Bayat notes that part of this involves tapping into their own vulnerability, which is the birthplace of growth. When chaplain interns reflect on and evaluate their experiences with patients in individual and group sessions with Bayat, they also are encouraged to examine their own values and assumptions. Concerns are processed together through open discussions that serve as a microcosm for their broader work.
“We encourage curiosity and wonder so that we can learn from each other and improve interactions with those we serve,” adds Bayat, who is one of the first Muslims and the first Afghan-American to be a certified educator with the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE).
Princeton House’s chaplain internship is part of the Clinical Pastoral Education program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, which is one of about 400 programs in the U.S. to earn accreditation by the ACPE, speaking to its high level of quality. One unit of CPE at Princeton House requires 100 hours of education and 300 hours of clinical work. The skills that chaplain interns develop as part of this program are particularly important in behavioral health.
“Those struggling with behavioral health issues are experiencing a disruption in their own narrative and an increased sense of vulnerability,” says Bayat. “We’re here to tend to them in a healing way. Just as I help interns become more aware of how their journeys intersect with others, they serve as guides to hold space for patients and nurture the growth of the human spirit.”
