Society for the Advancement of Modeling and Role-Modeling 14th Conference
Facilitating Holistic Healing: Communicating and Connecting
The Society for the Advancement of Modeling and Role-Modeling and Metropolitan State University sponsored a conference Facilitating Holistic Healing: Communicating and Connecting, October, 2012. Several students from Metropolitan State University attended the conference. The summary of some of the presentations that follows is based on reports submitted by graduate students. Thanks to ThreasaBraker, Emmelyn Kwame, Lynn Nyamwaya, RasmitaShrestha, and SanoukXiong for their contributions to the newsletter.
Friday, October 5:
Keynote address In the Pursuit of Wellbeing and Whole Systems Healing– Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD, RN
Founder and director of the Center for Spirituality and Healing, Dr. Kreitzer spoke about the importance of advancing wellbeing in individuals, families, communities, organizations and systems. Dr. Kreitzer gave definitions of wellbeing and explained the six aspects of wellbeing. These are health, purpose, relationship, community, environment, and security. In her discussion, she explained that loneliness is worse than depression and that having a good support network heals. (LynaNyamwaya)
The Face of Homelessness in the community – Joyce Bredesen, DNP, RN
Dr. Bredesen shared her qualitative study, “The Face of Homelessness within our Community: Health Care Challenges." She used Photovoice methodology in which she provided cameras to the homeless participants and had them take pictures of the things that affect their health. After the photos were developed, they sat down and talked about the meaning behind their photos. This was a powerful presentation as it felt like you could see through their eyes. Dr. Bredesen stated that many people were not aware of the National Guideline for Care of the Homeless this site offers educational opportunities to learn more about homelessness: (ThreasaBraker)
Facilitating Personal Integrity in the Older Adult through Reminiscence – Cynthia Stinson, PhD, RN
In the presentation, Dr. Stinson talked about how as nurses we can facilitate personal integrity in our elderly patients by encouraging or allowing them to speak and tell stories of their past. This allows our elderly patients to relive the emotions of their worthy lives. (SanoukXiong) The message centered on the importance of reminiscence of older adults and how it connects them to their environment and promotes healing and wellness. (Emmelyn Kwame)
Heart Centered Education: A Contemporary Tapestry of Caring – Deborah Shields, PhD, RN
This session was geared toward educators, but brought the reality of how we are all connected, and we learn from each other no matter what our role. She expressed the importance of teaching by example. If the educator shows genuine caring in the classroom, the student will understand what this feels like, and so they can bring it to the bedside of their patients. (ThreasaBraker)
Rape, Trauma, Healing and Hope: Holistic Perspectives – Susan Arnold, MA, RN and Janet Dahlem, MA
Ms. Arnold and Ms. Dahlemexplained how traumatic events, especially for women, are viewed as taboo in the US culture. In a graphic and chilling manner, Janet described her rape experience. She was only able to cope because she had great internal and external resources. She applies various holistic interventions for healing. During her rape experience, she had to draw energy from women who had experienced similar trauma in order to survive. It is very important to have internal and external resources to come with stressors and distressors in life. I learned that it is important to talk about traumatic experiences in the client’s appropriate time as this brings healing. (LynaNyamwaya) How encouraging it was to hear, how from the darkest moment of this woman’s life, comes unimaginable strength to be able to speak out and stand for social justice. (SanoukXiong)
An Intervention for American Indian Stress – Mary Fairbanks, MS, RN
Dr. Mary Fairbanks described the health disparities facing the American Indians (AI). Using data from US Census 2010, she compared the American Indians’ poverty level, unemployment rates, education level, and family size to other races in the US. Her presentation showed how Laughter Yoga is a culturally appropriate method of relieving stress in the AI. She demonstrated Laughter Yoga to the group which was quite interesting. Laughter Yoga was created by Dr.M. Kataria with 5 of his friends in India, but it is now known in 65 countries and there are 7,000 Laughter Clubs. The AI’s troubling life experiences such as racism, discrimination, and stress can be relieved by Laughter Yoga among other interventions. (LynaNyamwaya)
The Forgotten Grievers: Facilitating Healing by Helping Children Deal with Grief – David Shields, MS, RN
David Shields presentation focused on grieving children. The message conveyed was how to help children heal during times of grieving. Children are often forgotten during the grieving process and allowed to grieve on their own. He encouraged that they should have an insight on death and when a loved one dies they should be taught some coping skills. (Emmelyn Kwame)
Keynote Address Be Yourself or You Will Miss Your Life – Joan SteffandBrandmeier
Ms. Steffand voiced the importance of finding our passions and living them. She promotes first finding peace within and them spreading it to the community.
Saturday, October 6:
Keynote Do You Speak Healing? – Judith Simon Prager, PhD
Dr. Judith Prager brought attention to how powerful our words can be. The words we use affect the way people heal or do not heal; she has written books to prepare medical providers to use terminology that starts the healing process at the time of the crisis. Providing the best words and understanding during a health crisis will alleviate some of the fear of the medical profession in the future. (ThreasaBraker). I learned useful tools for communicating called the “first aid protocol” which includes the following step; get centered, establish authority, get a contract, build rapport, pace and lead and give therapeutic suggestions. The take away message for me is that my choice of words will either help the healing of the patient or hurt the patient’s healing, so I must choose my words very carefully. (SanoukXiong)
Implications for the Revised Perceived Enactment of Autonomy Scale – Judi Hertz, PhD, RN
Judi Hertz presented on the advanced development of the Perceived Enactment of Autonomy Scale. She discussed how the scale is used for the measurement of autonomy among elders who live independently as various other possibilities for use of the scale. (ThreasaBraker)
In the Eye of the Beholder – Marci Maple, MS, RN
One of the presentations that reached my heart was presented my Marci Maple. She demonstrated that through her experience that nursing is lacking the 3Cs of MRM: caring, connecting, and communicating. She clearly explained the stress that families are forced to deal with when nurses and other health providers do not preform the aforementioned 3Cs. Her experience reflects that the health care system needs to undergo a major change so that holistic theories are incorporated into practice. (RasmitaShrestha)
Keynote Communication: Bridge to Humanity - Helen Erickson, PhD, RN
Dr. Helen Erickson shared the importance of seeing the whole person not just the gallbladder in 211, as we care for others, it is imperative to meet them where they are in their own healing journey. She talked of the patient as the expert and the nurse as the facilitator or guide. Always remembering that the most important skill we bring to our patients is the ability to listen not only with our ears but also with our heart. She expressed the realization of all things being connected and how everyone and everything affects each other. (ThreasaBraker)
Sounds of Healing: using Therapeutic Music in Health Care Settings – Tami Briggs, MBA, CHP
To hear a harp being played in person was a wonderful experience. Tami Briggs, MBA, CHP presented on how therapeutic music can assist in the healing of patients. She shared a story of how patients in coma wake-up after hearing the vibrations of her harp while she is playing at the foot of the patients’ bed. Tami used Dr. Masaru Moto’s work of “messages from water” to demonstrate the power of music on water crystals. (SanoukXiong)
MRM: The Basics of Patient and Family Care – Linda Baas, PhD, RN
Dr. Linda Baas explained the new movement of Patient and Family Centered Care (PFCC) and how MRM is used in this approach to health care. She spoke of the importance of family councils and the information they can bring to improve the quality of care in the health care industry. (ThreasaBraker)