Register Now for Feb. 10 “Emotional & Spiritual Care” Webinar


January 26, 2015

Intentional emotional and spiritual care is an integral component of disaster response.  Learn why from a nationally recognized expert on disaster-related emotional and spiritual care and get resources to enhance your response in a free webinar organized and hosted by Church World Service.

The 90-minute webinar will be held beginning at 2 p.m. U.S. Eastern time Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015. Special guest speaker the Rev. Mary Hughes Gaudreau has titled her presentation “Beyond Bricks, Sticks, Muck-out and Tarps: Emotional and Spiritual Care Following Disasters.”Click here to register:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/410450253776377090

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar.

More about the webinar:

Gaudreau will review how disasters affect the spiritual and emotional well-being of those directly impacted by – and of those responding to – disasters.  She will coach webinar participants in appropriate responses to those needs, and list practical resources to enhance response to disaster-related spiritual and emotional needs.

Participants also will learn about the ongoing Oklahoma Conference of Churches’ ecumenical, interfaith and interdisciplinary initiative that is actively coordinating and operationalizing emotional and spiritual care.

More about the Rev. Mary Hughes Gaudreau:

Gaudreau is an ordained United Methodist deacon, licensed professional counselor, and disaster response specialist. She currently serves as Director of Emotional and Spiritual Care for the Oklahoma Conference of Churches.

A native of Oklahoma, she first entered into disaster response work following the 1995 Oklahoma City Murrah Building bombing. Since that time she has provided direct training, response and consultation in more than two dozen states that have experienced disasters.

As past chairperson of the National VOAD Emotional and Spiritual Care Committee, Gaudreau facilitated the committee development and ratification of the National VOAD Spiritual Care “Points of Consensus.” She also served as chairperson of the National VOAD Disaster Spiritual Care Guidelines writing group and was on the writing team for National VOAD’s “Light Our Way: A Guide for Spiritual Care in Times of Disaster.”

She served on the Church World Service Community Arise curriculum committee and most recently was also a contributor to the new book “Help and Hope: Disaster Preparedness and Response Tools for Congregations,” a joint endeavor of Church World Service and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)’s Week of Compassion.

Future webinars from CWS U.S. Disaster Response:

March 10, 2015, “Disaster Preparedness,” 2-3 p.m. eastern time.  Presented by CWS Emergency Response Specialist Sandra Kennedy-Owes.  Watch this space or www.cwsglobal.org/ltrwebinars for more information and registration.

April 14, 2015, “Long-Term Recovery Basics,” 2-4 p.m. eastern time.  Presented by CWS Emergency Response Specialist Susanne Gilmore.  Watch this space or www.cwsglobal.org/ltrwebinars more information and registration.