Pyramidal Structure of Chaplaincy Education

Chaplaincy education is like a pyramid and can be likened to a pyramid with many levels and segments but with various levels interphase with each other or fusing into one another without any clear boundary between them.

Pyramidal structure consists of two major classes of chaplaincy education, namely:-

1.     General professional chaplaincy education consisting of:

·        Basic chaplaincy education.

·        Advance or Diploma chaplaincy education.

·        Supervisory chaplaincy education.

·        First degree chaplaincy education etc.

2.     Clinical professional chaplaincy education consisting of:-

·        Unit 1 CPE or CCPE studies.

·        Unit 2 CPE or CCPE studies.

·        Unit 3 CPE or CCPE studies.

·        Unit 4 CPE or CCPE studies.

·        Evidence-base chaplaincy.

3.     Specialized professional chaplaincy education, consisting of various areas of chaplaincy settings such:

·        Healthcare chaplaincy.

·        Correctional chaplaincy.

·        Pediatric chaplaincy.

·        Geriatric chaplaincy etc.

NB: The general chaplaincy education is intended to give chaplains or trainee chaplains basic and general knowledge of professional chaplaincy and practice, fusing into the clinical professional chaplaincy segments on the pyramid without clear cut demarcation or boundaries.

Any chaplain or trainee chaplain who misses the general chaplaincy education is bound to find clinical professional chaplaincy strange and somehow difficult. Advocate for people to get trained rightly.

Are you interested in online professional chaplaincy training to enable you offer beneficial chaplaincy care and services, get registered at the prestigious chaplaincy institute – Prodam-J Chaplaincy Institute for adequate and proper professional chaplaincy education and training to make you outstanding among your equals? Call 08033072375; 07055287861; 08035092416 or WhatsApp – 09091981944

Chap. David Mike-Jacobs CPC, CPST, BCC.

Professor of Anthropology, Certified Chaplaincy Educator & Trainer.

Blog: thechaplain1.blogspot.com

16^th Feb, AD2022

 

Trauma Chaplaincy

Chaplaincy, beloved is an emerging profession, evolving and changing as the situations and the world keep changing. There are many types of chaplaincy known to our world and there also many aspects of chaplaincy for our consideration. Trauma chaplaincy is what we are going to consider today.

What is Trauma Chaplaincy? Trauma chaplaincy is the provision of needed care to people who suffer some forms of trauma in emergency and disastrous situations.

Type of People to be Cared For in Trauma Chaplaincy:

a.     The traumatized people themselves.

b.     The family members and relations of the traumatized persons.

c.      The people who offer support for the traumatized people.

Traumatic chaplaincy care services must include:

·        Psychological care.

·        Mental health care.

·        Emotional care.

·        Spiritual care.

·        Psychosomatic care.

·        Psychosocial care.

·        Psychospiritual care.

·        Relational care.

Where do We Find Trauma Chaplaincy Practiced or in Operation? I wish to state very categorically where trauma chaplaincy can be found employed or seen to be in operation as listed below:-

1.     In the military, where there is escalation of violence or in war, situations like in the case of Russia-Ukraine war, where many soldiers and civilians are killed, wounded, maimed, injured or displaced from their homes and families broken into pieces.

In cases like this, trauma chaplaincy comes into operation as many people become traumatized and the bereaved and the survivors of war are traumatized, needing the attention and care of trauma chaplains.

2.     Police Force of any nation: Trauma chaplaincy can also be find being practiced among the police officers, who in trying to maintain law and order in the society get shot, brutalized, wounded or killed on duty or in the line of duty.

The family of the deceased police personnel became traumatized or are thrown into trauma by the sudden death of their beloved ones. The injured, wounded, or maimed police officers and people in the society are equally thrown into trauma or traumatic situations.

Those who support them or the first responders are also affected by the sight of what is happening or what has happened.

3.     Fire Services: Trauma chaplaincy can equally be found beng practice amongst the fire fighters officers. These men and women, in the performance of their legitimate duties as fire fighters, they do get engulfed in the fire and suffer death or injuries.

