Grace Notes: feasibility of a manualized intervention to advance spiritual well-being for clients with acquired brain injury

Abstract

Spiritual well-being appears to contribute to mental health and adaptation in adults with acquired brain injury (ABI). ABI-related interventions, including those associated with spirituality, must be specifically designed with learning-related impairments in mind. We conducted a feasibility study of a manualized intervention to support spiritual well-being after ABI called Grace Notes. The goal is to provide clients with time tested, easily accessible spiritual practices that help them experience deeper feelings of being in relationship with their Higher Power as they understand it. Findings suggest that Grace Notes can be implemented by both its developer with the context of an interdisciplinary outpatient rehabilitation program and a rehabilitation clinician as a stand-alone group. People with ABI appear to be interested in a spiritually intervention that draws from a variety of spiritual practices and traditions. Further study related to the efficacy of spiritual well-being intervention after ABI is warranted.

Keywords:

• Acquired brain injury
• pastoral care
• spiritual
• spiritual care
• well-being

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge Nancy Wells and Thanh Vo for contributing to Grace Notes practices; to the leadership team of the Community Rehabilitation Program (Nicole Lainhart, Dr. Norman Cohen, and Linda Griffith) for allowing Grace Notes to be implemented with clients. We are thankful to Elizabeth Tratnik, Joan Southworth and Elizabeth Senne of the CRP team for all their support. Thank you to Tom Smith Myott for his theological expertise and to Dr. George Fitchett who gave support and wisdom so generously. We acknowledge Emily Sanville for her assistance and guidance with regulatory support. We gratefully acknowledge the Courage Kenny Foundation for funding this project.

Disclosure statement

Margaret Thompson holds the copyright for the Grace Notes Practices and Administration Guide but receives no remuneration for their use in research or clinical care.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Courage Kenny Foundation under Grant [# 15-R-3].