Episode #10
#8 "God is Already There" Meet the Hosts of the Chaplain's Compass
A special crossover episode with The Chaplain’s Compass that gets at the heart of many HCPs fears when talking with religious patients: What should I do when my patients “talk God?” Guest Bio: Chaplain John Betz (he/him/his) is the Executive Director for Spiritual Health at Wellstar Health System and a Chaplain in the U.S. Army Reserves. As a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains, he has served in a variety of different chaplaincy and research settings for the past 20+ years, including hospital, hospice, military, and nursing home environments. He holds a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and a Master of Public Health in Biostatistics from the University of Cincinnati. He is a skilled and professional public health researcher with 10+ years of experience in quantitative and qualitative methods in healthcare. He provides project management experience in original research with the full lifecycle from conception to implementation and after-action review. He is an accomplished written and oral communicator, having presented and published in diverse settings for a variety of different audiences. Publications: Religiosity and religious and spiritual struggle and their association to depression and anxiety among adolescents admitted to inpatient psychiatric units Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy / Taylor & Francis · Feb 21, 2022 Parental Use of Religion and Spirituality in Medical Decision-Making Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy · Oct 4, 2019 Alice Tremaine (she/her/hers) is the Advance Care Planning Manager for Baptist Health in KY and IN, where she leads large-scale advance care planning implementation across hospitals and clinics. With nearly two decades of experience as a healthcare chaplain, Alice has served in hospice, palliative care and hospital settings, helping individuals and healthcare systems navigate the emotional, spiritual, and ethical dimensions of serious illness and end-of-life care. She is a board-certified chaplain, ordained minister, and serves on the board of directors for the Association of Professional Chaplains. Alice holds a Master of Divinity from Mercer University and a Master of Studies in Law from Wake Forest University. She is a frequent public speaker and passionate about building compassionate systems that center patient voice, and mentoring the next generation of chaplains and care leaders. Publications: Tremaine, A. (2024, January 29). In the hospital? Don’t overlook the chaplain. Next Avenue. https://www.nextavenue.org/in-the-hospital-dont-overlook-the-chaplain/ Episode Summary In this episode of Gods and Genes hosts Amber Sher, MS, CGC and Elysse Trost learn from Chaplains John Betz and Alice Tremaine about the importance of spiritual care. We walk through their journey to becoming chaplains and ask important questions for health care providers/patients like: What can I do when a patient expresses spiritual distress in light of a medical decision? How does spiritual care fit into medical care when HCPs don’t have access to chaplaincy? What research exists to connect mental health and spiritual health? What are some grounded protocols to engage with patients about their faith when it seems important for a clinical session? What should I do when my patients “talk God?” Unlock the profound intersection of spirituality and healthcare in this special crossover episode featuring the hosts of the official podcast for the Association of Professional Chaplains : The Chaplain’s Compass. Learn why spiritual care is not just an add-on, but a key part of healing, and how understanding spiritual struggle can help reduce depression, anxiety, and even medication needs for vulnerable groups. The conversation also highlights the vital role chaplains play in hospitals, military medical units, and community settings, and how healthcare professionals can bring more spiritual awareness into their care. If you care about holistic health, compassionate listening, and the human side of medicine, this episode will shift how you think about healing. Be sure to subscribe to Gods and Genes on your podcast app, here on Spotify and here on Apple Podcasts , so you don’t miss future episodes exploring belief, meaning, and medicine. And make sure to check out The Chaplain’s Compass on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Youtube for more interesting conversations on all things chaplaincy. Key Takeaways: Spiritual care isn’t separate from medical care Spiritual doubt doesn’t have to be seen as terrifying; it can be the beginning of a “spiritual quest” that deepens resilience and shapes an individual’s faith for the rest of their life The relationship between spiritual strife and depression is complex and invites consideration of how spiritual care may help reduce recidivism Models that support self-awareness, such as cognitively based