The Wayne E. Oates Institute is a Connected Learning Community exploring spirituality and health as a way to advance integrative care for the whole person. The Oates Institute is a non-profit educational organization made up of caregivers from the medical, spiritual and counseling communities providing a forum for joining together as an interdisciplinary dialogue toward understanding the relationship between spirituality and the healing process.

In the face of increased stress from the economic downturn, increased patient loads through the holidays and flu season, and various other crises and critical incidents, Care of Self as a caregiver becomes increasingly important. Caregivers are notoriously poor at this as they often overlook their own self care in the process of giving care to others. To help with this the Oates Institute is offering a series of three Care of Self online seminars to start out 2010. To help even more, we are combining the opportunity for non-members to become members and register for all three seminars for only $96.

The second, The Caregiver's Mental Health offered February 8-26, will provide seminar participants the opportunity to reflect on self-care and to explore approaches for staying mentally healthy as a care giver.

The third, Encountering Depression and Anxiety in Ministry offered April 12-30, acknowledges that caregivers are not immune to depression and anxiety and recognizes that it is often more difficult for caregivers to admit to themselves or others that they suffer from either. This seminar provides participants the opportunity to reflect in a safe environment on the symptoms, recovering approaches, and the feelings of guilt or shame that may be experienced as a result of being only human.

All three of these seminars use the Oates Institute's Connected Learning approach and each seminar is limited to 12 participants. Each seminar also offers 12 contact hours of continuing education for ministers, counselors, chaplains, and social workers (36 contact hours for all three). To qualify for the CEUs participants are expected to read the presentations and participate in the email discussion by contributing at least 2 email messages per week. One message is to reflect on the presentations or case studies in light of one's personal experience and context and the second is to respond to someone else’s reflection or inquiry.

Registration for members of the Oates Institute is free. Non-members may register for one seminar for $60 or register for all three and become an Oates Institute member for only $96.

Register Now as an Oates Institute Member (free)

Register Now as a Non-Member (only $60 for one or $96 for all three)