Pamela Loughton
Adjunct Faculty
I received my MA in Theology (Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy) and my Master of Divinity degree from Waterloo Lutheran Seminary at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2016. I am enrolled in doctoral studies in Martin Luther University College's PhD in Human Relationships program, field of Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy.
Prior to arriving at Luther, I completed a certificate in Thanatology (study of death and needs associated with dying) at Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, and the Advanced Hospice Palliative Care Education (AHPCE)/SWO Hospice Palliative Care Education.
Since 2011, I have been an active member of the Family Services Perth-Huron hospice program where I have journeyed with many of the dying and their families at end of life, and am a volunteer on-call spiritual care provider with Grand River Hospital’s spiritual care department.
I am an active member of the interfaith community at Martin Luther University College (formerly Waterloo Lutheran Seminary). I am affiliated with the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC), Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) and the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA). I am a member of the Waterloo-Wellington LHIN’s spiritual care working group, and the communications officer for the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care’s Southwest Ontario Region executive committee.
The main focus of my dissertation research will be directed towards the lived experience of informal caregivers (those friends and family members who serve as caregivers who make it possible for the dying to die at home) who have journeyed with the dying at home.
In 2017, I participated as a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) intern psychotherapist for the study "Investigating Therapies for Freezing of Gait Targeting the Cognitive, Limbic, and Sensorimotor Domains.” Authors: Rebecca Chow; Daniel Rzondzinski, MSW, RP; Quincy Almeida, PhD, Wilfrid Laurier University.
In 2015-2016, I participated as a research assistant for “Canine Companions: The Effect of Interacting with Dogs on Stress Levels and Mood in Undergraduate Students,” Kristine Lund, PhD; and Kate Harper, PhD, Martin Luther University College (formerly Waterloo Lutheran Seminary).
Research / Areas of Expertise
- Death and dying in the community (at home).
- Loss, grief, mourning and bereavement.
- Spiritual care and psychotherapy at end of life.
- Faculty Award, for top academic excellence in the MDiv program (2016).
- Rev. J. Houser Award, homiletics (2016).
- Ragnur Teigen Award, Hebrew Scriptures (2016).
- Loughton, Pamela A. (2015) "Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul," Consensus: Vol. 36: Iss. 2, Article 13.