title: In the beginning: a Canadian ethnographic study on sources and definitions of spiritual reflection used by health care professionals who are not chaplains.
abstract: This qualitative study presents a literature review, methodology, findings and discussion from a sample of 20 health care professional around their experiences of sources and definitions of spiritual reflection. The sample includes nursing, social work, occupational therapy, medicine, physiotherapy, music therapy, psychology and recreational therapy. Major sources are music, poetry, stories and sacred texts. Definitions are meaning making and encountering the divine along with personal reflection on values and assumptions. Limitations of the research and recommendations for education, practice and future research are also presented.
authors.affiliation: Waterloo Lutheran Seminary/Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. toconnor@wlu.ca
authors.forename: Thomas St James
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Myrta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meakes
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McGregor
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Howitt
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002170:Canada; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D011361:Professional Competence; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D029181:Spirituality