In October 2017 I arrived in West Australia.

In June 2021 I have started a locum chaplaincy at Hollywood Private Hospital in Nedlands. 
In the same month I have been selected for the Formation into Ordination in the Anglican Diocese of Perth, starting in January 2022. 

Between July 2018 and February 2020 I have been working as a casual Chaplain with Pastoral Care Services in King Edward Memorial Hospital and the Perth Children's Hospital in Perth, West Australia. In this capacity I give education to Junior Doctors, Nurses and Midwifes on Spirituality, Grief and Loss and Compassion. 

Personal Development: WA Health Aboriginal Cultural eLearning - a healthier future

Since 2020 I am a volunteer Chaplain for Dutch citizens in prison in Australia
Personal Development: Pastoral Models, Hermeneutical Competence, Ritual Competence

In 2019-2020 I was on Parish Council for St Pauls' Anglican Community in Beaconsfield

Courses, lectures and small projects since 2018: 

• workshop on Grief and Loss for St Paul's Anglican community in Beaconsfield (working with my art)

• training sessions to volunteers of Ronald McDonald House Perth about Grief and Loss, and about Compassion 

• lectures and reflections on Contemporary Spirituality (2019), The Kingdom of God (2020), Etty Hillesum (2021) in St George's Cathedral in Perth

• courses on the spirituality of Thomas Merton in two Anglican Communities in the Diocese of Perth. 

• developed and conducted a small survey on values in St Paul's Anglican Community in Beaconsfield. In the same parish I will be working with young members to translate the outcome of the survey into a permanent mural for the church hall (Autumn 2021)

• retreat on Thomas Merton in New Norcia Benedictine Monastery (April 2021)

Since 2015 I've been working as a researcher and innovator spiritual care and healthcare at the Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc) in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

The Radboudumc is an academic hospital with its origins in the Roman Catholic tradition. I’ve been working for the departments of Human Resources, Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy, Neurology and in close corporation with Reshape Centre for Innovation and the Board of Directors on several projects. These departments have asked me to research, develop and design new ways of working with issues concerning the meaning of life, religion and spirituality (the whole person) within healthcare for patients, healthcare professionals and within the hospital organisation. In particular, they asked me to innovate methods of spiritual counselling to fit within contemporary culture and society - working with images, art, social media and ICT.

In 2019 I wrote a paper about the spirituality and meaning of life issues within Shared Decision Making for the PVI.

In 2020 I finished a research 'Digital Communication in Existential and Spiritual Issues within Person Centered Care. Into the Future'. This research was commisioned by the Department of Spiritual and Pastoral Care. A summary is published in 'Religie & Samenleving'. I also presented a paper on the DGVP 50th Anniversary conference about Innovation of Spiritual Care

Between 2014 and 2017 I have:

• Given spiritual care and grief counselling to healthcare professionals at the hospital;

• Written a report for the Board of Directors and Human Resources. They wanted to know how to integrate spiritual care and philosophy of life issues into the hospital for healthcare professionals. The aims were (a) to help prevent burn-out and (b) to support one of the current policy aims of the Board of Directors, to improve the awareness to be working within and from the ‘human scale’. The title of the report is: ‘Care for healthcare professionals. The human scale: personal leadership, grounding, meaning of life and spirituality’;

• Organised and co-led brainstorm sessions for healthcare professionals and hospital chaplains concerning the ‘human scale’ in the hospital;

• Being part of a team which constituted the so called Unstitute, a more informal group of freethinkers within the hospital which aims to keep focussed on the heart of care: the people (patients and healthcare professionals). This has now led into the establishment of the OMruimte (space to rethink and change healthcare based on the principles of the artist’s studio, craftsman shed or experimental laboratory);

• Being part of a team who helped with the design of the Spiritual Landscape for the rebuilding of the hospital which finally resulted in Design Guidelines;

• Developed a method for spiritual directors and hospital chaplains to work with art in counselling, especially for younger people;

