Making Space for Meaning: Talking About Spirituality in OT Practice
Workshop Overview
Talking about spirituality in occupational therapy can feel awkward, yet for many clients it may be a deep source of strength, especially during tough times. This workshop creates aims to create a safe space to explore what spirituality means in practice and how we, as therapists, can approach it with greater confidence and sensitivity.
We’ll unpack three key questions together:
What is spirituality in healthcare?
How do clients bring it up?
How can we ask about it appropriately?
Drawing on PhD research and real clinical stories, this session blends evidence with practical strategies. You’ll have time to reflect, share ideas, and leave with approaches you can adapt to your own setting.
Who’s it for?
Occupational therapists from any area of practice, at any stage of their career.
Why join?
Because spirituality often shapes what matters most to clients; their occupations, goals, and sense of meaning. By learning how to be comfortable with these conversations, we can offer care that truly honours the whole person.
Who is Heather So?
Heather So is an occupational therapist and PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, researching how health professionals can integrate spirituality into practice. She also teaches as an academic sessional at the University of Notre Dame and works as a senior paediatric OT. Heather’s interest in spirituality began when clients asked profound spiritual questions during times of suffering; questions she felt unprepared to answer. In 2021, six months into her PhD, Heather’s five-year-old daughter Emily was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour. Heather became her full-time carer until Emily passed away in 2022. This experience gave Heather a deeply personal understanding of the patient journey and the role spirituality plays in coping with crisis. Her work now focuses on helping health professionals address spirituality ethically and with compassion.
Find links to connect and learn more below.
www.linkedin.com/in/heather-so-01063b381
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581121327374
https://www.instagram.com/thespiritofcare
By joining this session you will be added to both The Becoming Collective and The Spirit of Care's email lists. You can easily subscribe at any time.