Meet Chaplain Resident Amy Russian
By Sinnamon Wolfe, ECS Office Manager
Amy Russian is a current first year Chaplain Resident in the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program at the ECS Spiritual Care & Education Center at St. Mark’s Hospital. She first came to ECS with two previous CPE intern units completed at different centers, and will continue her chaplain education in the Fall with a second-year residency for the 2025-2026 program year.
Amy’s previous career was in marketing and communications. She owned her own business for 20 years, working primarily with non-profits and government agencies; including St. John’s Hospital in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Prior to moving to Jackson Hole, Amy directed Promoting Arts in Lander Schools (PALS), a grassroots organization providing opportunities for children in rural Wyoming to participate in visual art activities and experience performances from visiting artists. During Amy’s time as Director, PALS received the 2011 Wyoming Governor’s Arts Award.
Amy, who was raised Unitarian Universalist (UU), was largely “un-churched” throughout most of her adult life as there were no UU congregations in driving distance from where she lived in rural Wyoming. However, in her mid-50s, Amy had a resurgence of spiritual engagement. She sang in a local church choir, attended a Buddhist Sangha, and began working with a Spiritual Director. It was Amy’s Spiritual Director that first introduced her to chaplaincy at the local hospital.
“This is it. I really like this!” -Amy
Amy, who was curious about becoming a UU minister in her late 20s, found herself wishing she had gone to divinity school when she was younger so that she could pursue chaplaincy. Amy worried that it was too late. “I’m too old… No. I’m not! I can still do this!” Undeterred by her age, she applied to various Masters of Divinity (M.Div.) programs and was accepted into several. However, the COVID pandemic put her plans on hold, forcing her to defer for a year. This ended up being to Amy’s benefit. During that time, Amy applied to Boston University (BU) and was awarded a full scholarship with a stipend. At the age of 60, Amy’s birthday present to herself was to enroll in the M.Div. program at BU. Returning to school after 40 years was a challenge at first but Amy persevered and thrived, enjoying the opportunity to explore deep theological questions.
“You’re never too old.” -Amy
Chaplain Resident Amy Russian
CPE education at BU introduced Amy to a difficult side of spirituality that she wasn’t familiar with: spiritual or religious trauma. Chaplains often attend to the spiritual pain created by difficult religious experiences; including those created by high control religions or those experiencing direct spiritual abuse from individuals in positions of religious authority. Theological education and chaplain training through CPE prepares chaplains and ministers like Amy to support those who carry spiritual wounds and offer them compassionate care without judgement.
Furthermore, the careful work of self-exploration, boundary training, and diversity training in CPE helps prepare ministers and chaplains to avoid abusive practices in the ministry and care they provide. Amy shared that her experience in CPE has deepened her understanding of herself and her relationships. She feels that not only has the spiritual care she provides to patients and families improved through her time as a CPE Resident but her personal relationships with loved ones has also improved.
“I feel deeply grateful to be able to do this work.” -Amy
Now an Aspirant in the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) ordination process, and her CPE Residency, are together fulfilling a key part of the journey towards both ordination and chaplain Board Certification. Amy finds a that her faith as a Unitarian Universalist has helped to prepare her for a career in chaplaincy. As a non-credal faith, Unitarian Universalism is a community where members have diverse spiritual paths and seek to support each other even though they may have very different beliefs. She strives to be sensitive and supportive of wherever individuals find themselves on their spiritual paths in both her UU faith and as she provides care to patients, families and hospital staff from all faiths or no faith. Amy will be leading worship service exploring the theme of resistance on July 20 at South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society. All are invited to attend.
For more information about the ECS Spiritual Care & Education Center or Chaplain Residency Program, go to: https://www.ecsutah.org/aboutcpe
