Empowering Research in Spirituality: Reflections from Sara Traficante
It’s Spiritual Health Awareness Week! We’ve asked our Ministry Forum Intern Sara Traficante to share her experience at our recent conference about research in Spiritual Care.
What is Spiritual Health Awareness Week?
Spiritual Health Awareness Week is a national opportunity to honour the essential work of Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists. This year’s theme—“Celebrating 100 Years of Spiritual Health”—marks a century since the founding of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in 1925. Throughout the week, communities are invited to reflect on the importance of holistic care that includes the spiritual dimension of health. As this field continues to evolve, Spiritual Health Awareness Week encourages dialogue, recognition, and celebration of those who support the human spirit during life’s most meaningful moments.
October 19–25 | Celebrating 100 Years of Spiritual Health
Sara Traficante | B.Mus. M.Mus., Master of Psychospiritual Studies Student Sara Traficante is thrilled to be a student in the MPS program at Knox College, nurturing her interests in spiritually integrated psychotherapy, spiritual care, and theology. Sara has 20-years-experience in the classical music industry, performing and teaching across Canada as a flutist.
Her devotion to Christian service has been fostered for the past 14 years at Central Presbyterian Church (Hamilton) in children and youth programs, adult discipleship, music and choir, and with a special focus in social justice ministry. While a student at Knox College, Sara is completing Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC) units, first at Community Counselling London in psychospiritual therapy, and currently at Niagara Health in spiritual care.
Hello! My name is Sara Traficante and I have returned for a second internship at Ministry Forum. I am in my final year of studies in the Master of Psychospiritual Studies degree program at Knox College. My goal this year is to focus my contributions for Ministry Forum on experiences in psychospiritual therapy and spiritual care, sharing this area of ministry and some of my learning here with you.
On October 3rd, Ministry Forum partnered with the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC/ACSS) for a one-day online conference, “Empowering Research in Spirituality.” As a student in the field of psychospiritual care, this opportunity lined up perfectly with my current CASC Spiritual Care practicum at Niagara Health. My student cohort and our supervisor Trish Heidebrect-Archibald joined the conference online from our classroom at St. Catharines Marotta Family Hospital. John Borthwick shared that there were around 20 CPE and PTE* groups joining online, with close 100 students, as well as professionals from across Canada!
So why did we all sign up for this conference? I have noticed in my own unofficial research that those of us in ministry are lifelong learners. In psychospiritual care ministry, this is true for us seekers who are striving to better serve our patients and clients, while in an ongoing journey to feed our spiritual lives as well as our professional skills. I sincerely appreciate how CASC’s multifaith and interfaith stance, equipping leaders to serve the diversity of faith traditions and ‘nones’ in Canada today.
All CASC members – students and certified professionals – are responsible to continue work on our research competency. The conference day was a boost for this process. Here are some of my learnings from the day:
To advocate for research projects in our workplaces, student CPE and PTE units
To advocate for applying research learning in our clinical contexts
Networking opportunities by connecting with researchers, authors and community of practice for research
Commit to research in areas of passion! Find others passionate about your subject to form or join a research group
As practitioners and learners – how might research contribute to our clinical practice, pastoral context, or our own spiritual practice?
We heard from fascinating research projects happening by CASC members including:
Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy and exploring research methodologies with Dr. Angela Schmidt and Dr. Tom O’Connor
Trauma-informed approach supervision with Dr. Kelly Collins
Community based research and Islamic mindfulness from Dr. Nazila Isgandarova
Quality Improvement in hospital documentation with reflection on coaching and leadership style for positive change from Vivian Stang
Exploring forgiveness as a bridge between spirituality and psychology with Dr. Desmond Buhagar
Contemplative approach to end-of-life from Alberta Health Services team members
Student research opportunities including Knox College’s own Maryka Potgieter
Throughout the day, we were encouraged to begin with our questions and our wonderings.
Breakout rooms and meeting with our in-person groups helped to facilitate that process throughout the conference day.
We use an action-reflection model for all our learning in CASC professional work, CPE and PTE. As experienced wonderers, I was left with a question for reflection: what research methodology best serves my ministry setting and/or project that I am passionate about, and how can I now be empowered to dive into the research? To be continued!
Thank you to the Ministry Forum technical team for producing this online conference!