Introductions to Key Modalities of Chaplaincy
In 2026, the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab identified four areas of emerging or growing interest for chaplains today — especially those early in their careers, or considering a change of context and work setting. In collaboration with leading chaplains and educators in these fields, we’re pleased to offer the following self-paced courses that anyone and everyone can explore on their own schedule.
Introduction to Trauma
What do mean when we say trauma? What “counts,” what doesn’t, and how does the individual or community’s experience modulate how we think about adverse experiences as traumatic? In this course, participants will engage an overview of trauma, its causes and consequences, and how it affects both spiritual care providers and recipients.
This course requires purchase of a textbook, available here. The Chaplaincy Innovation Lab receives no compensation for this purchase.
General Public / Supporter-level subscriber
$175
Innovator-level subscriber
$130
This course was created by Rev. Dr. Danielle Tumminio Hansen, Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Spiritual Care; Director of the Chaplaincy Certificate at Candler School of Theology of Emory University. Hansen centers her work at the intersection of practical theology, trauma studies, philosophy, and psychology. She is the author of five books, including Trauma-Informed Spiritual Care: Interventions for Safety, Meaning, Reconnection and Justice (Fortress, 2024), Speaking of Rape: The Limits of Language in Sexual Violations (Fortress, 2024), and Conceiving Family: A Practical Theology of Surrogacy and Self (Baylor University Press, 2019). Her research interests include the theological dimensions of trauma, theological issues related to sex and reproduction, narrative theories of the self, epistemic injustice, restorative justice, social epistemology, and the role of the arts in spiritual care.
Registrants will receive all materials, minus the textbook they must purchase, when this course is launched in Summer 2026.
Introduction to Mental Health Spiritual Care
What is the relationship between mental health and spiritual heath? What are the spiritual implications of a mental health diagnosis and vice versa? In this course, participants will gain an overview of the differentiated but intertwined realities of mental and spiritual health, as well as the spiritual care provider’s role in supporting mental health healing and remaining cognizant of the spiritual needs of those with significant mental health needs.
General Public / Supporter-level subscriber
$200
Innovator-level subscriber
$155
This course was created by Angelika Zollfrank, MDiv, BCC, ACPE. Angelika is an ordained clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. In her role at McLean Hospital, she provides spiritual support appropriate to the spiritual orienting systems of patients, families, and staff.
Chaplain Zollfrank also leads the Mental Health Clinical Pastoral Education Program at McLean Hospital. She specializes in how spirituality and religion may be useful for coping with mental health struggles.
Registrants will receive a link to pay your course fee when this course is launched in Summer 2026.
Introduction to the Use of AI in Spiritual Care
AI tools are increasingly ubiquitous and, whatever individual chaplains may think about them, these tools are unlikely to recede from view soon. Furthermore, more and more healthcare systems are encouraging or even requiring their use in clinical encounters. In this self-paced course, participants will learn both ethical considerations of their use of AI as well as practical ways of utilizing these tools while maintaining the primacy of the human-to-human encounter.
General Public / Supporter-level subscriber
$200
Innovator-level subscriber
$155
This course was created by Ali Candir, BCC. Ali is the Manager of Mission and Spiritual Care at St. Luke’s Health – The Vintage Hospital in Houston, Texas, and is board certified with the APC. Before his career in healthcare, Ali spent many years leading non-profit organizations dedicated to promoting interfaith and intercultural dialogue. He is the founder of the Wellspring Chaplaincy Initiative, which aims to enhance the understanding of chaplaincy within Muslim communities in the U.S. Ali is the author of Give Glad Tidings to the Patient, an inspirational reader for Muslim patients, and hosts the YouTube channel, The Chaplain’s True North, exploring topics on AI and human connection. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and sailing.
Registrants will receive a link to pay your course fee when this course is launched in Summer 2026.