When we are in crisis we find ourselves constantly drained by the urgent and important things in our life that demand our attention. Should we get a moment of reprieve, we often succumb to the desire to escape by engaging in something that numbs us out. In this podcast we talk about making time for spiritual wellness during difficult times. My guest, suicide prevention specialist and community trauma responder Sarah Gaer, gives us some concrete ideas on how we can tend to our souls when our world seems like it’s falling down around us.
What are your practices for soul care?
For some, soul care activities are connected to religions, faith practices or faith communities. For others, being in awe while in nature or immersed in the arts helps their souls heal. Still, for others soul care takes the form of social justice or intentional acts of kindness and community engagement for the common good.
About Sarah Gaer
Sarah Gaer is a suicide loss survivor and a Master's Level Clinician with twenty years’ experience in the field of mental health care. Since 2012, she has worked as a Suicide Prevention Specialist focused on men in the middle years and first responders with Riverside Trauma Center based in Needham, MA. She has trained hundreds of first responders in trauma and suicide prevention in Massachusetts and is a QPR (Question, Persuade & Refer) Master Trainer for the QPR Institute. Sarah is also member of the Riverside Trauma Center trauma team and has responded to suicides, homicides, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks throughout Massachusetts. Sarah is currently co-chair of the Pioneer Valley Coalition for Suicide Prevention and sits on the Executive Committee for the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention as well as United Suicide Survivors International. She has also authored a number of books including The Price, Goodnight Grace and Guts, Grit & The Grind. To learn more visit https://sarahgaer.com/.
Show Notes
https://sarahgaer.com/
The Price: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1091591938/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i0
The Price is a deeply engrossing book about the lifestyle of the ‘police family’ and how a devastating loss by suicide affects each character in the book. The Price takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions that will ring true to those who have lost a loved one to suicide and/or for those working in law enforcement.Not only is this a gripping novel, it is also a valuable tool for clinicians and others on the front lines of crisis to use to aid suicide prevention efforts in all sectors. Questions and resources have been included at the end of the book for the use of any who might need them.
Goodnight Grace https://www.amazon.com/Good-Night-Grace-Sarah-Gaer/dp/1678999547/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Goodnight+grace&qid=1586879776&s=books&sr=1-1
This children’s book is part of a series intended for therapists and caregivers to help children through tough situations involving parents with substance use disorders, depression, and other mental health challenges.
Guts, Grit & The Grind: A MENtal Mechanics MANual — Basic Mechanics https://www.amazon.com/Guts-Grit-Grind-MENtal-Mechanics/dp/0578658135/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Guts+grit+and+grind&qid=1586879948&s=books&sr=1-1
This is volume one of “Guts, Grit & The Grind," a book series akin to a “Chicken Soup for the Man’s Soul.” Here you will find stories of mental health challenges of men, written by men, for men in similar circumstances - inspiring stories of resilience, recovery and transformation. The resource is also a workbook, similar to an automobile owners manual, using car metaphors many men can relate to like "preventative maintenance," "troubleshooting," and "check engine." With a dash of humor and mental health science, tools, and exercises, our goal is to help men help themselves, to overcome hardship and build and maintain a life worth living.
BLOG: Soul Exhaustion (Guest Blogger, Sarah Gaer): https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/dr-sally-speaks-blog/2019/12/6/soul-exhaustion
Resources
Talking about Spiritual and Religious Factors in Wellness (SAMHSA) https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/programs_campaigns/wellness_initiative/spirituality-fact-sheet.pdf
Spiritual Wellness Lifestyle Guidelines: https://www.lifemedwellcare.org/docs/spiritual-wellness-lifestyle.pdf
Logotherapy https://positivepsychology.com/viktor-frankl-logotherapy/
Additional References
Bedrick, D. (2013). The Courage to Find Soul: A Call for More 'Psyche' in Psychology. Huffington Post. Retrieved on April 14, 2020 from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/psychology_b_3916177?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACpIDCaPpBQ5-crQLPp8edyxTQAczSaGfRwX7ZTYvYH8bFcmtbcKs-71kIGe713NCtI0SMNjrPfeHqflbP1XSvdU5lKWbxkRuODaNIBmJyNGwcOJETaw0DuuMVce1hTxy1xS0ntp7upJOg2mPKq_ydk_M5JkXBQzYd8dh1FDy-yU
Frankl, V. Man’s Search for Meaning. https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/080701429X
Goldsmith, N. (2010). Psychology: The Study of the Soul? Psychology Today. Retrieved on April 14, 2020 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychedelic-healing/201011/psychology-the-study-the-soul.
Wein, S. (2014). Spirituality — The psyche or the soul? Palliative and Supportive Care,12, 91–94. Retrieved on April 14, 2020 from https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1478951514000303.
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