SPIRITUAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT - Essay Example

Teacher Interview analysis The interviewee was a family friend, male in his early twenties. The interview went well when we startedthe conversation with a light topic talking about common our interest. When the interviewee is already relaxed, his permission was asked if it would be okay to proceed with the interview. Everything went well except that I immediately assumed that he would be receptive to any religious suggestions. Next time, I would not assume that everyone is a religious person who would readily welcome religious discussion because this posed an initial barrier where the interviewee became defensive.

In the future, I would focus more on spirituality to make my approach universal rather than being specific because not all people welcome religion.The tool however helped for the interviewee to open up that sometimes he has a need for someone bigger than him when he feels lonely. The tool is non-judgmental and compassionate in approach and this helped me get through the defenses of the interviewee.The spiritual experience I had with my interviewee was fulfilling. At first he was resistant and does not want to admit that he too, just like all of us, needs some divine guidance.

Eventually however, he softened and he in fact calls out for God during his moments of despair. The non-judgmental approach of the tool help him opened up which he used to find very difficult for fear of reprisal. On my end, the tool helped me connect and get through the seemingly tough exterior of the interviewee. It also helped me understand that the stress and negative experiences that the interviewee undergone made him hard and defensive. For example, when I asked about his down moments, the interviewee initially played tough that he can handle anything.

The tool help me get through him and address his spiritual need. The experience affirmed by belief that all of us need “Somebody” bigger than us especially during our tough times. As the saying goes, “there is no atheist in a foxhole” because human strength will always fail us. We could appear tough just like my friend but it is really just a defense mechanism to make him look strong with his peers. Deep inside however, he also have spiritual needs which when explored, is actually bigger than most of us because it has long been repressed due to his negative experiences and fear that society may judge him as weak.

When I made him open up, it was like a floodgate of pent up emotions and suppressed pains that has long been buried beneath him. I promised that whatever he tells me will be confidential and that I am there to respond to his spiritual needs. After the interview, both of us felt relieved because we have unloaded long kept emotions and spirituality that has long been suppressed due to the fear that society might judge us as weak.