Approaching Spiritual and Existential Care Needs in Health
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religions Article Approaching Spiritual and Existential Care Needs in Health Education: Applying SOPHIE (Self-Exploration through Ontological, Phenomenological, and Humanistic, Ideological, and Existential Expressions), as Practice Methodology Gulnar Ali 1,* and Nasreen Lalani 2 1 Health and Social Care, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, London SW9 6EJ, UK 2 Centre for Aging and Life Course, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] or [email protected] Received: 14 July 2020; Accepted: 29 August 2020; Published: 3 September 2020 Abstract: Addressing existential and spiritual care needs, often remains a challenge in health education. Spirituality is a subjective human experience that shapes how individuals make meaning, construct knowledge, develop their own sense of reality, and bring personal and social transformation. To inspire health and social students at a London based University; learners were engaged into philosophical reasonings associated with the meaning to care. SOPHIE (Self-exploration through Ontological, Phenomenological and Humanistic, Ideological, and Existential expressions)—a reflective practice tool was applied during in-class activities from June 2019–2020. Using SOPHIE as a tool, students were encouraged to explore existential and ontological care aspects by engaging into transformative learning approaches. Participants identified their own existential and spiritual care needs by reflecting on their own meaning making process. SOPHIE enabled resilience and authenticity among learners as a reflexive discourse. Keywords: self-care; authenticity; meaning making; ontology; reflective learning; spirituality and existential health 1. Background Spiritual and existential care aspects have received a significant attention in adult learning and education. Spirituality is an important aspect of human experience that shapes how individuals make meaning, construct knowledge, develop their own sense of reality, and bring personal and social transformation (Langellier 2001; Tisdell and Tolliver 2003; Wattis et al. 2019). Spirituality is often regarded as synonymous with the institution of religion. However, these two concepts i.e., spirituality and religion are distinct (Koenig 2004). Spirituality can also be understood as the personal, inner, informal, and emotional aspect of connecting with oneself, the environment or with the sacred (Koenig 2004; Caldeira et al. 2016). Whereas religion is set of organized beliefs and practices, usually shared by a community or group (Koenig 2004). In health education, spirituality has been approached from a variety of perspectives, acknowledging diverse meanings and different associations from culture, beliefs, and philosophical backgrounds, to recognize person-centered care needs. The myriads of meanings and interpretations associated with the term spirituality often generates confusion and lack of clarity among healthcare professionals and educators (Kalkim et al. 2016; Wattis et al. 2017; Lalani 2020). This, in turn, leads to problems in incorporating spirituality into education and practice (Caldeira et al. 2016). Over the last three decades there have been numerous calls to integrate spirituality and spiritual Religions 2020, 11, 451; doi:10.3390/rel11090451 www.mdpi.com/journal/religions Religions 2020, 11, 451 2 of 13 care intoReligions health 2020, education 11, x FOR PEER (Ali REVIEW et al. 2018). In the past, spirituality in education is more generally2 of 13 seen as the construction of knowledge or in dealing with religious pluralism in higher education settings, nonethelessnumerous a newer calls to common integrate perspectivespirituality and focus spiritual on meaning-making care into health education in adult (Ali learning et al. 2018 as intricately). In relatedthe to p theast, spiritualspirituality quest in education of adults is more (Tisdell generally 2001; Wattisseen as etthe al. construction 2019). It hasof knowledge been suggested or in that dealing with religious pluralism in higher education settings, nonetheless a newer common attending to the spiritual dimension of adult learning is part of honoring the learner’s self as well perspective focus on meaning-making in adult learning as intricately related to the spiritual quest as herof/his adults own (Tisdel life inl the2001 quest; Wattis for et meaningal. 