Those who are injured are automatically thrown into trauma, the relations of dead fire fighters are also thrown into traumatic situations while the people they are out to salvage also become traumatized because of tensions, injuries, loss of life and properties in the fire disaster, needing professional trauma care and services in the hands of qualified trauma chaplains.

4.     Trauma chaplaincy amongst the cyclists: That chaplaincy is for all people groups and can also be practiced amongst all people groups is hereby made manifest.

Professional cyclists are people who are in sporting industry and have chosen cycling as their own area of specialty and profession and vocation. Sometimes they enter into a cycling competitions and by so doing, some of them get injured as they fall off their cycles in motion and actually die or maimed in the process.

The injured and the wounded cyclists become traumatized; family members and relations of the dead cyclists are thrown into trauma. The support groups, the fans, the spectators and the first responders also get traumatized needing the tactful and skillful assistance and support of a trauma chaplains.

5.     Professional boxing bouts and professional wrestling bouts, where many may be thrown into traumatic situations because of injuries they sustain during competitions, losses and death.

6.     Classroom settings such as the CPE or CCPE centers for actual and practical supervised chaplaincy practice and service delivery where trainee chaplains and students may be exposed to traumatic situations which can equally affect them in a traumatized manner.

What an open door opportunity for chaplains in Nigeria and the continent of Africa, where there is no hospital in Nigeria where there are staff chaplains nor are there any chaplaincy department in any hospital .

Trauma chaplains are not in competition with healthcare chaplains or hospital chaplains as they are none existence for now in our healthcare delivery system. The only condition is for interested chaplains in this area of chaplaincy setting to get trained and prepare themselves in order to be qualified to be employed by relevant agencies or engage in private professional practice and service provision.

What Trauma Chaplains Do: If trauma chaplains discover that the emergency department of a hospital have staff chaplains in place to attend to emergency situation: professionally, trauma chaplains are expected to announce their presence, but standing aside saying to staff chaplains that they are available in case their assistance is needed or required.

Trauma chaplains who come from outside the hospital of the staff chaplain must respect the space and environment of staff chaplains. There must be no conflict of interest or power tussle between trauma chaplains and the staff chaplains of the hospital rather there should be a kind of collaboration to ensure the trauma patients or care recipients get the best attention and professional care services.

Trauma chaplains who usually come from outside the hospital of the staff chaplain or the chaplaincy department of the hospital must wait for the an invitation from the hospital staff chaplains before attempting to offer whatever service he/she wants to offer the trauma patients or care recipients.

NB: There is presently a conscious efforts globally for the building of a network of chaplains for collegial interactions, support and collaboration in chaplaincy professional practice and service delivery.

In conclusion, beloved, this trauma chaplaincy provides another window of opportunities for chaplains in the emergency and disaster management agencies to provide care and trauma chaplaincy services to all in need of such.

Trauma chaplains are not in competition with healthcare chaplains or hospital chaplains but they all work together for the good and beneficial care, healingand recovery of trauma patients and care receivers.

Are you interested in online professional chaplaincy training to enable you offer beneficial chaplaincy care and services, get registered at the prestigious chaplaincy institute – Prodam-J Chaplaincy Institute for adequate and proper professional chaplaincy education and training to make you outstanding among your equals? Call 08033072375; 07055287861; 08035092416 or WhatsApp – 09091981944

Chap. David Mike-Jacobs CPC, CPST, BCC.

Professor of Anthropology, Certified Chaplaincy Educator & Trainer.

Blog: thechaplain1.blogspot.com

12^th Oct, AD2022

 

 

Why it is Impossible for Religion to be Separated from Chaplaincy Practice and Service Delivery 

Abstract: Impossibility of separated religions, faiths and beliefs of people, patients and care recipients in chaplaincy practice, care and service delivery.

