Guide, 2006 4-5 Lesson Plan Instructor Notes Explain that, when basic trust is threatened and weakened as it is in a disaster , there is confusion.

6 There is a wide range of feelings, including anger, bewilderment, and pain. There is uncertainty about what might happen next. Explain that the most significant thing a church can do is to help the survivor start re-establishing the building blocks of trust. A church can do this by offering: Safety and security A survivor must feel secure before anything else can be done. Show Slide 4-4. Opportunities to ventilate and validate feelings When a survivor is ready to talk, a listening ear is the most valuable gift you can offer. Allow expression of feelings, thoughts and experiences over and over again. Minimize depression by allowing people to give voice to their rage as they tell their story and share their feelings about the pain they have.

7 Reassurance and direction through prediction and preparation A disaster survivor will experience unusual behaviors, thoughts, and feelings for a period of time; in helping survivors anticipate them, you can promote recovery. Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters4-4 How to Minister During a DisasterRebuilding Trust Churches can offer survivors: Safety and security Opportunities to ventilate Reassurance and direction through prediction and preparation How to Minister During a disaster Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters Instructor Guide, 2006 4-6 Lesson Plan Instructor Notes Help survivors restore a sense of control over life by helping them take ownership of what happens next They couldn t control the disaster , but they certainly can control their response to it by making decisions about their recovery Ask: List responses on chart paper.

8 Answers: Do: Offer security Listen Support Serve If appropriate, pray with them Focus on the survivor s needs, not your own Don t: Try to fix things Preach Refer to the Guidelines for Spiritual care provided in the Participant Guide (a copy is provided on the following pages of the Instructor Guide). Let s recap. What are some do s and don ts when offering Spiritual care ? How to Minister During a disaster Emotional and Spiritual care in Disasters Instructor Guide, 2006 4-7 Spiritual care Guidelines Offer Security. Traumatized survivors need assurance about their safety, above all. They need to know they are out of harm s way and that you are a person with whom they can safely ventilate their feelings.

9 First, simply say: You are safe. Nothing can get to you here. Reinforce what you say with a relaxed posture, a welcoming smile, eye contact, touch (unless they shy away). Offer hospitality ( Do you need anything? A drink of water, food, a blanket?) Listen. Listen with an attentive ear. Guide the conversation by asking: What did you see? and How did you feel? when survivors don t seem to know what to talk about. Survivors need to begin to deal with their feelings and how they perceive their situations. Relax and let them wander verbally. Be Quiet. Allow survivors to take the lead in conversations. Do not interrupt. Ask questions only when they seem to want to talk. Their feelings are so intense they may not know where to begin.

10 Reflect what you are hearing in natural pauses. Keep a quiet, composed attitude. When they grow silent, ask a few open-ended questions or make supportive statements. (Do not tell victims you know how they feel. You do not.) If they do not respond much, sit with them quietly until they are ready to speak again. Sometimes simply knowing someone is there is enough. Support. You may hear things that shock you. Survivors may have feelings that cause them to say things that are violent in nature. They may curse or describe a desire to hurt someone. Do not confront, judge, or correct at this time. Say: You sound really angry/upset/hurt. I think I would be too. Survivors may show anger and anxiety to cover up their feelings of fear and vulnerability.