2019). makingIt has been (Tisdell suggested 2001 ;that Ali attending et al. 2018 to). the However, spiritual there is no consensusdimension of about adult how learning this is can part be of done honoring as an the essential learner’s learning self as well component as her/his inown health life in education the (Ali etquest al. 2018 for ;meaningWattis etmaking al. 2019 (T).isdel Newerl 2001 approaches; Ali et al. 201 and8). However, models are there therefore is no consensus needed about to integrate how this importantthis can dimension be done as of an spirituality essential learning in health component education. in health education (Ali et al. 2018; Wattis et al. SOPHIE2019). Newer (Self-exploration approaches and through models Ontological,are therefore needed Phenomenological, to integrate this and import Humanistic,ant dimension Ideological, of and Existentialspirituality expressions),in health education. a heutagogical tool was developed by the author, to approach spiritual SOPHIE (Self-exploration through Ontological, Phenomenological, and Humanistic, and existential care needs through meaning-making reflexive engagement, in health care education and Ideological, and Existential expressions), a heutagogical tool was developed by the author, to practiceapproach (Ali and spiritual Snowden and 2019existen).tial SOPHIE care needs introduced through a meaning teaching-making intervention reflexive focusing engagement, on exploring in existentialhealth and care spiritual education care and needs practice in health (Ali education and Snowden in June 2019 2019–2020.). SOPHIE Embedded introduced with a teaching self-reflective activitiesintervention such as focusing art work, on mindfulness,exploring existential and poetry and spiritual writing; care SOPHIE needs in washealth applied education during in June in-class activities2019 as–2020. part Embedded of core-learning with self sessions,-reflective threading activities across such variousas art work, undergraduate mindfulness modules, and poetry in health and socialwriting; care SOPHIE such as was Psychology applied during (level in 04),-class Principles activities ofas Healthpart of core and-learning Social care sessions, practice threading (level 05) at a Londonacross based various University, undergraduate where modules the researcher in health was and also social the maincare suc lecturerh as Psychology and module (level leader 04), of the Principles of Health and Social care practice (level 05) at a London based University, where the said courses. researcher was also the main lecturer and module leader of the said courses. 2. SOPHIE as an In-Class Teaching and Learning Intervention 2. SOPHIE as an in-Class Teaching and Learning Intervention SOPHIESOPHIE (Self-exploration (Self-exploration through through Ontological, Ontological, Phenomenological, Phenomenological, and Humanistic,and Humanistic, Ideological, and ExistentialIdeological, expressions) and Existential (Figure expressions)1), recognizes (Figure several1), recognizes ontological several andontological practice and based practice reflexive components,based reflexive approaching components, and addressing approaching spiritual and addressing care needs spiritual in health care n educationeeds in health (Ali education and Snowden 2019).(Ali Embracing and Snowden the 2019 philosophy). Embracing of holisticthe philosophy development, of holistic SOPHIE development, (Self-exploration SOPHIE (Self through- Ontological,exploration Phenomenological, through Ontological, and Humanistic,Phenomenological, Ideological, and Humanistic, and Existential Ideological, expressions) and Existential is a reflective frameworkexpressions) to approach is a reflective existential framework and to spiritual approach care existential needs and (Ali spiritual 2017). care SOPHIE, needs (Ali in addition2017). to SOPHIE, in addition to socio-cultural, behavioral, and person-centered approaches, acknowledges socio-cultural, behavioral, and person-centered approaches, acknowledges ontological dimensions ontological dimensions and embraces intentionality, reflexivity, and creativity so that existential and embracesand spiritual intentionality, care needs of reflexivity, an individual and could creativity be recognized. so that existential and spiritual care needs of an individual could be recognized. Figure 1. SOPHIE—Self-exploration through Ontological, Phenomenological, and Humanistic, Ideological, and Existential expressions) (Ali 2017). Figure 1. SOPHIE—Self-exploration through Ontological, Phenomenological, and Humanistic, Self-exploration—IIdeological, and Existential v/s Me? expressions) (Ali 2017). Ontological Aspect—Who am I? Phenomenological aspect—How am I? Humanistic aspect—What can I offer to others? Religions 2020, 11, 451 3 of 13 Ideological aspects—How do I belong to others? Existential Aspect—Why do I exist? What is the meaning of my life? The aims of the in-class teaching intervention were as follows: 1. To explore the existential quest and meaning making process among students using self-reflective practices in health education. 2. To develop a deeper understanding of the spiritual care