Thomas St James O’connor
Biographic Data
| ID | 4817154 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Thomas St James O’connor |
| GIVEN NAMES | Thomas St James |
| FAMILY NAME | O’connor |
| SIGNATURE | O’CONNOR T S J |
| AFFILIATIONS | Wilfrid Laurier University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8139-6574 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 24 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 22 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 24 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1995 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Weaving the Sacred and the Psychological
A Contemporary Approach to Spiritual and Theological Reflection from the Perspective of Kahneman’s System Thinking
This article explores Daniel Kahneman’s concept of system thinking from his book Thinking Fast and Slow (2013) in the context of contemporary spiritual and theological reflection. The question studied here is: What does the intentional use of emotions, dreams and intuition described by Daniel Kahneman as System 1 thinking look like in contemporary spiritual and theological reflection? According to Kanheman, System 1 thinking includes emotions, dr…
Overview of the Evolution of Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care in the Canadian Province of Ontario (1973–2023)
Recognizing and Managing Performance Anxiety in First-Year Supervised Pastoral Education (SPE) Students
Describes the nature of performance anxiety that can appear in students doing their first clinical placement in Supervised Pastoral Education 1 in the Canadian Association of Spiritual Care. Explores origins of performance anxiety drawing on research, the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-5, theology of Paul Tillich and supervisory experiences of authors. Examines Canadian contextual factors like COVID-19, culture and multi-fa…
Promise, Provision, and Potential
This Canadian study aimed to better understand the provision of spiritual care in long-term care homes, its purpose/importance, the role of a spiritual care provider (SCP)/chaplain, effective practices, and challenges. Online survey responses revealed the need for spiritual care and the robust role of SCPs. Recommendations are made for more consistent employ and integration of SCPs, supported by sector-specific training and a system to connect LT…
Spiritual Care in Ontario Long-Term Care
How are spiritual needs addressed in long-term care? This quantitative study explored the level of spiritual care offered and qualifications of spiritual care providers in 177 LTC homes in Ontario. Data showed 49% of homes employ Spiritual Care Providers (SCPs), with more positions in urban and not-for-profit homes. Findings revealed SCPs bring a substantial skill set, attending to needs of residents, families and team members. More consistent st…
Clinical Wisdom in Evidence Based Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy
Three Emerging Spiritual Practices in the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (Casc)
Describes the relationship between practice and theory (praxis) along with an examination of changes in the last 40 years in the praxis of pastoral care and counselling in the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC) that led to spiritual care and psycho-spiritual therapy. Developments in spiritual practices include growth in multi-faith, evidence-based spiritual care, and spiritually integrated psychotherapy (psycho-spiritual therapy). Sug…
Anxiety Symptoms Differ in Youth With and Without Tic Disorders
The Pastoral Caregiver’s Casebook, Volumes 1 and 2
Gleason, J. J. (Ed.). (2015). The Pastoral Caregiver’s Casebook, Volume 1: Ministry in Relationships. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.Gleason, J. J. (Ed.). (2015). The Pastoral Caregiver's Casebook
Three Doors to Spiritual Reflection
This is an ethnographic study exploring the role of emotion, images, and sacred texts in the spiritual reflection of non-chaplaincy health care professionals who offer spiritual care to their patients. Purposeful sampling of 20 health care professionals was employed. These non-chaplaincy professionals were interviewed and the researchers also kept field notes on the cultures in which they worked. Both interviews and field notes were transcribed a…
Time spent weekly on theological reflection in pastoral care and counseling
This qualitative research examines how much time is spent in theological reflection in the praxis of pastoral care and counseling. Seventy-five persons were interviewed from four cultures: chaplains, pastoral counselors, community clergy and seminary students who had completed a congregational internship. Seventy participants were from Christian faith groups with five from Muslim, Unitarian and spiritual faith groups. Individual interviews and fo…
Poetic Imagination
What is the role of emotions, imagination, and images in the praxis of theological reflection in pastoral care and counseling, and what images and/or verses from sacred texts best describe the process of theological reflection? These two questions guided this ethnographic study. Seventy-five practitioners of pastoral care and counseling were interviewed and field notes were also made. Findings include the importance of emotion and imagination wit…
A Canadian Qualitative Study on Theological Reflection in Pastoral Care and Counseling
This qualitative study is ethnographic in design. Two questions guide the study. How important is theological reflection to pastoral identity in pastoral care and counseling? With whom do practitioners converse in terms of theological reflection? A review of the literature is outlined and 75 persons are interviewed that include chaplains, pastoral counselors, community clergy and students. Findings indicate that theological reflection is essentia…
Connection to Early Church Theologians
Exploring Power and Gender Issues Emergent in an Institutional Workshop on Preventing Clergy Sexual Misconduct
Clinical Pastoral Supervision and the Theology of Charles Gerkin
In the last twenty years, the number of texts written on clinical pastoral supervision has accelerated. Thomas St. James O’Connor analyzes these texts, nearly 300 of them, in light of three fundamental questions about the praxis of clinical pastoral supervision: (1)what is distinctive about the praxis? (2)what is an appropriate theological method for the praxis? and, (3)what is an adequate praxis? In doing so, he formulates three approaches: the …
Narrative Therapy Using a Reflecting Team
Is Evidence Based Spiritual Care an Oxymoron?
