It has been said that the fear of death is at the root of all neurosis. Could it also be said that religious doctrines can contribute to that fear while also having the ability to ease anxieties about death and beyond?
Regardless of one’s spiritual perspective, death almost always triggers existential questions. How do we engage productively with these questions while respecting each person’s unique spiritual journey? Furthermore, in professional mental health care, spirituality is often regarded as a taboo subject and not adequately addressed in counseling or support group settings. What can we do, as end-of-life professionals, to bridge that gap?
This course will explore spiritual views on death and dying from a variety of diverse perspectives, including psychology, religion, culture and psycho-social norms. During our seven weeks together, we will explore these topics and more:
· What is the difference between spirituality and religion?
· The ego’s desire for deathlessness
· Positive and negative religious coping
· Death perspectives across cultures and throughout history
· Rituals for death, dying and bereavement
· Afterlife beliefs and mystical experiences
· Support skills in clinical settings
· Interfaith conversation skills
· Spiritual conflicts in family systems
· Spiritual tools at the bedside
- Teacher: Terri Daniel