Preamble: Chaplaincy profession is known and widely accepted globally to be a religious based or faith based profession. Although chaplaincy is not entirely religious or ritualistic yet the aspect of some rituals and concerns. Remember, people cannot be ruled out and forms an integral part of chaplaincy profession.

The sophistication brought about by developments and advancement in the world has not ruled out religious inputs in chaplaincy. The reasons are as follows:

1.     Even with interfaith and inter religious services and ministration in a pluralistic settings; people sometimes request for or demand some religious rituals such as sacraments, baptism, prayers etc.

2.     Sometimes too, families of patients or care recipients especially the terminally ill may request some observance of some religious rituals for the relations according to their faith and beliefs of the patients and that of the families. It is still normal chaplaincy practice.

3.     End of life journey. During end of life stage, individuals who are waiting to be translated or cross to the other side of life may request for some religious rituals or family members requesting such. It is normal chaplaincy practice.

4.     As chaplaincy practice and services are not limited or reserved for the sick alone; but rather for all people, chaplains are sometimes asked to offer ceremonial services especially religious ceremonies which makes religion an important aspect of chaplaincy practice and service delivery to people. Religion therefore is an important inclusion of chaplaincy practice and services delivery, such ceremonies includes:-

·        Marriage ceremonies and anniversary.

·        Retirement ceremonies.

·        Burial/funeral ceremonies.

·        Memorial ceremonies.

·        Birthday ceremonies etc.

5.      Visit to care recipients. Chaplains visit to care recipient most especially in the hospitals are unique because it incorporate religious connotations which makes such visits different from other interdisciplinary professionals. religion is an integral part of chaplaincy.

Classification of Practicing Chaplains: I wish to classify practicing chaplains into 3 main category, namely:-

1.     Religious based chaplains.

2.     None religious chaplains.

3.     Chaplains who combine the functions of both religious and none religious activities.

The none religious based or faith based chaplains are called the “Humanist chaplains.” all chaplains, in whatsoever category the function, they:-

·        Seek to provide the same services to people they are called to serve through their professional practice.

·        Helping to give hope in hopeless situations.

·        Helping people to find meaning in life.

·        Caring for all people without discriminations.

·        Standing with care recipients in their situations.

·        Helping people navigate through life difficulties.

·        Journeying with people in their dark moments of dark soul journeys until resilience is attained and recovery achieved.

·        Providing spiritual care to all people without bias.

Are you interested in online professional chaplaincy training to enable you offer beneficial chaplaincy care and services, get registered at the prestigious chaplaincy institute – Prodam-J Chaplaincy Institute for adequate and proper professional chaplaincy education and training to make you outstanding among your equals? Call 08033072375; 07055287861; 08035092416 or WhatsApp – 09091981944

Chap. David Mike-Jacobs CPC, CPST, BCC.

Professor of Anthropology, Certified Chaplaincy Educator & Trainer.

Blog: thechaplain1.blogspot.com

17^th Oct, AD2022

 

 

Chaplaincy/Spiritual Care across the World

Chaplaincy/spiritual care is for the entire world, with the cultural diversities, religious diversities, language diversities, gender diversities etc. however not minding these diversities; there is a common demonstration and traits in every human being, no matter where found or sojourn on the planet earth, no matter the religious differences and beliefs systems; each individual personality consist of:-

·        The body.

·        The soul.

·        The spirit.

No other words, each individual personality has a component of spirituality. This spirituality has nothing to do with whether one is religious or areligious; it is an inherent component of each individual human being.

Individual persons have been discovered to show physical challenges and bodily problems, soul challenges and problems as well as spiritual challenges and problems and requires that such physical, mental, emotional, psychological needs as well as spiritual needs of individual personality be met specifically which is considered as wholistic care services: “Caring for total being” – caring for the body, soul and spirit of individual person.

In developed world, such as the western world; America, United Kingdom, Canada, Europe etc; there is a kind of robust understanding of the fact that spirituality is different and distinct from religiosity.

