CAMPaM:

Exploring the Experience of Complementary Alternative Methods of Healing in the Mystery of Pastoral Ministry.... Continued

CAMPaM is a dynamic, interactive training designed for chaplains, CPE students, and anyone with a serious interest in the ministry of healing. Focusing on a practical application of the healing arts founded on an adequate theoretical base, each one-day module introduces various aspects of the healing ministry and follows up with a demonstration of its application. The later modules introduce one to the advanced practices of complementary alternative medicine. Prepared in accordance with the standards of NACC, ACPE, and APC, this course is very much ‘competency based.’ The division of the course into four separate 8-hour modules allows it to be spaced over time, which also allows the course to become more interactive and efficient. In the interim periods, participants have time to integrate and utilize the healing principles in their own lives and their ministry. They can then come back and share their insights and experiences with the instructor and other participants, and gain from the feedback they get.

Module I: Introduces a student to the basics of Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM), and describes its relationship to Pastoral Ministry (PaM). This module focuses on a few practical CAM modalities, considers their theoretical underpinnings, explains their differences, and evaluates their performance levels.

Objective: To create awareness and enhance knowledge of Complementary Alternative Methods of Healing, and to provide introductory training in body-mind-spirit healing modalities.

Outcome: Awareness, knowledge and skills needed to implement a few basic centering, empowering, and healing techniques for the well being of our clients/patients.

Module II: Presents further opportunity for chaplains to equip themselves with some commonly used and easily applicable CAM Modalities.

Objective: To deepen the experience of CAMPaM through practical study of easy to learn and simple to do CAM Modalities.

Outcome: Knowledge and basic understanding of the theories, principles, and practices of several healing modalities.

Module III: Focuses on integrating the experience of CAMPaM. Module III explores some of the most commonly practiced and highly beneficial CAM modalities from the perspective of pastoral care. This module presents these modalities from a Christian theological perspective, making them readily acceptable in our own cultural setting.

Objective: To integrate the experience of CAM and apply the spiritual healing modalities and techniques that facilitate faster healing in the body and mind of a patient/client.

Outcome: Knowledge and skills in several spiritual healing methods and Personal development into a resource for healing and knowledge among healthcare professionals.

Module IV demonstrates common and safe techniques of CAMPaM. Module IV’s ease and flow is a result of the previous studies and practical experiences. It concentrates on the easy to do, highly beneficial methods. This module also provides a student with increasing popular energy medicine techniques and practitioner level certification.

Objective: To provide opportunity to demonstrate some of the very beneficial healing methods used in today’s changing healthcare industry.

Outcome: Practical knowledge of and skills for energy healing modalities to bring about transformation in oneself and one’s clients.

As a result of this chaplain/CPE focused study and training, a chaplain can develop the skills needed to fine tune one’s gifts and talents for use in the clinical setting. Set to meet the call “What are we, as chaplains, contributing to the body of knowledge?” by Sr. Jean DeBlois in her address of the NACC National Conference of 2004, CAMPaM focuses on increasing the ‘healing space’ in definable terms for increased accountability. This course also prepares a person to write notes in the chart that will clearly indicate in measurable terms what have we contributed to the body of knowledge.

CAMPaM Activities and Teacher’s Training Program

Toward the end of last year, I invited a small group of people with interest in complementary alternative methods of healing and pastoral ministry to form a network. The same invitation was also given to the chaplains present at the NACC conference. The network currently includes about 30 chaplains, and other CAM professionals have expressed interest in joining as well. As this group began to grow, we applied for a network status with Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). Our application was accepted by the ACPE board and the network is currently an official network with the ACPE. (http://www.campam.org)

CAMPaM also recently received national recognition when I was invited to present it to the NACC National Conference in Kansas City, MO (March 2004). It was well received, and the course is currently being reviewed for continuing education by NACC

To further the study of complementary alternative methods of healing in the context of pastoral ministry, the Ozarks Wellness Educational Institute has recently been established. The institute is currently planning to offer an intensive two week CAMPaM “teachers training” program to chaplains with at least four units of Clinical Pastoral Education. This training will enable a person to become a certified CAMPaM instructor and will therefore allow organizations to retain an “in-house” instructor, able to train and certify other practitioners of complementary alternative healing.