What matters most to people? What language do people use to talk about their perspectives? What uplifts them? What weighs them down?

Spiritual Ethnography™ is a qualitative research approach that weaves the compassionate listening of chaplaincy and spiritual direction with the analytical ear of the ethnographic interview. 

Uncovering human truths is at the root of all ethnography. There are spiritual truths that live in the quiet spaces, in the interplay between the internal voice and the outward persona. The inquiry process invites individuals to befriend their perspectives, choices, and experience. 

Areas that have been exlored through Spiritual Ethnography include:

• HEALTH CARE-RELATED EXPERIENCES AND QUESTIONS

• PHARMACEUTICALS AND MEDICAL-RELATED 

• COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CULTURE AND RITES OF PASSAGE

• CORPORATE MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

• CULTURAL & RACIAL ATTITUDES

• EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL POLICY

• IMMIGRATION & RELATED EXPERIENCES

• MENTAL HEALTH

• ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE & WORKPLACE RELATIONS

• PALLIATIVE CARE

• RELIGIOUS IDENTITY AND CHANGE

• SEXUALITY 

• SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITIES

• SPIRITUAL, INTERFAITH, AND INTERPERSONAL EXPLORATION

• TEAM DYNAMICS

• UNDERLYING ATTITUDES, BEHAVIORS & RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS GROUPS

• WOMEN’S ISSUES

Spiritual Ethnography is rooted in listening with reverence, with a focus on depth-narrative. We also listen to what is not being said with words: how a person settles into the room, gestures, timing and other non-verbal glimpses of the inner voice.