However, in developing nations, such Africa and middle coast, where everything about existence and happenings are freely associated with religions and religiosity. Religiosity is considered to be spirituality.

Spiritual Concept: The concept of spirituality as understood in the western world has to be sold to people in other parts of the world who have not gotten the robust knowledge and understanding of spirituality with tactfulness, we are prepared for a very strong resentment as religiosity is considered to be spirituality.

Whosoever feels called to work amongst missions of the middle east as chaplain and spiritual care provider will need to have a good knowledge of Islamic theology; middle east common language such as Arabic to be able to make needed impact in selling the right spiritual concept to the people.

No wonder chaplaincy profession and curriculum for training of chaplains must have the study of various religious studies incorporated into it which is known as “Sacred Education.”

In the like manner; chaplains who desire to work amongst Jews, Hindus and Buddhist must be prepared to study their religious theologies to enable them gain the trust of the people.

In the continent of Africa where we are also endowed with multiplicity of religious beliefs; spirituality concept can only be sold to the people when it is devoid of religion, colours and influence.

Training indigenous chaplains which will in turn be empowered to take clinical professional chaplaincy, its practice and service delivery to people of their cultures and communities. This can be carried out in two ways:-

a.     Training selected few people in US, Canada, Britain and Europe; sending them back to their various nations and communities to take responsibility for providing spiritual chaplaincy care to people of their nations. This is where nations and cultures have not seen the western world in bad light.

b.      That board certified chaplains from western world should endeavor to take clinical chaplaincy to other parts of world; training indigenous people of such nations to become chaplains; thus mentoring them to take ownership and provide spiritual chaplaincy care to their people only under supervision.

NB: Association of professional chaplains Inc. having  a robust understanding of how to take professional clinical chaplaincy practice and services on mission to the nook and crannies of the continent of Africa and beyond, have commenced the training and educating people of all cultures and tribes in the act of clinical chaplaincy; allowing them to take ownership of the project as soon as they get trained and become professionally certified to practice chaplaincy professionally in various communities, states, regions and countries where they live and sojourn.

In carrying out this type of project; governments at all levels and government agencies must be carried along to partner with for undisturbed operations from any quarters.

Examples:

1.     Community healthcare chaplains that are trained must be made to serve their practicum or internship in various community health centers across our nations in every state.

2.     Healthcare chaplains who are being trained as hospital chaplains must be introduced to various hospitals managements and ministries of the healthcare system.

3.     School or education chaplains who are being trained must be introduced to education management boards etc.

 

Are you interested in online professional chaplaincy training to enable you offer beneficial chaplaincy care and services, get registered at the prestigious chaplaincy institute – Prodam-J Chaplaincy Institute for adequate and proper professional chaplaincy education and training to make you outstanding among your equals? Call 08033072375; 07055287861; 08035092416 or WhatsApp – 09091981944

Chap. David Mike-Jacobs CPC, CPST, BCC.

Professor of Anthropology, Certified Chaplaincy Educator & Trainer.

Blog: thechaplain1.blogspot.com

4th Nov, AD2022

 

 

Street Chaplaincy Practice and Service Delivery

Having discovered the challenges and problems chaplains face in trying to get a practice base because of the cost of renting or building a practice center or an office, I have decided to come up with this innovation of establishing a chaplaincy practice base in the street.

“Street chaplaincy, street chaplaincy practice and service delivery” simply indicate the street you intend to have your practice base, then put up a canopy that can contain a table, a chair for yourself and another two chairs for your clients for you to take off as a practice base.

In my own candid opinion, this particular option seems to be the most cost effective in establishing chaplaincy practice base; which chaplains must endeavor to imbibe and uphold.

Street chaplaincy practice and service delivery, for your information; people also employ this same method in developed nations of the world. We also can employ this method in our own peculiar situations to get whatever we are beginning. “Innovative creativity is what we need.”

NB: Adoption of this does not mean that there can be no further challenges. However, whatever the challenges that arises, should be test to overcome.

