Chaplain/Spiritual Care Counselor
Resume:
REV. STACY L. THOMAS, M.DIV., C.B.F.
San Gabriel, CA 91775
***.*****.*.******@*****.***
Objective:
To obtain a chaplaincy position that allows me to utilize my ministerial skills in a rewarding and supportive environment.
Qualifications:
Ordained into Ministry, United Church of Christ, October 4, 2014
Graduate, Claremont School of Theology, Master of Divinity, focusing on chaplaincy
Employed as Spiritual Care Counselor/Chaplain and Bereavement Counselor for Hospice since 2011
Employed as Spiritual Care Counselor/Chaplain for Hospital
One-year internship pastoring at a local church
Possess valid California driver’s license
Possesses valid automobile insurance
Possess valid CPR training certificate
Experience:
2013 – Present Reliance Hospice and Palliative Care, Los Angeles, CA
Chaplain/Spiritual Care Counselor
Ministers to and provides spiritual/pastoral care and counseling, religious service and spiritual, emotional, and relational support to patients, families, and caregivers as requested
Provides Spiritual Care in a variety of settings as appropriate
Develops individualized Spiritual Care Plan in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT)
Provides Spiritual Reflections and Prayer at start of Interdisciplinary Team Meetings
Attends and participates in IDT Meetings, providing spiritual and emotional observations on patients, families, and caregivers, and provides consultation, education, and support to all members of the staff on spiritual issues
Notifies the IDT and other appropriate staff members of urgent patient needs
Supports patients, families, caregivers, and staff in exploring and utilizing the spiritual resources available to them, being open to any value or belief system
Provides an Initial Assessment for all consenting patients/families and/or documentation supporting attempts in the patient’s clinical record/chart
Provides or oversees the spiritual care of patients, families, and caregivers and documents all visits, observations, and interventions in the patient’s clinical record/chart, including any contact with spiritual caregivers outside the hospice care team.
Conducts funerals and memorial services as requested, and/or refers families to appropriate community resource(s)
Assists with the provision of bereavement services
Provides grief counseling to families and caregivers
Responds and accepts patient assignments and provides services within the requested time frame
Complies with the time commitment to patients
Informs appropriate staff of patient visitation schedule and changes
Plans and organizes work assignments, sets priorities, and completes work with a minimum of supervision
Completes and submits required documentation per agency policy in a timely manner
Participates in in-service programs
Prepares realistic professional goals and reviews progress toward goals with Supervisor annually
Utilizes new skills and knowledge
Selects and attends education programs to assist in improving skills in provision of care as chaplain/spiritual care counselor
Participates as an active, integral member of the Team
2013-2014 Reliance Hospice and Palliative Care, Los Angeles, CA
Bereavement Counselor
Created, developed, and implemented Bereavement Program.
Contacted bereaved families via regular mailings, phone calls, and visits to provide bereavement support, for up to 13 months following patient deaths
Maintained tracking of all bereavement contact made with families.
2013-2014 Reliance Hospice and Palliative Care, Los Angeles, CA
Volunteer Coordinator
Created, developed, and implemented Volunteer Program
Recruitment outreach to potential volunteers via online advertisements, flyers, brochures, and visits made to area high schools, colleges, and universities
Maintained contact with interested potential volunteers
Created training program, and trained new volunteers
Assigned volunteers to either office tasks or patient care visits
Maintained volunteer record files
Maintained volunteer tracking and reports
Oversaw Retention of volunteers
2012 Barlow Respiratory Hospital, Los Angeles, CA
Spiritual Care Counselor
Co-created, developed and implemented new Spiritual Care Department and program
Provided Spiritual Care in a variety of settings as appropriate
Developed individualized Spiritual Care Plan in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT)
Provided Spiritual Reflections and Prayer at start of Interdisciplinary Team Meetings and Social Service Department Meetings
Attended and participated in IDT Meetings and Social Service Department Meetings, providing spiritual and emotional observations on patients, families, and caregivers, and provided consultation, education, and support to all members of the staff on spiritual issues
Notified the IDT and other appropriate staff members of urgent patient needs
Supported patients, families, caregivers, and staff in exploring and utilizing the spiritual resources available to them, being open to any value or belief system
Provided an Initial Assessment for all consenting patients/families and/or documentation supporting attempts in the patient’s clinical record/chart
Provided or oversaw the spiritual care of patients, families, and caregivers and documents all visits, observations, and interventions in the patient’s clinical record/chart, including any contact with spiritual caregivers outside the hospice care team.
Referred families to appropriate community resource(s)
Responded to and accepted patient assignments and provided services within the requested time frame
Complied with the time commitment to patients
Informed appropriate staff of patient visitation schedule and changes
Planned and organized work assignments, set priorities, and completed work with a minimum of supervision
Completed and submitted required documentation per agency policy in a timely manner
Participated in in-service programs
Prepared realistic professional goals and reviews progress toward goals with Supervisor annually
Utilized new skills and knowledge
Selected and attended education programs to assist in improving skills in provision of care as chaplain/spiritual care counselor
Participated as an active, integral member of the Team
Co-facilitated group sessions with patients in the Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Program, educating them on stress management, relaxation and breathing techniques, including centering and breathing prayer
2011-2013 Angels of the Valley Hospice Care, Montrose, CA
Spiritual Care Counselor and Bereavement Coordinator, for Hospice.
