The Spiritual Care Podcast

The dialogues among women with opposing views on abortion gave new insight into how to handle difference, without dehumanizing those we disagree with. Hear how the participants struggled to find understanding, to abandon needlessly inflammatory language and to establish meaningful friendships, however unlikely. Although no one expected determined advocates to abandon their belief systems, their […]

This episode considers the need to carve out an experience of silence in our own lives – as a basis for attentively listening to others. But actually setting aside quiet time can be hard can be hard for many of us. It may feel uncomfortable at times and we’re susceptible to distractions, especially amid all […]

There’s a kind of mystery in sitting calmly, patiently, attentively and tuning into someone else’s personal story – their experience and life journey. In this segment, we hear the insights of people who, in a sense, listen for a living: physicians, counselors, clergy and others. What does it mean to set aside one’s own agenda […]

Health care chaplaincy has increasingly been a subject of evidence-based research in recent years: What do spiritual care providers do? How do patients and their families respond to a chaplain’s services? Does chaplain care affect levels of anxiety and other forms of distress? To what extent do people facing illness also experience spiritual struggle (e.g. […]

From firefighters to police officers to the Red Cross and many others, First Responders play an essential role in protecting public safety and helping people cope with emergencies. In this segment, we consider the work of providers of disaster spiritual care. These folks look after both survivors of tragedies and the responders, who are sometimes reeling […]

How can we deal with the modern sense of feeling overloaded? It is emerging as a broad social problem that takes its toll on both work and home life—and can impinge on our ability to function with personal clarity.

Perhaps more than any other trait in a spiritual caregiver, the recipients of care yearn for the attention of an open-hearted person who can bear witness to their challenges. But what does it mean to bring that presence into an encounter with someone who may be up against adversity? We explore this powerful realm in […]

At the typical nursing station of today’s hospitals, it can sometimes seem like high-tech medical machinery supersedes a personal connection formed between the patient and nurse or other health care professional. But for many caregivers, that one-to-one relationship forms the essence of their service. This episode considers how connections can uplift the patient being cared […]

We explore the duties and challenges of military chaplains from two nations: Britain and Canada. Ian Wheatley, recorded at the Defence Ministry in Westminster, London, serves as Chaplain of the Fleet of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. Sailors bring to chaplains concerns regarding family back home, as well as moral questions about warfare. […]

The United States incarcerates more people than any other nation in the world. Federal and state prisons and county jails hold around two million prisoners. In this segment, we explore in-depth the experiences of two prison chaplains. We also hear from two prisoners about their faith journeys while behind bars.

In this segment, we hear the stories of two contemporary hospital social workers as they describe encounters with patients who are looking for a way to explore important life questions that can arise in times of challenge.

We visit a shelter at Seattle’s Mission for a rich exchange with a formerly homeless man who feels the spiritual care he received from mental health workers helped him develop the ability to transition into housing.

Joel Bauman, MD, a geriatrician now working in a hospice, describes ways that physicians are called to provide compassionate support and sometimes spiritual care of dying patients.

We hear from remarkable hospice professionals who accompany — and learn from — people in their their final chapter of life.

We profile a military chaplain who served in Afghanistan and who has been absorbed by questions of war and peace. He ultimately resigned from his role as an army chaplain over American drone policy.

We hear from Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN) campus chaplains and students, representing different traditions, on the challenge of fostering interfaith understanding in a complicated and diverse world.

David Freudberg, host of Humankind public radio, announces a new podcast on the fascinating practice of “spiritual care”: stories of caregivers (chaplains, nurses, social workers, etc.) who provide nonsectarian support for people in need and sometimes in distress.