April

Dr. Wolfelt’s Tenets of Companioning the Bereaved

Companioning is about…

1. Being present to another person’s pain; it is not about taking away the pain.
2. Going to the wilderness of the soul with another human being; it is not about thinking you are responsible for finding the way out.
3. Honoring the spirit; it is not about focusing on the intellect.
4. Listening with the heart; it is not about analyzing with the head.
5. Bearing witness to the struggles of others; it is not about judging or directing these struggles.
6. Walking alongside; it is not about leading.
7. Discovering the gifts of sacred silence; it is not about filling up every moment with words.
8. Being still; it is not about frantic movement forward.
9. Respecting disorder and confusion; it is not about imposing order and logic.
10. Learning from others; it is not about teaching them.
11. Compassionate curiosity; it is not about expertise.

“Our culture has accepted two huge lies: The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”
Rick Warren, Author and Pastor