compassion training (CBCT), can help prevent burnout among healthcare professionals Faith is an integral part of an individual’s identity, and there are ways to explore it with humility by looking for clues that go beyond simply saying the word “God” Healthcare professionals from a similar faith background can support patients in grounded ways—rather than trying to “fix” their beliefs—while fostering a shared decision-making model that elevates (instead of stifling) patient values Relevant Resources: Betz, J. M. (2018). Spiritual struggle, death, depression, and public health (Master’s thesis, University of Cincinnati). OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1526315350278655 . Cooper RS, Ferguson A, Bodurtha JN, Smith TJ. AMEN in challenging conversations: bridging the gaps between faith, hope, and medicine. J Oncol Pract. 2014 Jul;10(4):e191-5. doi: 10.1200/JOP.2014.001375. Epub 2014 May 6. PMID: 24803663; PMCID: PMC4870587. Gelbart, L., Reynolds, G., & Metcalfe, B. (Executive producers). (1972–1983). M*A*S*H [TV series]. 20th Century Fox Television. Joshanloo, M. (2024). No evidence of longitudinal association between religiosity and psychological well-being: Challenging prevailing assumptions. Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology, 18, Article e36. https://doi.org/10.1177/18344909241262209 . Koenig, H. G., & Büssing, A. (2010). The Duke University Religion Index (DUREL): A five-item measure for use in epidemiological studies. Religions, 1(1), 78–85. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel1010078 . Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. W. (2001). The PHQ-9: Validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606–613. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x . Leavitt-Alcántara, S., Betz, J. M., Cotton, S., Grossoehme, D. H., & colleagues. (2022). Religiosity and religious and spiritual struggle and their association to depression and anxiety among adolescents admitted to inpatient psychiatric units. Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/08854726.2022.2040227 . Ozawa-de Silva, B., Dodson-Lavelle, B., Raison, C. L., & Negi, L. T. (2020). A model for cognitively-based compassion training: Theoretical underpinnings and proposed mechanisms. Social Theory & Health, 18(2), 115–140. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41285-019-00124-x . Pargament, K. I., Feuille, M., & Burdzy, D. (2011). The Brief RCOPE: Current psychometric status of a short measure of religious coping. Religions, 2(1), 51–76. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel2010051 . Radloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D Scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3), 385–401. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662167700100306 . Saunders, C. (1988). Hospice and palliative care: An interdisciplinary approach. Edward Arnold. Spitzer, R. L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J. B. W., & Löwe, B. (2006). A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: The GAD-7. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(10), 1092–1097. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092 . Relevant Gods and Genes Podcast Episode(s): 2026, June 15. Episode 6: Gods and Genes is growing! (No. 6). In Gods and Genes. Podbean. https://godsandgenes.podbean.com/e/6-gods-and-genes-is-growing/ Updates: If you're interested in assisting with research at the intersection of faith and psychology, researchers Dr. Daniel Koch, podcast host of Religion on the Mind, and Dr. Lisa Adams-Qualls and Kari Klatt of Cocordia University are conducting a study investigating the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and spiritual abuse. They are looking for participants in their research. Requirements include: 18 years or older Have been raised Christian or identify as a Christian at some point in your life To participate, fill out the anonymous survey here: https://northwestupsych.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4ih0XhCEb7Ys06 Connect With Us: Would you like to be a guest on Gods and Genes? Email your pitch to Amber at contact@godsandgenes.com or godsandgenes@gmail.com . We are releasing episodes on a monthly schedule with plans to increase our releases more frequently. We thank you for your patience and hope you continue to support us as we work hard to release content on a regular basis. If you’d like to subscribe to our email list to be involved in the know any time a new episode launches, click here. While you wait, why not check out one of the other incredible podcasts in the Gene Pool Media network? With over a dozen different podcasts to choose from, you’ll have no trouble finding a podcast in your niche. Gods and Genes is hosted and produced by Amber Sher, MS, CGC . Our logo graphic designer is Safiah Peeran . See what else we are up to on Instagram . Questions/inquiries can be sent to contact@godsandgenes.com or godsandgenes@gmail.com .
