What skills are needed in order to give spiritual care?
The following skills may be useful in the delivery of spiritual care:
- adopting a caring attitude and disposition
- recognising and responding appropriately to people’s needs
- using observation to identify cues that might be indicative of underlying spiritual need – for example, people’s disposition (sad/withdrawn), personal artefacts (photographs, religious/meditational books and symbols)
- giving time to listen and attend to individual need
- being aware of when it is appropriate to refer to another source of support – for example, a chaplain, counsellor, another staff member, family or friend
- looking for the best in the worst
- being personally hope-filled, believing that what one does and what one is, is always of some value; knowing that it is never too late to do good.
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