F. Neil Folks Talks about the Challenges and Rewards Associated with Spiritual Chaplaincy and Bereavement Companioning
F. Neil Folks takes an "open and from-the-heart" approach to counseling at the Moffat County Detention Center

CRAIG, CO, September 29, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ --Former wildlife biologist F. Neil Folks is no stranger to animal behavior - or human behavior, for that matter. For 33 years of his professional career, he worked with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, where he was involved in both law enforcement and human relations. "Young people came to work [for] me in the summers [and I noticed that many of them] were carrying quite a bit of grief." Attuned to the body language associated with varied species of wildlife, Mr. Folks was able to translate his knowledge and identify more acutely with the human reaction to stress and emotional pain. "It is very interesting to [see] wild animal and human behavior working similarly," he stated during an exclusive interview with Cambridge Who's Who. "As I got to know [people] better, I [realized] that I wanted to continue my work with young people and try to help [them] through [the] problems that they were carrying."

Now retired from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Mr. Folks acts as a volunteer spiritual chaplain and bereavement companion for the Moffat County Detention Center and Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurses Association, Inc. "The function of a bereavement counselor," he stated, "is to help individual[s] move from grief into a process of mourning [utilizing a] spiritual open model." As opposed to a clinical psychiatrist, who acts as a communicative leader, Mr. Folks serves as vessel or sounding board, through which clients can express themselves. The "spiritual open model" that he refers to is a more "open [and] from-the-heart" approach to counseling. Though he focuses on working with young men in the detention center, he works with females as well, to afford them the opportunity to lead their own dialogue and express grief or upset in their own unique way.

Mr. Folks has completed nearly 600 hours of specialized certification courses in bereavement work and Somatic Archaeology, a healing program that explores familial, ancestral and spiritual lineage. Although the majority of his current efforts are directed toward the Moffat County Detention Center, Mr. Folks also works closely with Communities Overcoming Meth Abuse (COMA), through which he offers spiritual counseling services as part of a proactive approach to methamphetamine identification, education and rehabilitation. An approachable and patient listener, Mr. Folks stresses that trust is an integral part of bereavement companioning and spiritual counseling. "We all like to share our stories with somebody that we trust. Once we reach a point of trust, [we] begin opening up. In order to help [people], I need to look at the human as a whole person, not just as one part. The spiritual part [of companioning] is [observing] the deep roots of the human being," he explained.

Mr. Folks is very active in the community, not only in his outreach, but also as an evaluator of the effects of cultural events on addictive behavior. For his efforts with COMA, he was presented with various distinctions. He was also selected for inclusion in "Cambridge Publishing's 101 Industry Experts" book in 2008, and was named the registry's Professional of the Year in Spiritual Services for the 2009/2010 year. Mr. Folks is hopeful about the direction that companioning is taking, as well as the philosophy of the open spiritual model. "I've only been in this field for about four years," he explained. "It's [a] relatively new [field] and we're just now slowly getting out there [to promote] the type of companioning that I do." He credits his success to his understanding of the human condition and considers the most rewarding aspect of his career to be assisting the younger generation to manage grief or addiction, and regain quality of life. "My age has helped to develop [my] wisdom. I've always tried to live life's experience - the pain right along with the rest; the good and the joy - all of this has [done] a lot to help me to [help] young people."

In addition to a master of science in wildlife research and behavior from Utah State University, Mr. Folks holds certifications in death and loss and Somatic Archaeology, as well as a certification in releasing emotional patterns. He is the chairman of the Moffat County Council on Aging, the Rotary Club of Craig and the Moffat County Fuller Center for Housing. He is a board member of the Northwest Colorado Transition Coalition and maintains active membership with the Area Agency on Aging, the Craig Chapter of the Freemasons of Colorado, Love, Inc., Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, and the Center for Action and Contemplation.

F. Neil Folks is available for contact via email at neilfolks@wildblue.net. He encourages interested parties to learn more about Communities Overcoming Meth Abuse (COMA) by visiting http://www.craigcoma.org. For additional information about the Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association, Inc., please visit http://www.nwcovna.org.

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