Spiritual Care Conference Explores the Power of Story in Health Care

Each year, MyMichigan Health’s Spiritual Care Conference brings the community together to explore the connection between spirituality, health and healthcare. The conference aims to help meet the spiritual needs of patients while supporting families, caregivers and staff.

This year’s conference, The Healing Power of Story: Listening, Meaning and Connection in Health Care, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 29, at Midland Center for the Arts, 1801 W. St. Andrews Road in Midland. Two identical sessions will be offered. The morning session will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m., followed by the presentation from 9 to 11 a.m. Registration for the evening session will begin at 6 p.m., with the program taking place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Keynote speaker Mark Yaconelli, author of Between the Listening and the Telling: How Stories Can Save Us, will explore narrative practices that promote connection, trust, and well-being. He’ll examine how stories function within our individual, professional, and public lives, as well as apply narrative-informed listening practices to clinical encounters. Attendees will also learn how patient narratives can shape clinical understanding and care decisions, as well as how to recognize emotional, spiritual, and existential dimensions present in patient communication. Yaconelli will also explain the role of meaning-making and storytelling in supporting provider resilience and burnout prevention.

The conference is free and open to community members and health care professionals. Those interested in attending may register at www.mymichigan.org/spiritualcare.

Funding for this event is generously provided by donors to the Spiritual Care Fund at MyMichigan Health Foundation.