Ministered to and provided spiritual/pastoral care and counseling, religious service and spiritual, emotional, and relational support to patients, families, and caregivers as requested
Provided Spiritual Care in a variety of settings as appropriate
Developed individualized Spiritual Care Plan in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT)
Provided Spiritual Reflections and Prayer at start of Interdisciplinary Team Meetings Attended and participated in IDT Meetings, providing spiritual and emotional observations on patients, families, and caregivers, and provided consultation, education, and support to all members of the staff on spiritual issues
Notified the IDT and other appropriate staff members of urgent patient needs
Supported patients, families, caregivers, and staff in exploring and utilizing the spiritual resources available to them, being open to any value or belief system
Provided an Initial Assessment for all consenting patients/families and/or documentation supporting attempts in the patient’s clinical record/chart
Provided or oversaw the spiritual care of patients, families, and caregivers and documents all visits, observations, and interventions in the patient’s clinical record/chart, including any contact with spiritual caregivers outside the hospice care team.
Referred families to appropriate community resource(s)
Responded to and accepted patient assignments and provided services within the requested time frame
Complied with the time commitment to patients
Informed appropriate staff of patient visitation schedule and changes
Planned and organized work assignments, set priorities, and completed work with a minimum of supervision
Completed and submitted required documentation per agency policy in a timely manner
Participated in in-service programs
Prepared realistic professional goals and reviews progress toward goals with Supervisor annually
Utilized new skills and knowledge
Selected and attended education programs to assist in improving skills in provision of care as chaplain/spiritual care counselor
Functioned as an active, integral member of the Team
Co-created, developed, and implemented new bereavement program
Contacted bereavement families via regular mailings, phone calls, and visits for bereavement support and grief counseling to families, up to 13 months following patients’ deaths
Maintained regular tracking of all contacts made with families
Participated as an active, integral member of the team
2010-2011 Claremont School of Theology Library, Claremont, CA
Library Assistant, Cataloging and Circulation, through Federal Work Study program.
Cataloged all new acquisitions, including books, periodicals, audio/visual materials, using online library system
Checked in and checked out circulating materials to patrons
Assisted patrons with locating requested materials
Re-shelved materials upon check-in from patrons
Routine maintenance, including cleaning, straightening, and appropriate re-shelving of materials left out by patrons
Retrieving and sorting mail from the campus post office
Delivery of mail, including all new acquisitions and periodical subscriptions, to appropriate library staff members
General data entry
2009-2010 Arcadia Congregational Church, Arcadia, CA
Intern Pastor, through Claremont School of Theology for degree requirement.
Planned and co-led Sunday morning worship services with pastor.
Led weekly adult Bible studies
Created and led Lenten study series on women in the New Testament.
Designed and facilitated leadership training seminar for church’s volunteer ministry
leaders
Participated in monthly church council meetings and ministry team meetings.
Visited homebound and hospitalized parishioners
Provided one-on-one pastoral care and counseling to parishioners
Facilitated monthly prayer sessions.
Volunteer Experience:
2010-2011 First Congregational Church of Pasadena, United Church of Christ, Pasadena, CA
Ch
Member-at-Large, Church Council
Member, Peace and Justice Committee
Serving as Liturgist, Sunday Worship Services
Preaching Sermons, Sunday Worship Services
Co-Leader, Women’s Circle
Co-Facilitator and Participant, various Bible Studies
Member, Discipleship Ministry
Sunday School Assistant, children and youth
Planning and facilitating adult education forums
Facilitating Guided Prayer Circle gatherings
2007-200 Member, Worship Planning Committee
Usher Liaison: Recruited ushers and assembled teams of ushers for weekly services; contacted ushers regularly through mail, e-mail, phone calls, and in-person communication. Substitute usher as needed.
Gerinet Health Care, Downey, CA
Volunteer, Volunteer Department and Bereavement Department
Participant, Healing After Loss Bereavement Support Group
2006-200 Seminarians for Social Justice, Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA
Active Member
1992–199 Speaker and Research Assistant, House of Ruth, Pomona, CA
Researched current church’s beliefs and attitudes about domestic violence.
Gathered information regarding church leader’s response to domestic violence.
Reported findings to House of Ruth staff members.
Provided educational presentations on domestic violence and its effects on the community. As a result, local Wal-
Mart Store chose House of Ruth as their primary charity.
Professional Development:
Certified Bereavement Facilitator, Beyond Loss, A Bereavement Ministry in Partnership with Glendale Adventist Medical Center Chaplain's Dept., Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Glendale, CA (16 continuing education units)
Seminar “On Death and Grieving,” presented by David Kessler in association with Premier Education Solutions/CMI Education Institute (6 continuing education units)
Health and Spirituality Seminars, provided by The Mary and Joseph Retreat Center, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Hospice Foundation of America Summer 2013 Webinar Series, Effective Grief Groups (Running
Effective Grief Groups; Effective Grief Groups for Children; Effective Grief Groups for
Adolescents), Online
General Synod Convention 2013, United Church of Christ, Long Beach, CA
Volunteer and Participant
Annual Gatherings of Southern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ
Church Vitality events sponsored by Southern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ
Biannual meetings of the Central Association of the Southern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ
Museum of Tolerance, 2-day conference on violence prevention, diversity, and tolerance
Completed 40-hour state-mandated domestic violence training
Education:
Claremont School of Theology, Claremont May 2011
Master of Divinity
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona June 1997
Single Subject Credential in History/Social Sciences
Supplemental Credential in English/Language Arts
Special Certification in Cross-Cultural Language Acquisition and Development
California State University, Fresno December 1991
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Anthropology and History
Contact this candidate