The Search for Truth
Chaplaincy and medical science are in search of truth. Should chaplaincy become more scientific in response to health care reform? Yes is the answer. Chaplaincy ought to become more based in evidence for the following reasons. First, the health care culture is evidence based and chaplaincy needs to speak that language. Second, chaplaincy and science are not opposed. Third, tradition-driven chaplaincy already utilizes medical evidence. Fourth, spi…
Ancient and Medieval Labyrinth and Contemporary Narrative Therapy
Climbing Mount Purgatory
On the Right Track
The Broken Balloon
Ritual and metaphor are helpful when working with families of divorce whose children are exhibiting negative responses to the new reality of parental separation. A treatment approach using the symbol of the broken balloon is outlined. This approach marks the end of the marital union while focusing on the needs of the children and facilitating acceptance of the divorce. A case example is presented describing the steps and interventions in this app…
The Broken Balloon
Ritual and metaphor are helpful when working with families of divorce whose children are exhibiting negative responses to the new reality of parental separation. A treatment approach using the symbol of the broken balloon is outlined. This approach marks the end of the marital union while focusing on the needs of the children and facilitating acceptance of the divorce. A case example is presented describing the steps and interventions in this app…
On the Right Track
Climbing Mount Purgatory
Is Evidence Based Spiritual Care an Oxymoron?
The Search for Truth
Chaplaincy and medical science are in search of truth. Should chaplaincy become more scientific in response to health care reform? Yes is the answer. Chaplaincy ought to become more based in evidence for the following reasons. First, the health care culture is evidence based and chaplaincy needs to speak that language. Second, chaplaincy and science are not opposed. Third, tradition-driven chaplaincy already utilizes medical evidence. Fourth, spi…
Ancient and Medieval Labyrinth and Contemporary Narrative Therapy
Narrative Therapy Using a Reflecting Team
Clinical Pastoral Supervision and the Theology of Charles Gerkin
In the last twenty years, the number of texts written on clinical pastoral supervision has accelerated. Thomas St. James O’Connor analyzes these texts, nearly 300 of them, in light of three fundamental questions about the praxis of clinical pastoral supervision: (1)what is distinctive about the praxis? (2)what is an appropriate theological method for the praxis? and, (3)what is an adequate praxis? In doing so, he formulates three approaches: the …
Exploring Power and Gender Issues Emergent in an Institutional Workshop on Preventing Clergy Sexual Misconduct
Poetic Imagination
What is the role of emotions, imagination, and images in the praxis of theological reflection in pastoral care and counseling, and what images and/or verses from sacred texts best describe the process of theological reflection? These two questions guided this ethnographic study. Seventy-five practitioners of pastoral care and counseling were interviewed and field notes were also made. Findings include the importance of emotion and imagination wit…
A Canadian Qualitative Study on Theological Reflection in Pastoral Care and Counseling
This qualitative study is ethnographic in design. Two questions guide the study. How important is theological reflection to pastoral identity in pastoral care and counseling? With whom do practitioners converse in terms of theological reflection? A review of the literature is outlined and 75 persons are interviewed that include chaplains, pastoral counselors, community clergy and students. Findings indicate that theological reflection is essentia…
Connection to Early Church Theologians
Time spent weekly on theological reflection in pastoral care and counseling
This qualitative research examines how much time is spent in theological reflection in the praxis of pastoral care and counseling. Seventy-five persons were interviewed from four cultures: chaplains, pastoral counselors, community clergy and seminary students who had completed a congregational internship. Seventy participants were from Christian faith groups with five from Muslim, Unitarian and spiritual faith groups. Individual interviews and fo…
