Health pro: Divine calling brings Morrison to chaplaincy
Woody Morrison is the Hospice of Health First Chaplain.
Q: Why did you go into this career?
A: I sensed a divine call to the ministry during my college years. I always knew I wanted to be involved in caring for others, but it wasn't until my father had been diagnosed with a terminal illness that chaplaincy became crystal clear. I remember pleading during my anticipatory grief in the hospital chapel — groans that I could not express bellowed up. When the chaplain came by, placed his hand on my shoulder, and spoke softly, I immediately felt surrounded by compassionate care and sensed God's grace all around me. I knew then I wanted to be in the trenches with patients and families who are going through life's most difficult period.
Q: What services do you provide?
A: As a Hospice of Health First Chaplain, I provide spiritual care, guidance and counseling to the patient and their families. The hospice chaplain works as a member of the inter-disciplinary team, which includes the physician, nurse, social worker, Certified Nursing Assistant (CAN)/Home Health Aide (HHA), volunteer and bereavement specialist. We all work together to surround the patient with compassionate care. I have the great honor to meet the patient where they are on their end-of-life journey and walk with them, serving as a compassionate listener while also offering spiritual and emotional support.
Q: What makes this area of medicine fulfilling for you?
A: The job satisfaction and fulfillment I experience comes from the pure ministry of relationship. I am privileged to be there with the patient as they find their way through the raw and chaotic moments of grief. We enter this world as infants — weak, helpless and vulnerable — and in a strange way, we often leave in the same manner — weak, helpless and vulnerable. My fulfillment comes as I am able to be emotionally present with the patient, providing guidance and care through their journey.
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Q: When did you realize this was the right medical career path for you?
A: It was during my clinical pastoral education, as I surveyed my own emotional landscape. I suddenly discovered I could respond to the spiritual and emotional distress of patients and their families, who often find themselves confused, angry, exhausted and questioning the meaning of life itself. These emotions often lie just below the surface, which creates spiritual pain. I love helping others find their way toward comfort and peace during these difficult times.
Q: What’s the latest advancement in your field that will benefit patients?
A: One of the best advancements in chaplaincy is the evidence-based approach, grounded in research. This ensures we are providing the best quality care possible and that we can describe it with the language of research. The need to have thoughtful approaches to understanding all spiritual pain or emotional distress is vital. In this way, we are better able to address unmet spiritual needs.
Q: What is your best advice for current and potential patients?
A: I believe God has stamped his lovely divine image upon every person, including self-worth, dignity and self-reflection. I suggest that patients ask the tough questions about themselves while working with the interdisciplinary team, including the chaplain who is there to assist with these heartfelt questions.
Have an idea for the Know Your Health Professional, contact Tim Walters at twalters@floridatoday.com.
Name: Woody Morrison, MDiv
Title: Hospice of Health First Chaplain
Where you’re based: I work primarily in Health First’s Cape Canaveral Hospice Inpatient Unit, Health First’s Viera Hospital Inpatient Unit, William Childs Hospice House, in addition to seeing patients and their families at other facilities and in their homes.
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Religion, Berea College, Berea, Kentucky; Masters of Divinity of Pastoral Care, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky
Professional background: I have worked as a Veterans Affairs Hospital Chaplain, Baptist Hospice Chaplain, and Hospice Chaplain in multiple states.
Address: 701 W. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach
Contact: 321.799.7111
On the Web: HF.org