Saturday, April 27, 2013

"Visiting the Sick" Educational Seminar: Alan and M. Evan Wolkenstein


Conference on Visiting the Sick and Seriously Ill


What Does a Sick Person Want From Me When I Visit?
What Do I Want From Myself?

What Does My Community Expect From My Visiting the Sick and Seriously Ill?




Mission Statement


To provide a psychological-spiritual-educational environment in which individuals who visit the sick and seriously ill have an opportunity to develop and enhance these interactions by becoming a more mindful visitor in each visit.

 

Objectives


  • Developing a posture of active listening and conversation.
  • Planning for mental preparedness.
  • Assessing personal physical integrity.
  • Seeking the Three Guests in any important conversation.
·        Developing appropriate responses to the sick person’s needs and expectation of the visit.
·        Learning the skills to convey compassion, support, and empathy.
  • Appreciating the interdependent components of successful visiting and self- care.
·        Understanding your emotional needs to sustain yourself in this important work.

 

Process


We will use principles of adult education and reflective learning in assisting participants to create their important conversations with sick persons.  Trained guides and mentors will facilitate large and small small experiential groups utilizing Core Competency Objectives of successful interpersonal communication.

You will:
  • Explore, share, and articulate your own personal path towards becoming comfortable and satisfied in such visits.
  • Acknowledge and strive to accept your own feelings, as a pathway towards facing the innate and hidden needs of others.
  • Assess in a non-judgmental and liminal manner the various ways in which your feelings facilitate or hinder as barriers important and meaningful conversation with sick persons.
  • Understand the blind spots of personality and background that get in the way of your desire to be helpful.
  • Practice in small groups your emotional responses when visiting the sick.
  • Learn the skills to identify and work with the emotions of sick persons in helpful ways.


Long Term Goal


To develop a supportive community of reflective practitioners to reduce personal dissatisfaction, enhance communication skills, and eliminate emotional burnout.

Philosophy of coordinators


Help facilitate our role of commitment and vision for a more mindful caring about fellow ill persons.

Structure a successful yearly conference in behalf of persons living with and through illness and their visitors.



Alan S. Wolkenstein, MSW,LCSW, Conference Coordinator
Clinical Professor of Family Medicine
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Senior Educator and Consultant : Wolkenstein and Associates, LLC
Mequon, Wisconsin

M. Evan Wolkenstein, MA, Conference Facilitator
Director of Experiential Education
JCHS of the Bay
San Francisco, California













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