Encountering The Oneness Paradigm : An Exploration of Christ Church Deal

Brodie, Catriona Ann

Abstract

There is now an abundance of studies which demonstrate the positive impact spirituality can have on health outcomes, particularly in the realm of mental health. Moreover, contemporary legislation and guidance requires health and social care professionals to consider service users’ spiritual needs. Nonetheless, there is also a plethora of studies which have highlighted that some service users feel their spirituality has been ‘overlooked’ or their spiritual experiences ‘pathologised’. It seems, however, that health and social care professionals are ‘uncertain’, apprehensive’ and ‘divided’ about whether (and how) spirituality should be included as a recognised component within the provision of services. Given the disparities between research, experience, guidance and practice, it is not surprising that, to date, there is no obvious consensus as to what spiritually-competent health and social work practice is or what particular model would adequately address this, although there has been a call for a ‘new paradigm’.
In an attempt to address this conundrum, I explored the work of a unique community, Christ Church Deal (CCD), using focus groups with members of CCD and the principles of grounded theory as a framework for analysis. I discovered that this community, or what I term the oneness paradigm, is, in many ways, the antithesis of current health and social care services in the West. The oneness paradigm adopts an ideology parallel to deep ecology and Indigenous communities that view spirituality as integral to everything. That is, the individual, their social relationships, and their relationship with the environment. It also has the ability to facilitate a particular type of transformational change resulting in new ways of ‘being’ and becoming. I propose that the oneness paradigm offers a powerful critique of contemporary (and historical) health and social care services and, perhaps, one answer to the paradox of incorporating spirituality into practice.

Citation

Brodie, C. A. (2022). Encountering The Oneness Paradigm : An Exploration of Christ Church Deal. (Thesis). The University of Hull. Retrieved from https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4192879

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Feb 7, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 7, 2023
• Keywords: Social work
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4192879
• Additional Information: School of Psychology and Social Work
• Award Date: 2022-08