Three Doors to Spiritual Reflection
This is an ethnographic study exploring the role of emotion, images, and sacred texts in the spiritual reflection of non-chaplaincy health care professionals who offer spiritual care to their patients. Purposeful sampling of 20 health care professionals was employed. These non-chaplaincy professionals were interviewed and the researchers also kept field notes on the cultures in which they worked. Both interviews and field notes were transcribed a…
The Pastoral Caregiver’s Casebook, Volumes 1 and 2
Gleason, J. J. (Ed.). (2015). The Pastoral Caregiver’s Casebook, Volume 1: Ministry in Relationships. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.Gleason, J. J. (Ed.). (2015). The Pastoral Caregiver's Casebook
Anxiety Symptoms Differ in Youth With and Without Tic Disorders
Three Emerging Spiritual Practices in the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (Casc)
Describes the relationship between practice and theory (praxis) along with an examination of changes in the last 40 years in the praxis of pastoral care and counselling in the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC) that led to spiritual care and psycho-spiritual therapy. Developments in spiritual practices include growth in multi-faith, evidence-based spiritual care, and spiritually integrated psychotherapy (psycho-spiritual therapy). Sug…
Promise, Provision, and Potential
This Canadian study aimed to better understand the provision of spiritual care in long-term care homes, its purpose/importance, the role of a spiritual care provider (SCP)/chaplain, effective practices, and challenges. Online survey responses revealed the need for spiritual care and the robust role of SCPs. Recommendations are made for more consistent employ and integration of SCPs, supported by sector-specific training and a system to connect LT…
Spiritual Care in Ontario Long-Term Care
How are spiritual needs addressed in long-term care? This quantitative study explored the level of spiritual care offered and qualifications of spiritual care providers in 177 LTC homes in Ontario. Data showed 49% of homes employ Spiritual Care Providers (SCPs), with more positions in urban and not-for-profit homes. Findings revealed SCPs bring a substantial skill set, attending to needs of residents, families and team members. More consistent st…
Clinical Wisdom in Evidence Based Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy
Recognizing and Managing Performance Anxiety in First-Year Supervised Pastoral Education (SPE) Students
Describes the nature of performance anxiety that can appear in students doing their first clinical placement in Supervised Pastoral Education 1 in the Canadian Association of Spiritual Care. Explores origins of performance anxiety drawing on research, the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-5, theology of Paul Tillich and supervisory experiences of authors. Examines Canadian contextual factors like COVID-19, culture and multi-fa…
Overview of the Evolution of Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care in the Canadian Province of Ontario (1973–2023)
Weaving the Sacred and the Psychological
A Contemporary Approach to Spiritual and Theological Reflection from the Perspective of Kahneman’s System Thinking
This article explores Daniel Kahneman’s concept of system thinking from his book Thinking Fast and Slow (2013) in the context of contemporary spiritual and theological reflection. The question studied here is: What does the intentional use of emotions, dreams and intuition described by Daniel Kahneman as System 1 thinking look like in contemporary spiritual and theological reflection? According to Kanheman, System 1 thinking includes emotions, dr…
Psychology (20 works) · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology (15 works) · Medicine (12 works) · Sociology (12 works) · Philosophy (11 works) · Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics (10 works) · Anthropology (9 works) · Nursing (9 works) · Psychotherapist (9 works) · Pastoral care (8 works)