Spirituality in Business

I reached out to a few local church groups for moms. I try to do speaking engagements as often as I can so that I can tell people what somatic psychotherapy is.

I received an email back from one of the leaders at a local church and was a bit stunned at the questions she asked me. This leader stated that she did not see any scripture on my website. All the talks they sponsor are scripture-based. The email then asked if understood what this meant?

My first response was one of incredulousness, defensiveness, and a little anger followed. After putting the email aside for several hours, I re-approached it with a calm spirit and my ego in check.

What this woman was asking me was entirely valid. The question encouraged me to sit down and think about why I don't hold myself out as a contemplative Christian on my website.

I believe in God. I am not a typical healing arts graduate. I do not have ideas about life that are new age. Why not say I am a contemplative practitioner and separate from the mess of new-age therapists?

Here is my response to the church leader.

Dear Blank

It has taken me a while to respond to your email because I want to be very intentional about my wording. I am a woman who grew up in the church. I was on mops ministry team, a member of a puppet ministry and volunteered in the Sunday school with my son during his grade school years.

I am happy you asked the question, do I understand(?). That question allowed me to chew over something I have been wrestling with, which is why don't I hold myself out as a Christian in my professional life?

I am called to a life of service. God is a part of my life and whom I meet in stillness every time I sit with someone, yet He is not a religion to me.

If I label myself one way or the other I am putting up a potential barrier to people, I already see. I think of all the non-Christian clients I have (about 50%) and how they reward my life with their generosity, laughter, and intelligence.

If I used only scripture as my guide, I could bump up against judgment within myself about whom I treat in this work.

As a craniosacral therapist and Somatic psychotherapist, I am expected to be a neutral and loving presence for all people.

Holding compassion, stillness, and grace for people who are marginalized, broken, or otherwise shamed because of a life choice is the job. In other words, I do this for all people because each one of us fits into one of the previous categories.

For these reasons, I choose not to brand myself. While I enjoy the opportunity to talk to groups, I am not a good fit for yours. Thank you for sparking a dialogue within myself that I needed to have.

Sincerely,

Mel

It is a catch -22 whenever we talk about faith, especially in the workplace, unless we insulate ourselves with only the same minded people.

Writing this email gave me clarity of voice and ease in my nervous system about who I am at the office. It also helped me realize that lessons come from everywhere, even emails that at first may make us feel irritated.

Shoot me an email or reach out through the phone if experiences with traditional religion have left you wounded.