Are you interested in online professional chaplaincy training to enable you offer beneficial chaplaincy care and services, get registered at the prestigious chaplaincy institute – Prodam-J Chaplaincy Institute for adequate and proper professional chaplaincy education and training to make you outstanding among your equals? Call 08033072375; 07055287861; 08035092416 or WhatsApp – 09091981944

Chap. David Mike-Jacobs CPC, CPST, BCC.

Professor of Anthropology, Certified Chaplaincy Educator & Trainer.

Blog: thechaplain1.blogspot.com

22^nd Nov, AD2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding Who Chaplains Are?

All over the world, there are many kinds of chaplains working or engaged to work in diverse places of work in societies of the world. However, these chaplains who are professional practitioners may be categorized or classified according to their places of work.

In this discourse, I intend to categorize or classify chaplains according to their places of work in chaplaincy settings:-

1.     Public Chaplains: Public chaplains are professional chaplaincy practitioners serving the general public in various public institutions, public works, departments, public hospitals, correctional centers, public schools, colleges and universities.

These chaplains are expected to practice chaplaincy and offer chaplaincy care and services to people in public institutions and establishments called government institutions.

Just as there are public accountants who also offer accounting services in public sectors and establishments; there are also public chaplaincy even today.

NB: Public chaplains, what I want to say is not inferior to other chaplains

2.     Private Chaplains: Private Chaplains, are chaplaincy practitioners who offer their chaplaincy care and services through their professional chaplaincy practice and service delivery. Those set of chaplains or crop of chaplains serve people in private professional practices.

In their capacities, these crops of chaplains offer chaplaincy services as private practitioners. They are not in private practice because they are owned by private chaplaincy organizations but rather because they offered chaplaincy care and services in private settings, organizations or institutions owned by private individuals or groups.

For example, many accountants, lawyers, medical doctors, engineers, pharmacists etc. are in private professional practice to date.

3.     Civilian Chaplains: This crop of chaplains are never members of regimented organization or sector , they are purely civilian who have chosen chaplaincy as their profession, occupation and vocation as they have the calling to serve the civilian population which is the greater percentage of the society’s population.

Civilian chaplains, whether lay or traditional chaplains, denominational or religious chaplains are non-military or para-military chaplains; they do not need to be.

It must be made bare at this juncture that Association of Professional Chaplains Inc., a chaplaincy professional body has her doors wide open to all chaplains, whether military or none military provided they desire to become professional chaplains

Civil Chaplains: Civilian chaplains are sometimes called civil chaplains which simply means chaplains who have chosen to serve people in the public or civil service. I wish to dispel the erroneous view of some people who consider the word civil as inferior.

Civil chaplains are in no way inferior to any other types or group of chaplains. there are civil servants, who work in the civil service, serving people or populace from government officers such as ministers, MDAS etc. There are also civil engineers, who are professional engineers offering special engineering services to people in communities in all nations world over.

 Civil chaplains are therefore not civil because they are inferior but because they have chosen to make services available to civil populace.

Scope of Chaplaincy Practice: Chaplaincy is a well-structured profession with individual professional practitioners knowing their scope of practice and service delivery.

While the scope of chaplaincy practice in the military is limited to military organizations, cantonment, barracks and military institutions only;  and chaplaincy scope of practice in the law enforcement agencies are limited to the law enforcement agencies and para-military organizations; the scope of practice for civil chaplains are also limited to the civil populace of the world.

We should be able to see a very clear cut professional boundary setting so as to forestall confusion, impersonation and unhealthy rivalry between professional practitioners and various professions.

Please take note of this and give room for decorum in practice!!

Are you interested in online professional chaplaincy training to enable you offer beneficial chaplaincy care and services, get registered at the prestigious chaplaincy institute – Prodam-J Chaplaincy Institute for adequate and proper professional chaplaincy education and training to make you outstanding among your equals? Call 08033072375; 07055287861; 08035092416 or WhatsApp – 09091981944

Chap. David Mike-Jacobs CPC, CPST, BCC.

