Understanding Spirituality and the Sacred in Social Work Practice

Mary Jo McVeigh is a social work practitioner with over forty years of international experience. Joel Hollier is a social worker and academic with a background in theology and pastoral ministry. Jioji Ravulo is the Professor and Chair of Social Work and Policy Studies in the Sydney School of Education and Social Work at The University of Sydney.

Part One - Exploring Spirituality. 1.Introduction. 2.Today’s landscape: Global Spirituality, The Socio-Political, Social Work and Contested Spaces. 3.Hearing the chorus of unending, sunlit, inexpressible songs. 4.Integrated Self, Integrated Practice – my journey toward self-acceptance and how it enriched my social work practice. 5.A Spirited Reflection from my personal and professional journey across social work. Part Two - Experiencing Spirituality. 6.Considerations on Liberation theology and anti-oppressive frameworks as companions in social work. 7.“How does my dream-like self truly love and engage this dream-like world?”. 8.Forbidden, not forgotten: An exploration of two social worker's relationship with their Celtic spirituality. 9.Islam and Social Work: A Peaceful Path of Service to Others. 10.Storytelling through Ritual: Using a Jewish lens to understand the power of social work practice. 11.A Greek Orthodox Perspective on Love (Agape) and Spirituality When Working with Men Who Use Violence. 12.Protestant Christianity and Social Work: Resonance and Dissonance. 13.Tapu o te tangata: A Māori perspective on spiritually responsive social work. 14.The Truth of Who One Is. Part Three - Engaging Spirituality. 15.Disability, Spirituality and Social Work. 16.“They call the Spirituality of my Ancestors madness” – Embracing spiritually sensitive practice in child protection while working with children of African heritage and their families in Australia. 17.Doubly Misunderstood – LGBTQIA+ experiences of social work and spirituality. 18.Connecting external and internal worlds: Environmental, spiritual, and social. 19.Faithfully Yours - A view of Frontline Social Work within the context of religion, faith, spirituality, and Domestic and Family Violence. 20.Advocacy, contracting, and spirited commitments: On saying “no” to a government contract. 21.Spirited Healing: Restoring Wholeness to Survivors of forced displacement. 22.Religious loss in the time of public health responses to COVID-19. 23.A.L.I.F.E. that is spiritual: A conversation with and about young people’s spiritual life. 24.Community Development and the social capital in faith groups. 25.Courage, Care, and Concluding Thoughts.