• Given lectures about spiritual care, grief and art directed to healthcare professionals and patients;
  o    At the 5th bi-annual international student conference on ‘Spiritual Care and Health Professions’
  o    About Meister Eckhart’s ‘Gelassenheit’ as the grounding for healthcare professionals
  o    Grief and Visual Art, especially the Cross
  o    Grief and Consolation - Art and Community in Lent
  o    Keynote speaker in the Abbey Koningshoeven, Tilbug: Visual Art as ‘Communion’. Thomas Merton: Artist and Monk

• Given four radio talks about spirituality, art and grief for a Dutch program about religion;

• Co-developed face-talk counselling for polyclinic patients with chronical kidney failure;

• Led two teams creating two small films for the hospital. The first was commissioned by the Identity Committee of the hospital to raise awareness for the existential dimension of healthcare professionals. The second film is to raise awareness for the existential dimension of patients on their individual journey in the hospital. These films will be used for the hospital, the department of Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy and within education of medical students.

2007 – 2015  I worked as a researcher religion and society at the Radboud University in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religion Studies.

As a researcher, I am specialized in applied research for churches and faith based organizations from a sociological and policy research point of view. I have conducted many qualitative researches to help organizations with their policy in order to be better equipped for the middle- and long term future. At the research institute I worked for, we did among others the longitude research named ‘God in the Netherlands’. This quantitative research monitors developments within churches, religions and spirituality in the Netherlands since 1966. My tasks in the institute were to do research independently, write research reports and help the organizations to implement the outcomes. I also helped organizations with the innovation of their pastoral work.

Since 1997 I've been entrepreneur as a spiritual counsellor and artist. The company name was Artmeaning.

In the past twenty years, I have given numerous lectures, courses, workshops, retreats and individual counselling within the specific field of Christian spirituality and visual art. I also wrote multiple articles and essays. These are listed in the appendix. I was also chief editor for two years for a theological magazine in The Netherlands.

1990 – 2001 Social Work
My work mainly consisted of helping adults with social and psychological problems within groups and individual counselling. For a period of eight years I worked as a guardian for refugee children without parents. I learned to work with people who are extremely vulnerable, coming from very diverse background, and whom are almost always traumatised. It was my task to look after them and make sure they have all basic needs fulfilled, e.g. housing, education and being able to cope living in a new culture and language.

Awards:

2015  award to stimulate innovative research by the Association for Spiritual Care in The Netherlands for my research: ‘methodology development: aesthetics and creative working forms in spiritual care and healthcare chaplaincy’.

2017  award for innovation within healthcare in the category ‘best human centred design’ from Dutch Hacking Health Valley for the small film Space2B, raising awareness for existential crisis for patients and healthcare professionals in hospitals.

Education:

1989 – 1993        Social Work: Hoger Sociaal Agogisch Onderwijs: part-time education social work.

1994 – 2001        Radboud University Nijmegen: part-time education Religion Studies, specialized in: systematic-feminist theology.

2001 – 2003        Post academic education spirituality and spiritual direction: Titus Brandsma Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen

2009                    Cambridge Certificate English, level C2 (near-native speaker)

Exhibitions:

2003- 2012 Solo exhibitions: Cenakel Foundation, Soesterberg; De Drie Koningen, Arnhem; Dominicaans Klooster Huissen, Convent of the Holy Tomb in Maarssen (all Nl), ‘Adjectives’, University of Winchester (UK)

2015 group exhibition ‘Female Images of Christ/a’, Link Gallery, University of Winchester, UK and in 2016 in Utrecht (Nl)

2015 solo exhibition ’Rouwarbeid: geen koud kunstje’ (Works of Mourning). Studentenkerk Nijmegen, Janskerk in Utrecht, AMC hospital in Amsterdam, Meander hospital in Amersfoort (all Nl)

