Bearing Witness: A Public Defender's Call to Spiritual Care

This paper explores integrating spiritual care practices within public defense, redefining the boundaries of spiritual care beyond traditional religious settings. Drawing on my experience as a public defender and training in spiritual care, I argue that these practices are crucial for public defenders to uphold the dignity of their clients and resist the dehumanization that happens to people who go through the criminal legal system. The paper unfolds in three parts: a narrative account of my work, an analysis of "story companionship" as resistance to state violence, and a call for recognizing public defense as a viable site for spiritual care. Public defenders can promote healing and liberation for clients facing a dehumanizing system by providing empathetic listening, presence, and narrative advocacy. This reimagined approach to spiritual care recognizes the profound impact of systemic injustice on the human spirit and advocates for a more holistic and compassionate approach to justice.