Professor of Anthropology, Certified Chaplaincy Educator & Trainer.

Blog: thechaplain1.blogspot.com

11^th Oct, AD2022

 

What Exactly are we Expected to Do to Make Professional Chaplaincy and Practice Acceptable by the Public

Just like in other religions, cultures and traditions, ordained clergies (Rabbai) in Jewish religions and tradition where the ones who provided chaplaincy/spiritual care to Jewish people outside synagogues and temples as the Jews do not have chapels.

Though, in Israel, spiritual care is a new profession, not carrying with it the baggage of earlier models which limited this profession to religious leaders, a fact which enables better integration of the spiritual care provider into the multidisciplinary staff.

However, the educated Jewish people in United States of America enrolled in CPE study programme became certified chaplains, working either hospitals, prisons, or military in the US as certified chaplains.

Knowing fully well what obtains back at home; these Jewish certified chaplains, in the US thought of how to take chaplaincy professional practice and service delivery to the Jewish nation back at home, they called themselves together in meetings to consider another nomenclature for chaplains which is unknown to communities and places to take chaplaincy practice and service delivery to the Jewish populace which is “Spiritual Care Providers.”

With this wisdom and efforts of the certified Jewish chaplains in the US has begun to yield profitable fruits and rewards. Today, community based chaplaincy practice is well established in Jewish community both in USA as well as back at home, Jewish nation. “Spiritual care providers and that is who chaplains are.”

Although, our own situation in the continent of Africa is different from the Jewish people; all the same our peculiar situation must be made bare and discussed at this juncture:

In Nigeria, and by extension continent of Africa, chaplaincy was presented wrongly to the public. Chaplaincy was presented as a military outfit, which makes chaplains look very brutal as the military by the public instead of wearing the compassionate and empathic look.

The militarization with the deception and falsehood that come along with it made the public detest chaplaincy and do not hear anything about chaplaincy any more neither had regard for it for support in their painful situations. This is the situation we found ourselves in.

Because of the unfortunate past precedent; we who are certified professional chaplains have an herculean task of making the populace of our nation and continent see chaplaincy and practicing chaplains of value to the society.

Our efforts to professionalizing chaplaincy had meet with serious oppositions even from those who style themselves as chaplains as well. Bringing the right concept of chaplaincy to the continent of Africa has become a great problem to many chaplaincy organizations, their leaders as the eyes of the people are being opened for the truth.

The antagonism should not deter our commitment to take professional chaplaincy, its practices and service delivery to the innocent people of our society. Our peculiar situation informs the question asked as the topic of writing and discourse.

As professional chaplaincy practitioners, we must be ready to do the followings to enable us penetrate the people and consciously changing their erroneous opinions about chaplaincy and chaplains alike: we must:-

1.     Obtain sound education secularly and professionally that will give us the advantage of communicating and discussing freely with other professionals, CEOs, and industry leaders about chaplaincy, chaplains, and what they can offer in relation to their peculiar needs and demands.

2.     Be certified and licensed to practice chaplaincy professionally in public and private settings.

3.     Demonstrate professional confidence and moral courage n actual professional chaplaincy practice.

4.     Engage in the right and actual professional chaplaincy practice and service delivery.

5.     Demonstrate needed competencies in practice and service delivery.

6.     Be tactfully skillful in practice of professional chaplaincy and service delivery.

Are you interested in online professional chaplaincy training to enable you offer beneficial chaplaincy care and services, get registered at the prestigious chaplaincy institute – Prodam-J Chaplaincy Institute for adequate and proper professional chaplaincy education and training to make you outstanding among your equals? Call 08033072375; 07055287861; 08035092416 or WhatsApp – 09091981944

Chap. David Mike-Jacobs CPC, CPST, BCC.

Professor of Anthropology, Certified Chaplaincy Educator & Trainer.

Blog: thechaplain1.blogspot.com

20^th Oct, AD2022