2016 (Christmas) - 2017 (Easter) solo-exhibition ‘The Way of the Cross’ Grote Kerk in Elst (Nl)

Relevant secondary functions:

2003 - 2005     member of the workgroup Art at the Radboud University Nijmegen
2005 - 2007     board member of de Mariënburgvereniging, (critical Catholics)
2007 - 2010     board member of the European Society for Women in Theological Research (ESWTR) and contact woman for         The Netherlands
2011 - 2012     board member of the Foundation Seekercity.nl, digital ‘community’ of nationwide pastoral care for students
2021                board member of the Mandorla Art Award (an Australian Award for Christian Art)

Publications

Thesis

Sylvia Grevel (Zij)-God: een postmoderne reminiscentie. Plaatsbepaling van religie in de filosofie van de seksuele differentie van Luce Irigaray, ongepubliceerde doctoraalscriptie Religiestudies, Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen 2002

(Year)Books

Sylvia Grevel en Mieke Korenhof (red) Theologische Ikonographien. Kunst und Religion im Dialog Lit-Verlag, Münster 2007

Annette Esser, Sylvia Grevel en Alison Jasper (eds) ESWTR Journal 2011. Feminist Theology and Visual Arts, Peeters, Leuven (publicatie in 2012)

Articles

Inleiding in de tentoonstellingscatalogus Passie Kruis Hoop. Ordensmuseum Abtei Kamp 1997

Sylvia Grevel ‘Vrouwen vormen vrouwenvormen. Een tentoonstelling’. In: Fier. Vrouwen en Islam 5/2001

Sylvia Grevel ‘De geestelijke weg van Edith Stein. Van rationalisme naar het opnemen van het kruis. In: Fier. Geloven: hoezo? 3/2002

Sylvia Grevel ‘The Hours. Antiheldinnen in de uren tussen leven en dood.’In: Fier. Mystiek 1/2004

Sylvia Grevel ‘Mystica zonder God. Leven en werk van Georgia O’Keeffe.’ In: Fier. Ik geloof …… waarin eigenlijk? 3/2004

Sylvia Grevel ‘De plaats waar je staat is heilige grond. Georgia O’Keeffe: een mystieke interpretatie.’In: TGL The Passion of the Christ mei-juni 2004

Sylvia Grevel ‘Becoming Divine – I am I am’ In: Randi Solberg (ed.) Let Our Voices Be heard! Christian Lesbians in Europe telling their Stories. Mein Buch, Berlin 2004

Sylvia Grevel ‘Van Ver weg Dichtbij. De seculiere kunst van Georgia O’Keeffe religieus geïnterpreteerd’ In: Desiree Berendsen, Maaike de Haardt, Magda Misset van de Weg, Marijke Verhoeven (red.) Proeven van Vrouwenstudies, deel VII. IIMO Research Publications, Meinema, Zoetermeer 2005

Sylvia Grevel ‘Moeten wij modern zijn? Het licht van Rembrandt als religieuze ruimte.’ In: TGL nummer 1, 2006

Sylvia Grevel ‘Antjie Krog schrijft verzoening met een potlood’ In: Inez van der Spek (red.) Vreemde aanrakingen. Over de kracht van het vreemde in religie, kunst en literatuur. Valkhof Pers, Nijmegen 2007

Sylvia Grevel ‘Geweld, waarheid en verzoening in Zuid-Afrikaans perspectief’ in: Speling 1/2007

Sylvia Grevel ‘God speelde geen rol – Imre Kertész over Auschwitz en daarna’ in: Speling 4/2007

Sylvia Grevel ‘Contours of a lost profile: the human. Marlene Dumas’ touching brush’ in: Journal of the European Society for Women in Theological Research (ESWTR), 19/2011 Visual Art and Feminist Theology. Editors: Annette Esser, Sylvia Grevel, Alison Jasper, Christine Gasser 2012

Sylvia Grevel ‘Spiritualiteit en de abstracte kunst van Mark Rothko: een tragische en tijdloze betekenis’ in: Volzin, 2015 nr. 1

