Inspired Health Group (IHG) is committed to care for the whole person: body, mind, & spirit. It is the belief of IHG’s healthcare professionals that wellness and ultimate wholeness occurs when the body, mind, & spirit are in harmony with one another.
Body, Mind, & Spirit Prosperity
The diagnosis and treatment of physical challenges that patients face often carry significant, and sometimes overwhelming, stress and spiritual unrest. At such times, it is natural to look to others for support. Care of the Spirit is addressed through Pastoral Care ministry, which is offered by IHG through The Glory Center, the spiritual arm of IHG. Pastoral care contributes to a whole person approach to addressing concerns raised by the patients and their loved ones and enables them to respond to their spiritual and emotional needs. We believe this type of care should be accessible to everyone, which is why there is no charge for the spiritual care offered through IHG.
Care of the Spirit Offerings
Prayer with an Ordained Pastor at Inspired Health Group
- Pastoral Care opportunities for prayer with an Ordained Pastor is offered weekly on an as needed bases in the IHG office.
- Additionally, Pastoral Care ministry is offered onsite in The Glory Center, which is in the same building as IHG.
In-home Prayer with an Ordained Pastor by Phone
- Patients who are unable to come into the office for care, patients who have chronic illness, patients who are struggling with grief and loss, patients who are experiencing pain, fear, depression regarding their health situations, and patients who are struggling with their faith or spiritual issues in general may still benefit from prayer with an Ordained Pastor through telephone based pastoral care offerings.
- The care giver who will provide Pastoral Care by phone is an experienced Ordained Minister, who upon referral from the IHG team member or upon personal request, will call the patient for the purpose of offering support, comfort, companionship, and spiritual inspiration through conversation & prayer.
- This opportunity provides a unique and individualized approach to Pastoral Care for patients in special need. Telephone offered Pastoral Care Ministry is not meant to replace any Pastoral Care nor any church participation that patient is involved in. This Care of the Spirit is intended to blend with the medical care received from IHG for the body and the mind, thereby promoting whole health and healing.
The Glory Center
- The Glory Center provides a holy quiet space for people to come and engage in; rest, reflection, meditation and prayer. Christian music and Scriptural feeding are offered daily in this quiet Holy Space.
- Bibles, prayer leaflets, and religious articles are available offering nurturing and feeding of the Spirit.
- Inspirational Scriptural writings related to challenges, faith, hope, grief, & healing are posted monthly to reflect on, grow from and apply to daily living. Discussion with the Pastoral Care provider is offered upon request.
- Occasional Christian music is offered in the Glory center providing, comfort, encouragement, praiseful celebration & inspirational feeding.
- Although The Glory Center is rooted in Christian tradition, all are welcome to rest, reflect, meditate in pray in this holy quiet space.
Wellness and Healing Garden Path
- This garden includes benches and a winding walking path behind the parking lot at the back of our practice at 3671 Southwestern Blvd., Orchard Park, NY. It offers a space for rest, renewal, reflection, meditation, and prayer.
- Patients and community members alike are welcome to respectfully enjoy our Wellness and Healing Garden from dawn to dusk. Please help us keep this green space safe and open to all. Your use of this garden site is solely at your own risk.
Spiritual Writings
Writings on various spiritual topics can be found in our waiting rooms, The Glory Center and in our Spirituality Blog. These writings have been created by our Spiritual Consultant, Rev Kathryn Bindig MDiv., MS, with assistance from Rich Muscatello, IHG’s Director of Business Development & Strategy. Foundational writings, as well as monthly writings, are made available in handouts to take away in our office.
Pastoral Care Providers
Our Pastoral Care Providers are experienced Ordained Clergy. They are familiar with, and sensitive to, issues that accompany illness, maintaining patient privacy, and respect individual beliefs and preferences of all patients and their loved ones. They are available to provide spiritual care to all persons regardless of religious affiliation. Patients do not need to belong to a faith congregation or even to consider themselves religious to request onsite or in-home pastoral care.
The Clergy serving our patients include:
- Pastor Stephen Barrett
- Reverend Kathryn Bindig
- Father Raymond Donohue
Care of the Spirit FAQs
What is Spirituality?
