How pastoral care heals ‘body and soul’
By Les Gura
As a student at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Rabbi Mark Strauss-Cohn spent many hours in a hospital for a required clinical pastoral education, CPE, course.
He and five fellow students would spend hours in the hospital, and then even more hours writing of their experience, sharing it and receiving feedback — what went right, what went wrong.
“There was a lot of learning going on and also exposure of self and our own personal growth,’’ says Strauss-Cohn, the rabbi of Temple Emanuel in Winston-Salem since 2001. “It was just unbelievable; pretty intense.
“The Talmud, the Torah, Bible and modern Hebrew literature were all important courses in rabbinical school,’’ he said. “But that experience in CPE was critical. It gave me the tools so that when I would go back into my student pulpit and ultimately full-time work, I would see the hospital as an extension of my office, as an extension of synagogue.’’
A lot of listening
Years later, Strauss-Cohn brings the idea of the hospital as an extension of his office when he ministers to patients in need at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, other care facilities or the homes of temple members where he is asked to provide a soothing voice.
The most important element of those visits?
“I do a lot of listening,’’ Strauss-Cohn says. “It’s the No. 1 thing I do. I can sit an hour and may have said only a handful of words. That’s what I’m there for. I’ll try to open my heart and open my ears to what’s going on. Then I usually like to offer a prayer. If people are gathered around, I try to rope everyone in.’’
Jay Foster, DMin, director of chaplaincy and clinical ministries for Wake Forest Baptist’s Division of FaithHealth, says Strauss-Cohn has become a critical part of interfaith work in Winston-Salem, and serves as an advisor to the Wake Forest Baptist’s professional advisory committee in chaplaincy.
Foster says Strauss-Cohn brings wisdom, wit and thoughtfulness to ministry.
Although a health crisis can be intensely personal, Strauss-Cohn says it also tends to increase spirituality, and what a chaplain or pastor offers is refuah shlema, Hebrew for “a feeling of health and well-being, a healing of the body and healing of the soul.’’
“People realize ‘Medicine can do one part, but I’ve got my own inner work I can do and I have people around me who can help,’” Strauss-Cohn says. “Knowing that is a really healing thing for people, bringing a sense of calm and helping them be more in touch with themselves.’’
