Category: Podcasts

Katy Butler is also a thought leader in the national movement for medical reform.  A popular speaker on doctor-patient communication and the choices families face near the end of life, Katy has given keynotes and Grand Rounds at Harvard Medical School, Kaiser Permanente, UCSF, and elsewhere. 

Born in South Africa and raised in Oxford, England, Katy came to America as a girl, earned a BA from Wesleyan University, and was a staff reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle. Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker; Mother Jones; Scientific American,Atlantic,, Tricycle, Psychotherapy Networker; Best American Essays, and Best American Science Writing.

Chaplains spend thousands of hours perfecting skills that many people assume come naturally: sitting and listening. They become masters of the ministry of presence, bringing the same professionalism to spiritual care that doctors bring to surgery. In today’s episode, we talk to our guests about Presence, Self-care, and Holistic practices in chaplaincy. On the job, Hospice chaplains have no scripts to follow or party tricks to employ. They learn to meet tragedy with humility and an open mind.

In today’s episode we are joined by three members of the spiritual care department of Elmhurst Hospital in Elmhurst, IL to talk about Hospital ministry during COVID-19. Our guest for this episode are;

1. Don Dahlheimer- Spiritual Care Manager
2. Curtis Baxter- CPE Supervisor
3. Marie Conlin- CPE student

James has had a remarkable journey from his humble upbringing in New York to serving in the United States military. It was during his military service that he sensed a call to ministry. With a strong support from his wife and children, he was able to pursue both his education and call to ministry. He is now serving as the Lead Chaplain with Palladium Hospice and Palliative care. You can find some of his writing here; https://charlesparker6.academia.edu/

As a music therapist Jen utilizes music in clinical settings for healing, building connections, and as a tool to walk with others through struggles and change. She brings healing music to patients and clients in geriatrics, hospice, mental health, and educational settings. Within the medical setting Jen incorporates music therapy into the plan of care to address issues of pain reduction, depression, anxiety, loss of control, quality of life, spiritual support and a host of other needs. She utilizes songwriting and improvisation heavily in her practice with both patients and families. You can find more about Jen Conley here; https://jenconleymusic.com/