Date

10-20-2022

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Chair

Jacob Dunlow

Keywords

Military Chaplaincy, Self-Compassion, Spirituality, Second Traumatic Stress, Self-Care

Disciplines

Christianity | Religion

Abstract

Self-compassion education promotes coping skills to ease emotional discomfort and suffering by offering a sense of belonging, understanding, and caring, similar to the benefits of empathy for someone else. No research has been done examining the buffering importance of self-compassion education as a framework for self-care among military chaplains. The current study was tailored toward understanding military chaplains’ perception of self-compassion as a framework for self-care. The dissertation aimed to determine a need to formulate a self-care plan for military chaplains to reduce their pain after helping Soldiers and their families diagnosed with trauma through different interventions. The goal of this project was limited to how military chaplains understood and desired to learn more about self-compassion and not to explore their psychological health treatment in dealing with pain. The thesis project assessed the perspectives of military chaplains stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The study employed a descriptive quantitative research methodology. The participants were a purposeful sample of 10 U.S. military chaplains stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, who at the time of the study had been providing counseling to Soldiers suffering from trauma and their families for at least one year. Data were collected through a one-to-one, semi-structured interview, analyzed, and organized by theme. The result of the study showed the importance of incorporating self-compassion education into military chaplaincy. The importance of self-care cannot be over-emphasized; it is the key for chaplains to be battle-ready and resilient.

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