A Genetic Counseling Cultural Competence Toolkit


Spirituality and Religion
   
Teaching Tools | Annotated Bibliographies | Classroom Tools | Racism / Discrimination  Cultural Immersion  

A building.Genetic counselors exploring this section of the Genetic Counseling Cultural Competence Toolkit are may want to begin by thinking about your personal perspectives on spirituality and religion. In your mind, how different or similar are these two concepts? How important are they to your personal life? How do they impact your professional practice? Is one concept more important than the other in your personal and professional domains?

Click to access the Merriam-Webster Dictionary versions of spirituality (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirituality) and religion (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion). How do these definitions compare to your personal definitions? How important is religion and spirituality to the clients you counsel? According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, on average, 58% of the U.S. population prays once/day. Do you find that statistic surprising? If so, why? How do you move beyond statistics to determine the importance of religion and spirituality in specific clients? The links in this session provide many opportunities to learn about the role of religion and spirituality in ourselves, our clients, and in the health care setting.

Audio

To read/hear engaging stories about all types of religions, practices, and perspectives, we suggest users search
 "religion and spirituality" on the NPR "This I Believe" website

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