Exploring how couples navigate the COVID-19 pandemic using Wefulness Theory

Framed by Wefulness Theory (WT; Nuru & Bruess, 2022), the present study explores the COVID-19 global pandemic as a context for examining relational struggle and strength during times of challenge. Analysis of in-depth, dyadic interviews with 54 couples who reflect a broad range of ethnic-racial compositions, partnership structures, sexual orientations, and ages rendered intelligible relational partners’ wefulness practices in situ. Results reveal four suprathemes: (a) cultivating relational consciousness, (b) negotiating wefulness amidst challenge, (c) accepting life on life’s terms, and (d) inviting challenge as opportunity for growth. Data reveal how relational partners engage in ritualized (re)commitments as multi-vocal practices of expressing and embracing the current pandemic moment. Data also evidenced WT is heuristically powerful in reconceptualizing and illuminating relational meaning- and sense-making.

Relational inquiry approach for developing deeper awareness of patient suffering

To practice compassion, the recognition, understanding, and alleviation of patient suffering are of utmost importance. Nursing literature provides ample guidance about the nature and meaning and patients’ views about compassion and physical and psychological suffering. However, missing is the discussion about how nurses can achieve a deeper awareness of patients’ suffering to practice compassion. This paper aims to describe the relational inquiry nursing approach and illustrate how this approach can enable nurses to develop a deeper awareness of patient suffering. The relational inquiry approach encompasses two components: a relational consciousness and inquiry as a form of action. Relational consciousness requires the nurses to focus on the concrete situations and relationships as well as recognize the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual factors affecting the situations. The interpersonal factors are among and between the individuals, intrapersonal factors are within the individuals, and contextual factors are the hidden factors influencing the individuals and situations. Inquiry as an action requires a critical analysis of the experiences of individuals, situational contexts, and knowledge to inform the nursing care modalities and actions. This approach encourages nurses to use the philosophies of hermeneutic phenomenology, critical theory, and pragmatism. The phenomenological worldview allows nurses to interpret their own and patients’ experiences, the critical theory worldview allows nurses to examine the influence of social and cultural factors, and pragmatism allows nurses to question their prior knowledge and develop new knowledge in each situation. The relational inquiry approach allows nurses to develop a deeper understanding of patient suffering through building a therapeutic and trustworthy relationship, active listening, focusing on the details, and engaging in broad and situations specific inquiries to understand the patient narrative of suffering. Two case exemplars are shared to demonstrate how relational inquiry allowed nurses to move beyond recognizing physical suffering and understand patients’ emotional and psychological suffering.

The spiritual strengths of young children

This chapter outlines childhood’s spiritual strengths and needs. Psychological theories and empirical research suggest that spiritual capacity is a natural condition of early childhood, arising in everyday experience. Contemporary scholarship identifies key strengths that underpin childhood spirituality. These include children’s heightened sensitivity to non-verbal, embodied, and emotional ways of knowing, and a less dominating verbal and intellectual approach to experience. This privileges children’s spiritual capacity for ‘relational consciousness’, and is evident in attention to mystery, delight, despair, wonder, the present moment, a sense of place, and connotative meaning-making. Without sensitive approaches to nurture in education and care, these capacities are vulnerable to erosion. Four areas of spiritual need are proposed: for child-led listening, for adult presence and humility, for space (physical, emotional, and auditory), and a need for imaginative play. Together, these can provide safe ways to explore the profound existential issues common in even the youngest children.

Spirituality in Rehabilitation Counseling of Adults With Physical Disabilities: Views of Practitioners Across Countries

The purpose of the study is to understand the views of practitioners across countries, on spirituality for rehabilitation counseling of adults with congenital and acquired disabilities. A survey of 1,269 practitioners in the field of disability across 15 countries was conducted. Results showed that practitioners had a favorable view of spirituality. Logistic regression results highlight several cross-country nuances in practitioners’ views toward spirituality for rehabilitation counseling, and more so, differentials in terms of adults with congenital and acquired physical disabilities. Practitioners who focused on a client-centered approach vis-à-vis those who diversified also into macro-level work of networking and advocacy, and specifically those who had high self-reported spirituality, proposed that for adults with congenital physical disabilities, spirituality enabled living with disabilities, as against a rationalization and justification of the disability. They favored mindfulness techniques as the modes of working with the clients and reported that by cultivating relational consciousness, spirituality enabled meeting the social goal of rehabilitation counseling. Furthermore, practitioners from affluent nations placed a premium on the deconstructing potential of spirituality and its facilitative role in enabling the clients themselves, and significant others, to transcend the ability/disability binary. The study foregrounds the importance of spiritually sensitive approaches in rehabilitation counseling.

Reflective Role-Playing in the Development of Dialogic Skill

Whether an organization prospers depends importantly on the relationships among its participants, and central to the success of relationships is the process of dialogue. This article describes an action-based educational practice for enhancing dialogical and relational skills among members of an organization. The effort draws on concepts of participatory research, collaborative learning, and dramatic acting. Specifically, the practice combines collaborative role-playing, polyphonic reflection, goal articulation, and facilitator cooperation to achieve educational ends. The project was carried out together with approximately 60 organizational members over a period of 18 months. Results suggest that this combination of practices enhanced dialogic, relational, and reflective skills among leaders and employees of the organization. Among the various results, particular attention is here paid to the outcomes of reflective role-playing for acquiring bodily awareness, changing and expanding perspectives, developing critical self-reflection, and enhancing relational consciousness.