- Spirituality includes our search for transcendent meaning & our connection with something bigger than ourselves. That something bigger is the creator and sustainer of all that there is in the universe and is commonly known as the Divine, the one Universal Creator or God. Spirituality is experienced and expressed by the soul. Spirituality grows as we develop and practice the innate truths that reside in our Soul, for us to live increasingly congruent with who God created us to be. When we awaken, develop, and practice these innate truths, a greater sense of wellbeing, balance, and peace in our lives is fostered.
- As we begin to consider caring for our Spirit, we are invited to consider the questions below that frequently arise when we are faced with the ups & downs in life:
- Why is this happening to me?
- Is God there for me?
- Why is this happening to me now?
- Why is God letting this happen?
- What do I need to do to heal?
- What is my purpose and meaning in life?
What does Body, Mind, and Spirit Mean?
- When We Speak of Body: Our body is the physical aspect of our being. It is through our body that we connect with the physical world and address various ways to enhance, restore and sustain physical health that leads to healing and thus optimal wholeness.
- When We Speak of Mind: Our Mind is that element of our person that consists of a variety of mental states such as; perceptions, thoughts, emotions and attitudes which can either be conscious or unconscious.
- When We Speak of Spirit: Our Spirit is that indwelling component of our being that is the vital life animating force for the body & mind. Our Spirit is the Divine Force that empowers the Soul to reflect God’s image through our living. Spirituality is a way of directly experiencing the reality of the movement of our Spirit in our own life.
- When We Speak of Soul: Our Soul is the intersection of our Spirit, Mind, and Body. It is the personalized expression of our indwelling Divine Spirit. Through our Soul we seek, explore and directly experience ultimate meaning, sense of purpose, inspiration, wholeness & transcendence through relationship to self, others, nature, the arts & the Divine or sacred.
What are Inspired Health Group’s Foundational Spiritual Affirmations?
- Faith is a gift of Grace that invites us to believe in things unseen.
- Hope is an expression of faith even in times of uncertainty.
- We partner with God in everything we do.
- Our spiritual life is grounded in relationships. It has to do with God’s way of relating to us, and our way of relating to God and others.
- We reflect our relationship with God and the movement of the Spirit within us when we steadfastly view, think, speak and act through loving kindness, compassion, gratitude, patience, non-judgment, openness, gentleness, forgiveness & composure.
- We are all equal and of one inseparable family of God’s creation.
- There are multiple, eclectic ways of being and living that express our indwelling Spirit of God.
- ALL life situations are a gateway or opportunity for spiritual growth.
- Spirituality includes our search for higher meaning and connection with something bigger than any individual or any one circumstance.
- Spiritual practices may include prayer, meditation, contemplation, Spiritual readings, worship, and interacting with nature and the arts. These practices create an intimacy and freedom in our relationship with God and all of God’s creation.
Do I need to be Christian to receive and benefit from spiritual offerings at Inspired Health Group?
We welcome all to the enjoy the benefits of the Care of the Spirit offerings at Inspired Health Group. Spaces like our Glory Center and Wellness and Healing Garden path are offered as safe spaces to all. Our Pastoral Care Providers individual beliefs and preferences of all patients and their loved ones. They are available to provide spiritual care to all persons regardless of religious affiliation. Patients do not need to belong to a faith congregation or even to consider themselves religious to request onsite or in-home pastoral care.
What is the cost of Pastoral Care at Inspired Health Group?
We believe this type of care should be accessible to everyone, which is why there is no charge for the spiritual care offered at IHG.
Everything has it’s time & place
The entry point of caring for our Spirit & promoting overall well-being is to recognize that we are affected by the perpetual changes of our body, mind, Spirit, environment and our life situations. By its very nature, life is fluid.
The challenge, or opportunity, of encountering the naturally occurring “ups and downs” or seasons of life that inevitably occur and affect our whole being is to awaken, develop and practice the innate truths of the spirit to achieve balance and harmony and enhance prosperity of the body, mind and spirit.
Although it may feel challenging, it is possible to achieve balance and harmony in meeting the inevitable changes that occur throughout the seasons of our lives. Hope is expressed in the words of René Daumel below:
“You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.”
Get Connected with Pastoral Care
If you have questions or would like to meet with a clergy member in The Glory Center, in IHG’s office, or schedule in-home pastoral care by phone, please reach out to your IHG care team:
- via your patient portal
- talk to your provider during your next visit
- or call 716-662-7008 and ask for Shari Kay Shearing or Jen Kane during regular calling hours