Sylvia Grevel ‘Love you till death, and back. Dood en rouw in de beeldende kunst van Marlene Dumas’ in: Tijdschrift voor Genderstudies, 2015 nr. 1

Sylvia Grevel ‘Mark Rothko’s klassiek abstracte kunst doorboord. Een contemplatieve benadering van abstracte kunst’ in: Speling, 2015 nr. 2

Sylvia Grevel ‘Verzoeking, verdenking en vertrouwen. De waarheid van Marlene Dumas’ in: Speling, 2015 nr. 3

Sylvia Grevel ‘Bloeien, of niet bloeien. Dat is de vraag. Over rouw en creativiteit’ in: Speling, 2015 nr. 4

Sylvia Grevel ‘In dialoog met tragiek en vergankelijkheid. Geestelijke verzorging en het vormgeven aan een rouwdialoog middels kunst’ In: Religie & Samenleving, 2017

Sylvia Grevel 'Digitale communicatie over existentiele vragen en spiritualiteit in het kader van persoonsgerichte zorg in het ziekenhuis. Een toekomstgericht perspectief.' In: Religie & Samenleving, December 2020 Jrg 15, nr. 3

Policy- and research reports Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy, Human Resources, at the Radboudumc in Nijmegen

2015 - Methodiekontwikkeling: esthetische middelen en creatieve werkvormen in de geestelijke verzorging in ziekenhuizen

2017 - Zorg voor de zorgprofessional. De menselijke maat: persoonlijk leiderschap, grondhouding, zingeving en spiritualiteit

Research reports Radboud University Nijmegen

Sylvia Grevel Geloven in Klarendal. Diaconale activiteiten van religieuze organisaties in de Arnhems wijk Klarendal. Nijmegen, Kaski-rapport nr. 565, 2007

Sylvia Grevel Katholieke netwerken in twee steden. Een pilotonderzoek. Nijmegen, Kaski-notitie, 2007

Erik de Gier, Frank Miedema, Gerrit Vrieze en Sylvia Grevel "Onder druk wordt alles vloeibaar" Onderzoek naar activering van de granieten kern in de bijstand op de stedelijke arbeidsmarkt. Nicis Instituut, Den Haag / Nijmegen, 2008

Sylvia Grevel Pelgrimerende Parochies. Bouwstenen voor toekomstgericht beleid. Nijmegen, Kaski-rapport 576, 2008

Sylvia Grevel Ontwerp voor een digitale community voor Arnhemse studenten. Nijmegen, Kaski-notitie, 2009

Sylvia Grevel Participatie en behoeften van katholieke in de nieuwe Amsterdamse wijk IJburg. Nijmegen, Kaski-rapport 584, 2009

Sylvia Grevel en Ton Bernts Monitor beleid aartsbisdom Utrecht. Nijmegen, Kaski-rapport 586, 2009

Sylvia Grevel Diaconie en Wmo. Een beleidsvoorbereidend onderzoek voor parochie Levend Water. Nijmegen, 2010

Sylvia Grevel Zwakte als kracht. Activiteiten van religieuze organisaties in prachtwijken. Een kwalitatief onderzoek in 6 steden. Nijmegen, 2010

Sylvia Grevel, Gert de Jong Roerend Religieus Erfgoed. Een inventariserend onderzoek onder Christelijke Kerken en niet-Christelijke religies. Nijmegen, 2011

Sylvia Grevel, Exodus: een vooronderzoek naar de methodiek zingeving. Nijmegen, 2011

Sylvia Grevel, Vitaliteit van oud-katholieke parochies in IJmuiden in twee delen (kwalitatief en kwantitatief onderzoek). Nijmegen, 2012

Ton Bernts, Sylvia Grevel, Joris Kregting, De invloed van de sleutel zingeving in Exodushuizen. Nijmegen, 2012