Core Elements of Practice... "What We Do"

With a holistic approach, Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists support people, especially during key moments of crisis and life transitions that impact their emotional, physical and spiritual health. 

Illness, poverty, loneliness, addiction, homelessness and violence, are unfortunate aspects of our culture, whose causes and management can be addressed by spiritual care and psychospiritual therapy.
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Recently developed by leaders in the Association, the Core Elements of Practice is an inspired piece of work that succinctly communicates the core of what we do. It highlights four key elements that characterize the practice of spiritual care and psychospiritual therapy.

Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists support in: 

​Connecting with the Body
​Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists support and facilitate an awareness of how the sacred is being experienced in and through the body. 

Engaging with the Mind
​Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists engage with and bring attention to the stories that shape individuals and communities. They facilitate a "restorying" process when individuals or groups are struggling to navigate their current reality. 

Embracing the Emotions
​Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists welcome and hold space for the full range of emotions, enabling clients to safely engage with, rather than avoid, the fullness of their internal experience. This in-turn supports the client in building life-giving relationships.

​Supporting the Human Spirit
Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists support individuals and communities in creating, building and sustaining their sense of wellbeing in the face of changing circumstances. 

Impact & Benefits of our work

Why Spiritual Care?

People seek out Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists to support them holistically, especially during key moments of crisis and life transitions that impact their emotional, physical and spiritual health. 

Role of spirituality and faith

Research demonstrates that religion and spirituality play an important role in helping people cope with illness, and these needs are minimally met by medical teams or even faith communities.​

Special Training

 Most people want medical teams to attend to spiritual needs, but most physicians do not feel confident to address spiritual issues with their patients. Spiritual Care Professionals are uniquely trained and qualified to provide these specialized spiritual assessments and interventions. 

Responding to a need

A majority of people facing serious illness or end of life show signs of spiritual distress and report having some spiritual pain.

Four Benefits

Spiritual Care Practitioners and Psychospiritual Therapists help people cope with grief and loss, stress, depression, illness, issues with self-esteem, and finding purpose in life.
Professional Spiritual Care provided as part of health care is associated with;
1) increased patient satisfaction,
2) increased patient engagement with health care decisions,
3) faster recovery from illness and
​4) decreased lengths of stay.

Increased Hope

Research shows Spiritual Care Professionals help people cope, feel more hopeful, and find the strength to continue on.

Benefits to organizational Staff

Spiritual Care Practitioners support health care institutions by leading staff debriefings and  rounds which increases staff wellness and reduces risk of burnout and compassion fatigue, fostering staff well-being and team cohesiveness.

Wider scope

Poverty, loneliness, addiction, homelessness and violence are unfortunate aspects of our culture, whose causes and management can be addressed by spiritual care and psychospiritual therapy.

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Membership

Membership with CASC/ACSS comprises a nation-wide community of like-minded individuals, groups and networks. Membership offers opportunities for continuing education and professional development, networking possibilities, access to cutting-edge research and resources, as well as a platform to contribute to the advancement of spiritual care in Canada.  Join CASC/ACSS today and enjoy the many benefits of being a member with us.  
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Education

CASC/ACSS offers training programs to those who are preparing to become Spiritual Care Providers and Psychospiritual Therapists in a variety of institutional and community settings such as health care, corrections, education and private practice.  All of our internships take place within CASC/ACSS accredited institutions,  most notably in health care and mental health settings.  All programs are taught by Certified Supervisor Educators and so you can be assured that you are learning from the best professionals in Canada.  We also educate those who are preparing for ordained/commissioned religious leadership to have competence in providing spiritual care to their faith communities. 
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Certification

Certification with CASC/ACSS empowers Spiritual Care Providers and Psychospiritual Therapists to deliver the highest quality care to individuals, families and communities. It demonstrates expertise in Spiritual Care and Psychospiritual Therapy and a commitment  to ethical and professional practice. Certification ensures that professional practice is safe, effective, competent and accountable. Certification with CASC/ACSS is the best way to become gainfully employed as a Spiritual Care Professional. 
Individuals can pursue Ceritification in three areas:

• Spiritual Care Practitioners
• Psychospiritual Therapists 
• Supervisor-Educators

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Education, Practice, Ethics

​​Much of the work of CASC/ACSS is done by three commissions who oversee the education, practice and ethics of members.
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