Message from carol j. phipps
Much thanks for visiting my galleries!
Dr. Carol worked in Hospital Chaplaincy, Local Church Ministries, Higher Education (teacher), and in the Creative \ Performing Arts. Her work history blended Pastoral Care, Medical Ethics, teaching, public speaking, the arts, biblical storytelling, acting, writing, and organizational and administrative skills. She is retired and continues to enjoy photography and music.
Carol has 40–plus years experience in local church ministries, and community programming. She served churches in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, and Kentucky ministering to Youth, Seniors, and Single Adults in both rural and city congregations. She prepared summer missionaries resort missions. Phipps has presented programs in "Art as Ministry in Times of Transition," and "Art, Healing, & Spirituality." She has served as a Humor Consultant for local Hospital Oncology and Pediatric units; and she assisted the development of a hospital humor therapy room. Phipps traveled and taught for eight years with the National Clown, Mime, Puppet, and Dance Ministry, and Storytelling and Religious Message Workshop, both ofwhich provided performance and class work in several states annually. Between 1985 and 2005 Phipps was both an instructor and performer for the annual National Clown School held in Missouri. Between 1975 and 2005 she offered classes and performances around the country in biblical Storytelling, Clowning, Juggling, and Puppetry, "The Visual Arts and Worship," "Theology of the Fool-for-Christ" (1 Corinthians 4:10), "Humor in the Bible" and other creative, visual, and performance arts. The latter ministries were under the umbrella of her "ETS Ministries (Equipping to Serve \ Easing the Suffering \ Entertaining the Saints) highlighting Ephesians 4:11-16.
Dr. Phipps was a conference presenter and participant with the Oates Institute of Pastoral Care On-line Conferences. Her 'Art and Healing' visual arts gallery was highlighted on the WEOI Website for several years. And, Phipps visual art work has been showcased in local galleries Worship-Arts Exhibits, and Lenten Exhibits. In 2002 Two of Phipps collages were part of a September 11, Memorial Exhibit. She has enjoyed being apprenticed to Clay Architectural Artist, Juliet Eurlich. In 2004 the CCAA published Phipps' work entitled, "Healing, and Faith, and the Visual Arts," an article with photography and artwork highlighting spiritual and physical renewal through the visual arts.
She served as full-time Chaplain at Madison State Hospital for seven (7) years. Her professional work at this historic institution became a model for other hospitals. She ‘cared for the human spirit,’ as she liked to say, through attention to Patient Requests, Staff Requests, Crisis Counseling, and weekly Rounds on 10 Units. Phipps designed a new Psycho-Social Group called, "Dealing with Grief \ Drumming Therapy” which offered help with the grief process along with drumming therapy. Each patient had their own drum to use in the group. She brainstormed with one of the hospital Recreational Therapists to design curriculum for the "Drumming Therapy" aspect of this Group Experience. Also, an Expressive Therapy Group called "Caring for the Human Spirit" was designed by Dr. Phipps. This Group facilitated storytelling, work in clay, collage works, music appreciation, aroma therapy, and other artistic, creative expression to explore difficult emotions. She interfaced with Clinical Staff and the Psychology Department and met with Unit Treatment Teams per stated needs of patients. Dr. Phipps consulted with hospital Psychiatrists per specific patient clinical\spiritual needs and issues. She is trained in Motivational Interviewing and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Other Innovations led by Dr. Phipps for her hospital work included :
Use of "motion slides" and other slides created by Carol for creative worship; often she used her own photography for these slides;
Video clips featuring musicians and movies supporting the theme of the service;
Use of storytelling, puppets, balloon sculpting, character acting, soloists, and musicians.
Guest appearances ~ music students from local College and Local churches; hospital staff persons for special music.
A Patient Payroll job (Chapel Assistant) was created to help with set-up of Chapel services, distribution of Programs, and managing lights during the movie clips and other visual media for Spirituality Services.
Special Programming included a Taize Worship Celebration with assistance of local Presbyterian Director of Music and the College.
Attendance Certificates were given for exemplary Chapel Attendance.
Chaplain Phipps worked with the Medical Director and Staff Psychologists to design map-able criteria to recognize patients who creatively deal with aggression. She then designed a “Peacemaker Certificate” to recognize successful patients; and worked with unit staff monthly to gather names for a “Peacemaker Award.” The Certificates \ Recognition are offered at the Community Gathering for maximum support of patient and staff.
The Chaplain’s Television Program (“The Chaplain’s Cupboard”) was another innovation and featured 20 to 30 minutes of creative worship programming for hospital closed-circuit television. This programming facilitated spirituality for patients who could not get off the Unit. It included a message, multi-media, music, and prayer to support Treatment Team Goals\Manageable Recovery. Local Community Ministers have contributed to the TV program. Chaplain Phipps worked with the Computer Department\Media Staff to Update the hospital system to be able to offer more enhanced spirituality programming on the hospital TV.
Weekly, Chaplain Carol created a 20 to 30 minute Unit-based creative worship experience for Medical and Senior Units to address an another need presented by Unit Staff. Unit worship included singing with guitar, mandolin, and Indian Flute; and drums and tambourines are used by patients. The Chaplain also provides a devotional message and prayer.
A new, more detailed Spiritual Assessment was developed for use with clients with differing mental and emotional capacity. Chaplain Phipps included options to use drawing, clay, and other media as needed to effectively access MRDD patients and other patients’ Spirituality. She developed a notebook of visuals\pictures to assist clients with special needs; incorporated visuals of world religions; and difficult emotions. Spirituality resources (books, videos, movies) have been purchased for use in the Patient Library. The latter resources highlight healthy spirituality.
Dr. Phipps received her A. A. degree in Education, and a B.A. in Behavioral Sciences. She has a Master of Arts in Education and Communication; a Master of Divinity in Biblical Studies/Social Work; and both a Master of Theology and Doctor of Philosophy in Theology and Aesthetics with emphasis in Medical Ethics. Her doctoral dissertation formulated a profile of a FOOL for God using biblical and historical sources.
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