EO: 202 Faith in Healing with Chaplain Scott Bloodworth

Faith in Healing

In this deeply moving episode, Dr. Scott Guthrie sits down with Chaplain Scott Bloodworth, the lead chaplain at Jackson Madison County General Hospital, to discuss the spiritual and emotional dimensions of perinatal loss. With 15 years of experience walking alongside families through their darkest moments in the NICU and maternity wards, Chaplain Bloodworth shares profound insights on grief, hope, and the healing power of presence. The conversation explores how fathers navigate crisis differently than mothers, the role of prayer and faith in medical settings, and practical ways healthcare professionals can support families facing devastating diagnoses. Through personal stories and hard-won wisdom, this episode offers both medical professionals and parents a compassionate guide to finding meaning and connection in the midst of loss.

Episode Highlights

00:00:00: Introduction to the Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby Tennessee podcast and its mission to improve perinatal health outcomes across Tennessee

00:00:46: Dr. Scott Guthrie introduces the episode as one focused on healthcare professionals while remaining accessible to families, addressing themes of loss, grief, and hope

00:01:53: Chaplain Scott Bloodworth introduces himself and his role at Jackson Madison County General Hospital

00:01:56: Dr. Guthrie provides Chaplain Bloodworth's background, including his 15 years as lead chaplain, his doctorate in behavioral health, and his research on fathers in the NICU

00:03:18: Chaplain Bloodworth reflects on how frequently impactful moments occur in his work with families

00:03:44: Chaplain Bloodworth shares a powerful story of a hospice baby whose father's only wish was to hear her cry, and the miracle of that cry despite all medical indicators suggesting it wouldn't happen

00:05:03: Discussion begins on Chaplain Bloodworth's doctoral research about fathers in the NICU and how they navigate crisis

00:05:22: Chaplain Bloodworth explains how fathers struggle with their inability to protect their child or comfort their wife in meaningful ways during NICU crises

00:06:33: Chaplain Bloodworth advises fathers that true strength is crying with their wives rather than suppressing emotion, as it acknowledges shared grief

00:06:45: Using the movie "The Green Mile" as an analogy, Chaplain Bloodworth explains how tears are designed to purge our systems of emotional pain

00:07:26: Dr. Guthrie introduces the topic of prayer, citing a Forbes Magazine article about how faith can ease depression, anxiety, and loneliness

00:08:11: Chaplain Bloodworth explains how prayer focuses the mind, shuts out surrounding noise, and helps people acknowledge what is beyond their control

00:09:14: Discussion of how faith helps build coping skills during devastating news

00:09:49: Chaplain Bloodworth emphasizes the importance of focusing on the present moment rather than jumping ahead to worst-case scenarios

00:10:37: Chaplain Bloodworth uses a scene from "Apollo 13" to illustrate the importance of taking one step at a time rather than worrying about distant problems

00:11:29: Dr. Guthrie asks whether medical professionals should leave faith issues to chaplains or engage themselves

00:11:45: Chaplain Bloodworth encourages doctors to engage spiritually with patients through presence, touch, and reassurance that families are not alone

00:12:27: Introduction to the Butterflies Embrace bereavement team at Jackson Madison County General Hospital

00:13:23: Chaplain Bloodworth describes how the bereavement team first lets families know they're not alone and will be protected during their hospital stay

00:14:25: Discussion of the unique challenge that perinatal loss presents no memories to cherish, leading the team to create tangible memories

00:15:22: Chaplain Bloodworth describes memory-making activities including handprints, footprints, three-dimensional molds, memorial services, and weighted Build-a-Bear programs

00:16:22: Dr. Guthrie asks about the heartbeat bear program

00:16:33: Chaplain Bloodworth explains how the team records a baby's heartbeat and places it in a stuffed animal for parents to keep and hear whenever they need

00:17:37: Dr. Guthrie emphasizes the importance of these tactile items as families move through months and years after loss

00:18:19: Discussion shifts to advice for healthcare teams on how to better support families

00:18:19: Chaplain Bloodworth advises medical teams to avoid talking over parents' heads and to explain situations in layman's terms

00:19:27: Chaplain Bloodworth warns against trying to make sense of senseless situations and encourages honesty about not knowing why tragedies occur

00:20:13: Dr. Guthrie introduces the topic of guilt that parents carry

00:20:59: Chaplain Bloodworth discusses how humans want to assign blame and assume control, but must acknowledge when situations are beyond control

00:22:48: Chaplain Bloodworth shares advice for a mother on bed rest facing potential loss

00:23:17: Chaplain Bloodworth tells mothers to love themselves first, then love their baby, and cherish every moment as a gift

00:24:07: Dr. Guthrie asks what Chaplain Bloodworth would say to fathers

00:24:15: Chaplain Bloodworth advises fathers to hold onto their partners, cry with them, and tell them they are great mothers

00:24:56: Dr. Guthrie reflects on how he will incorporate Chaplain Bloodworth's words into his own practice

00:25:18: Dr. Guthrie poses the billboard question

00:25:53: Chaplain Bloodworth's billboard message would be to love each other more today than yesterday

00:26:12: Dr. Guthrie thanks Chaplain Bloodworth for his wisdom and heart

00:26:57: Closing remarks and information about TIPQC and the Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby Tennessee podcast

Key Takeaways

Fathers in the NICU often struggle with feelings of helplessness because they cannot protect their child or meaningfully comfort their wife; the best way they can show strength is by crying with their partner rather than suppressing emotions

Prayer serves a biological and spiritual purpose by focusing the mind, shutting out surrounding chaos, and helping individuals acknowledge what is beyond their control

Medical professionals should avoid talking over parents' heads using technical jargon and should not try to make sense of senseless situations—sometimes honesty about not knowing why tragedy occurs is most helpful

Creating tangible memories through handprints, footprints, heartbeat recordings, and weighted bears helps parents who have no other memories to cherish with their child

Parents experiencing perinatal loss need to be reminded that it's not their fault, that they should love themselves, and that the time they have with their child—whether hours or years—is a gift to be cherished

Healthcare providers can and should engage spiritually with patients through the ministry of presence—simply being in the room, offering touch, and reassuring families they are not alone

Fathers should tell their partners "you are a great mother" even in the face of loss, as this affirmation helps with long-term healing and reminds both parents they are part of something bigger than themselves

Quotable Moments

"I just want to hear her cry. And all of the indicators were there that her lungs were not going to be developed and she was not going to be able to produce any sound."

"I tell dads, if you want to show how much you love your wife, cry with her. Take the time to cry with her. It acknowledges her grief and it allows for you to empty your heart of grief."

"If prayer does nothing else, it focuses our attention on the fact that this is beyond me and I need help that is outside of my person."

"Don't focus way down here. We've got to get past this point."

"Not every situation makes sense. And we have to admit that to ourselves and to the people we're caring for."

"No, this deal just stinks. You did nothing wrong. This is just the universe and it stinks."

"The time that we have is a gift. Whether that's hours, days, or years. The time that we have is a gift. Cherish that moment, savor it and hold onto that."

"Tell her what a great mother she is that is really gonna help her in the long run. It's gonna help her psyche, it's gonna help her spirit."

"Love each other more today than you did yesterday."

Show Notes by Barevalue

No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient.  Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment.