Personal Awareness and Human Development (DD8703Y)

Content

This unit examines spiritual development in the context of human development. Several “life stage” models of human development will be examined to elucidate the extensive changes that an individual’s spiritual growth encompasses over a lifetime. The following fundamental human experiences will be explored from the developmental perspective: painful emotions; grief and loss; gender identity and sexuality; love and friendship.

Moreover, the unit highlights the Spiritual Director’s understanding of, and response to, directees with special needs. It addresses methods for recognising directees who may be undergoing more serious mental health problems, and how to refer them appropriately to professional mental health services. It also addresses cross-cultural factors in spiritual direction, ensuring the culturally and linguistically diverse directee’s cultural framework is respected and idioms of spiritual expression are understood and valued.

Learning outcomes

Unit sequence

Co-requisites: DD8701Y and DD8705Y

Pedagogy

Synchronous lectures, tutorials

Indicative Bibliography

• Dowrick, S. Intimacy and Solitude: How to Give Love and Receive It. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin, 2014.
• Fowler, James. Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning. New York: HarperCollins, 1981.
• Liebert, Elizabeth. Changing Life Patterns: Adult Development in Spiritual Direction. New York: Paulist Press, 1992.
• Mackinlay, Elizabeth. The Spiritual Dimension of Ageing (2nd Ed.).
• McKissock, M., and D. McKissock. Coping with Grief. 4th ed. Sydney: HarperCollins, 2012.
• Moody, Harry, and David Carroll. The Five Stages of the Soul. London: Rider, 1998.
• Moore, T. Dark Nights of the Soul: A Guide to Finding Your Way Through Life’s Ordeals. New York: Gotham, 2004.
• Peck, M. Scott. Further Along the Road Less Travelled: The Unending Journey Toward Spiritual Growth. New York: Touchstone, 1993.
• Rosenberg, Marshall, B. Non-violent Communication: A language of life. CA: PuddleDancer Press, 2015.
• Whitehead, E., and J. Whitehead. Transforming Our Painful Emotions. New York: Orbis, 2010.

Assessment