Applications

Spirituality is notoriously difficult to measure. Nevertheless, the WELLHEAD Toolkit does give measures of perceived spiritual health and wellbeing. This may be important for individuals and groups, alongside more descriptive information. Such outcome measurement may be used in service evaluation.

The WELLHEAD Toolkit lends itself to contexts where people are asking the ‘big questions’, about meaning and purpose in life. Life-threatening events or illness may bring forward this questioning, which can form part of normal ageing.

The Toolkit deliberately offers simple language and symbolic pictures. Participants can be adults with communication impairment, or even those with mild dementia. It is less suited to people with learning disability. Of course, being accessible, it may also be useful for people who have no communication impairment at all! It doesn’t require you to be an academic, just to come with a willingness to share and be open to discovery.

A facilitator provides a ‘safe space’ where the participant’s exploration and perceptions are held gently in confidence, and ‘Next Steps’ emerge. You may be glad of such a ‘real conversation’ using choices of words and images from the Toolkit to anchor an exploration of spirituality? Perhaps accessible communication can be a new doorway for many of us?

Click a relevant heading below for more information:

Healthcare Practitioners

(Including Allied Health Professionals)

Incorporating some techniques from speech and language therapy, WELLHEAD may be useful for therapists and healthcare professionals in general – those who have enough individual time to offer to participants for a deeper understanding of what matters to them. The Toolkit is suitable for those with communication difficulty but has wider application. The WELLHEAD Toolkit is trans-professional, so that different professions in a multi-disciplinary team may adopt the role of facilitator. A basic knowledge of spirituality is advisable, and local options for onward referral to specialist spiritual care practitioners (such as chaplains). The Toolkit offers scope for embedding context-specific goals because the Next Steps are intended to be ‘SMART’ and essentially practical. Therapeutic goals rooted in a participant’s meaning and purpose are likely to be motivating. Participant-reported outcome measures and goal - attainment are inherent in the design, shown to align with a standardised measure of spiritual health and wellbeing.

Counsellors

The WELLHEAD Toolkit offers an adjunct to existing counselling practice. Spirituality is distinct from religion, belief and faith, though it may include all these aspects. The Toolkit offers a way of exploring such issues in a non-threatening way and discerning a way forward. The Toolkit does not replace training about spirituality but enhances what can be achieved with a basic knowledge. It is especially suitable with clients who have communication issues. WELLHEAD lends itself to contexts where people are facing the difficult questions in life. It is not a ‘deep dive’ but a gentle exploration, which can be deepened according to the counsellor’s particular remit.

Chaplaincy Teams

Skilled practitioners may find they can adapt the Toolkit for a variety of purposes. Others may be glad of the detailed instructions and suggestions for how to use the Resources, which enable conversations even when communication is difficult. The Toolkit incorporates outcome measures which can measure spiritual growth. Outcome measures about individuals’ spiritual health are sometimes disconnected from the care being provided, but WELLHEAD integrates the two. This may provide leverage when making a case for services and funding. The design of the WELLHEAD Toolkit lends itself to repeated measures of individuals, and the easily completed records offer continuity when facilitators change or time passes, as there is a clear (and transparent) summary for sharing with consent.

Faith-Based Organisations

WELLHEAD tries to be inclusive irrespective of religious orientation. It may be adapted for different faith-based organisations, with a heart for pastoral care and spiritual growth. The WELLHEAD model arose from the context of seeking a vision for change within a church, and it could be reimagined for this purpose. Spiritual directors and mentors and those leading retreats may find the Toolkit offers a fresh option for assisting others in their spiritual journey. Suggestions for using the Toolkit in groups are briefly outlined in the Manual, all depending on the experience of leaders and the context.

Individual Enquiries

You may feel that you do not ‘fit’ into any of the boxes . Do you see an opportunity to use the WELLHEAD Toolkit to promote wellbeing within your organisation or network? Do you have skills that would make you a good facilitator for others who want to explore spirituality? Are you seeking to participate in an individual session? Enquiries are welcome, and a range of training can be offered.

Healthcare Practitioners

Counsellors

Chaplaincy Teams

Faith-Based Organisations

Individual Enquiries

Healthcare Practitioners

(Including Allied Health Professionals)

Incorporating some techniques from speech and language therapy, WELLHEAD may be useful for therapists and healthcare professionals in general – those who have enough individual time to offer to participants for a deeper understanding of what matters to them. The Toolkit is suitable for those with communication difficulty but has wider application. The WELLHEAD Toolkit is trans-professional, so that different professions in a multi-disciplinary team may adopt the role of facilitator. A basic knowledge of spirituality is advisable, and local options for onward referral to specialist spiritual care practitioners (such as chaplains). The Toolkit offers scope for embedding context-specific goals because the Next Steps are intended to be ‘SMART’ and essentially practical. Therapeutic goals rooted in a participant’s meaning and purpose are likely to be motivating . Participant-reported outcome measures and goal-attainment are inherent in the design, shown to align with a standardised measure of spiritual health and wellbeing.

Counsellors

The WELLHEAD Toolkit offers an adjunct to existing counselling practice. Spirituality is distinct from religion, belief and faith, though it may include all these aspects. The Toolkit offers a way of exploring such issues in a non-threatening way and discerning a way forward. The Toolkit does not replace training about spirituality but enhances what can be achieved with a basic knowledge. It is especially suitable with clients who have communication issues. WELLHEAD lends itself to contexts where people are facing the difficult questions in life. It is not a ‘deep dive’ but a gentle exploration, which can be deepened according to the counsellor’s particular remit.

Chaplaincy Teams

Skilled practitioners may find they can adapt the Toolkit for a variety of purposes. Others may be glad of the detailed instructions and suggestions for how to use the Resources, which enable conversations even when communication is difficult. The Toolkit incorporates outcome measures which can measure spiritual growth. Outcome measures about individuals’ spiritual health are sometimes disconnected from the care being provided, but WELLHEAD integrates the two. This may provide leverage when making a case for services and funding. The design of the WELLHEAD Toolkit lends itself to repeated measures of individuals, and the easily completed records offer continuity when facilitators change or time passes, as there is a clear (and transparent) summary for sharing with consent.

Faith-Based Organisations

WELLHEAD tries to be inclusive irrespective of religious orientation. It may be adapted for different faith-based organisations, with a heart for pastoral care and spiritual growth. The WELLHEAD model arose from the context of seeking a vision for change within a church, and it could be reimagined for this purpose. Spiritual directors and mentors and those leading retreats may find the Toolkit offers a fresh option for assisting others in their spiritual journey. Suggestions for using the Toolkit in groups are briefly outlined in the Manual, all depending on the experience of leaders and the context.

Individual Enquiries

You may feel that you do not ‘fit’ into any of the boxes . Do you see an opportunity to use the WELLHEAD Toolkit to promote wellbeing within your organisation or network? Do you have skills that would make you a good facilitator for others who want to explore spirituality? Are you seeking to participate in an individual session? Enquiries are welcome, and a range of training can be offered.

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Applications

Healthcare Practitioners

Counsellors

Chaplaincy Teams

Faith-Based Organisations

Individual Enquiries

Healthcare Practitioners

Counsellors

Chaplaincy Teams

Faith-Based Organisations

Individual Enquiries

Contact for more information

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