The Wayne E. Oates Institute is a Connected Learning Community exploring spirituality and health as a way to advance integrative care for the whole person. The Oates Institute is a non-profit educational organization made up of caregivers from the medical, spiritual and counseling communities providing a forum for joining together as an interdisciplinary dialogue toward understanding the relationship between spirituality and the healing process.

Holding the Boundaries: Professional Ethics in Practice and The Healing Power of Forgiveness are two new seminars that will be offered in the Online Learning Center January 5-23, 2009.  January is typically a popular time to engage in continuing education, and particularly in opportunities that are online and do not require participants to drive.  The Oates Institute will offer a total of eight online seminars during January and individuals will have the opportunity to earn 12 contact hours of continuing education credit by participating in any one of the eight seminars.  These seminars will feature the Oates Institute's unique Connected Learning methodology.

Holding the Boundaries: Professional Ethics in Practice has been developed with the recognition that ethical issues, such as dual relationships or intimacy between a professional and his or her client/patient/parishioner, may blindside counselors, chaplains, pastors, social workers, or nurses. This recognition has prompted many professional organizations, licensure boards, and denominational agencies to require professional caregivers to demonstrate that they have had annual continuing education in the area of professional ethics.  This seminar features peer group dialogue around a collection of articles addressing the nature of these boundaries and their implications for their role as a professional care giver.

The Healing Power of Forgiveness seminar recognizes the need for individuals and communities to understand the healing power that the experience of forgiveness has.  This seminar is especially helpful in light of some of the magnified threats and experiences of our time.  The seminar will encourage participants to engage questions such as: How do we choose to forgive?  How do we forgive?  What are the mental, physical, and spiritual ramifications of holding a grudge or seeking revenge?  Is it possible to balance a need for security with the idea of granting forgiveness?  How do we balance a need for justice with the redemptive possibilities of forgiveness?  Seminar participants will engage in dialogue around a collection of presentations and will reflect on the curriculum, while adding their own stories and experiences to the body of knowledge.

Other seminars being offered during January include:

• Care of Troublesome People
• Dancing in the Dark: Alzheimer's in 3/4 Time
• Encountering Depression and Anxiety in Ministry
• Finding a Common Language
• Hope as a Dynamic for Healing
• Nurturing Silence and Sabbath

Registration is free for all Oates Institute members and only $60 per seminar for non-members.  Registration for each of the seminars is limited in order to maintain a small group learning process.

For more information on the January seminars and to register, click here.