Introduction
I am the Assistant Pastor at Sacred Heart Church in Galveston, TX. I am currently helping a teenager who finds himself in a difficult life situation. Brody is a 15-year-old boy who lost his mother and younger sister, who died in a car accident. His older brother returned to college, and his father was initially busy. Brody feels very lonely and is very upset by the loss, as his connection with his mother and sister is very important to him.
Guiding Purpose Statement
A series of five meetings will be called to help Brody get through the incident and return to normal. To be able to observe the accomplishment, each session will include a statement and a scripture (Sytner, 2018). The Word of God will help me help the guy find comfort and healing for the pain and difficulties he had to face. It is vital to find inner support, as well as support in the Faith. This will help Brody cope with the loss and find a way to replace the support he received from his mother.
Rapport and Relational Alignment
My DISC report states that I have a blend of both inspiring and dominant traits. My inspiring traits are probably a little stronger than my Dominant traits. In other words, I tend to influence the thoughts and actions of others. This gives me the ability to direct the behavior of others toward a predetermined goal through cooperation and persuasion rather than domination (Browning, 2019). My friendliness, sociability, and quick wit are very appropriate for working with Brody’s case. This will help me become a friend to him, understand him, and provide the support that he needs so much at this stage of his life. Along with that, my dominant traits can help keep Brody from doing something rash, like hurting himself or the guy at fault in the accident. Psalm 18:28 “You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” My traits will help me inspire a guy to independently search for the meaning and value that he lost with his mother and sister.
Phase One Distinctive Features
The feeling of loneliness arises when we think there is a discrepancy between the social connection we would like to have and that which we do have. Loneliness results from our God-given ability to think and reflect on things. It may be characterized as a feeling of social isolation (Vost, 2017). To address loneliness and seek wisdom in dealing with it, it is going to take courage, as the fear and shame of loneliness are real (Graham, 2021). Thus, it is necessary to help Brody change his attitude towards the feeling of loneliness that he experiences. To do this, it is necessary to get to the root of the issue or the heart of the issue. The Holy Spirit can bring these truth-based principles to mind at just the right time (Jn. 14:26). Listening carefully to what Brody says and what feelings he expresses will help to identify the real problem. It would be best to start by listening to Brody and understanding his willingness to accept help. After that, it is necessary to find out his real story and how he sees and feels it, listen carefully, and establish mutual understanding.
Phase One Marker
The marker shows that the care-seeker invites into his story. Markers help locate the fluidity of the counseling session (Fraser, 2019). I will know that Brody invited me into his story when he begins to realize that the reason for his feelings of loneliness is not that he is not needed by his family but that he has lost his usual amount of closeness and support.
Conclusion
Healthcare triage collaborates with pastoral triage, and pastors should be familiar with recognized indications of mental distress to detect the need for specialist care. An acute situation necessitates prompt action and full awareness and alertness with discernment are required to recognize when a direction is required (Ortlund, 2020). It is critical to establish a referral network, and if a circumstance happens, rather than looking for this knowledge, it may already be ready for use.
References
Browning, Philip. 2019. Pastoral care and counseling: An introduction; care for stories, systems, and selves. Paulist Press.
Fraser, Ryan. 2019. Overcoming the blues: Finding Christ-centered hope and joy through serving others. Simon and Schuster.
Graham, Ruth. 2021. Transforming loneliness: Deepening our relationships with God and others when we feel alone. Baker Books.
Ortlund, Gavin. 2020. Finding the right hills to die on: The case for theological triage. Crossway.
Sytner, Ari. 2018. ‘Social work and pastoral counseling: Empowering each other.’ Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought 37, no. 2, 202-219.
Vost, Kevin. 2017. Catholic guide to loneliness: how science and faith can help us understand it, grow from it, and conquer it. Sophia Institute Press.