The Shared Crossing Research Initiative
The Shared Crossing Research Initiative (SCRI) is a not-for-profit collaboration with Santa Barbara’s Family Therapy Institute. The mission of SCRI is to research end-of-life experiences and their therapeutic value for patients, their families, and caregivers. This work informs the development of educational and training programs for the public, healthcare professionals, and others working at end of life.
SCRI Project One: Measuring the efficacy of programs designed to improve the end-of-life experience
SCRI’s first research project began in April 2013 under the direction of William Peters in collaboration with Dr. Michael Kinsella and a team of researchers at UCSB. The aim of this study was to assess the merits of the Shared Crossing Project’s programs and methods designed to create ease around end of life and to facilitate shared crossing experiences.
This research included over 75 individuals who participated in Shared Crossing Programs and it revealed that people who followed the Shared Crossing Protocols gained a more meaningful appreciation and peaceful acceptance of death. In addition, participants also reported a wide variety of profound and healing end-of-life phenomena, including shared death experiences.
While more research is underway, this study suggested a strong a correlation between participating in Shared Crossing Programs and a variety of end-of-life or shared crossing phenomena. Drawing upon a review of the literature, the findings from SCRI’s first research project, and his clinical practice with individuals and families at end of life and in bereavement, William created the Shared Crossing Spectrum of End-of-life Experiences (SELE), a user-friendly guide to the most common, desirable, and meaningful end-of-life experiences.
Shared Crossing Testimonial Project: Phase One
In March 2018 SCRI initiated the Shared Crossing Testimonial Project (SCTP). The goal of SCTP was to initiate community building and dialog (local, national, and international, as well as both academic and general public) around shared crossing experiences and their therapeutic benefits. To achieve this goal, William Peters, Director of SCRI, invited Dr. Michael Kinsella as Chief of Research to join him in creating the first database devoted to SDEs.
The research objective was the first of its kind and collected and classified 100 shared death experiences (SDEs). SDEs were perceived by William Peters to be the most profound end-of life experiences and the least researched. SCTP collected and classified over 165 video and written narratives of SDEs from a diverse population (ethnicity, age, nationality, religious/spiritual orientation, etc.).
The SCTP is the only research project of its kind that is gathering an international library of personal accounts of profound healing experiences around death. These accounts will form the basis for an upcoming book titled, Halfway to Heaven: Inside the Shared Crossing Experience. The aspiration of this book is to apply stories of shared death experiences to transform personal and societal relations to death and dying.
Shared Crossing Testimonial Project: Phase Two – The Five-Year Plan
In January 2020, SCRI initiated SCTP: Phase Two and a Five-year Plan to continue expanding studies into the full range of shared crossing experiences as identified in SELE. Among these goals are community building and sustained dialog around shared crossing experiences and their therapeutic benefits. Our research objective is to collect and classify over 1,000 culturally diverse shared crossing experiences from people around the world.
SCTP: Phase Two strives for the following:
1) Create the first online library of shared crossings that offers an interactive platform for collecting and disseminating these experiences;
2) Substantiate the efficacy of Shared Crossing Protocols to provide information about shared crossings, their facilitation, and their ability to assist in grief reconciliation and to bolster spiritual well-being for both the dying as well as their caregivers and loved ones;
3) Facilitate a better understanding of shared crossing experiences among end-of-life workers (including health care providers, chaplains, counselors, and spiritual advisors of differing faiths), first responders, and combat veterans;
4) Publish three academic articles about shared crossings in each of the medical, mental health, and humanities disciplines.
To date, SCRI has completed two of these articles, which will be submitted to targeted top tier medical journals at the beginning of November 2020.
The Ultimate Purpose
Displays of conscious, connected, and loving end-of-life experiences serve as a prototype for others to follow. They offer a life-changing perspective by awakening people to what matters most in life. Firsthand accounts of shared crossings can initiate significant personal transformations in the lives of listeners, which SCRI aims to harness to effect positive socio-cultural transformation related to end of life.
Testimonial
“When my dear friend was dying, I was sitting vigil with two other caregivers. I was so thankful for the Shared Crossing training as it prepared me for the amazing, heart-opening experiences that occurred during and after the death of my friend."
- Arlene Radasky
SCRI Project One: Measuring the efficacy of programs designed to improve the end-of-life experience
SCRI’s first research project began in April 2013 under the direction of William Peters in collaboration with Dr. Michael Kinsella and a team of researchers at UCSB. The aim of this study was to assess the merits of the Shared Crossing Project’s programs and methods designed to create ease around end of life and to facilitate shared crossing experiences.
This research included over 75 individuals who participated in Shared Crossing Programs and it revealed that people who followed the Shared Crossing Protocols gained a more meaningful appreciation and peaceful acceptance of death. In addition, participants also reported a wide variety of profound and healing end-of-life phenomena, including shared death experiences.
While more research is underway, this study suggested a strong a correlation between participating in Shared Crossing Programs and a variety of end-of-life or shared crossing phenomena. Drawing upon a review of the literature, the findings from SCRI’s first research project, and his clinical practice with individuals and families at end of life and in bereavement, William created the Shared Crossing Spectrum of End-of-life Experiences (SELE), a user-friendly guide to the most common, desirable, and meaningful end-of-life experiences.
Shared Crossing Testimonial Project: Phase One
In March 2018 SCRI initiated the Shared Crossing Testimonial Project (SCTP). The goal of SCTP was to initiate community building and dialog (local, national, and international, as well as both academic and general public) around shared crossing experiences and their therapeutic benefits. To achieve this goal, William Peters, Director of SCRI, invited Dr. Michael Kinsella as Chief of Research to join him in creating the first database devoted to SDEs.
The research objective was the first of its kind and collected and classified 100 shared death experiences (SDEs). SDEs were perceived by William Peters to be the most profound end-of life experiences and the least researched. SCTP collected and classified over 165 video and written narratives of SDEs from a diverse population (ethnicity, age, nationality, religious/spiritual orientation, etc.).
The SCTP is the only research project of its kind that is gathering an international library of personal accounts of profound healing experiences around death. These accounts will form the basis for an upcoming book titled, Halfway to Heaven: Inside the Shared Crossing Experience. The aspiration of this book is to apply stories of shared death experiences to transform personal and societal relations to death and dying.
Shared Crossing Testimonial Project: Phase Two – The Five-Year Plan
In January 2020, SCRI initiated SCTP: Phase Two and a Five-year Plan to continue expanding studies into the full range of shared crossing experiences as identified in SELE. Among these goals are community building and sustained dialog around shared crossing experiences and their therapeutic benefits. Our research objective is to collect and classify over 1,000 culturally diverse shared crossing experiences from people around the world.
SCTP: Phase Two strives for the following:
1) Create the first online library of shared crossings that offers an interactive platform for collecting and disseminating these experiences;
2) Substantiate the efficacy of Shared Crossing Protocols to provide information about shared crossings, their facilitation, and their ability to assist in grief reconciliation and to bolster spiritual well-being for both the dying as well as their caregivers and loved ones;
3) Facilitate a better understanding of shared crossing experiences among end-of-life workers (including health care providers, chaplains, counselors, and spiritual advisors of differing faiths), first responders, and combat veterans;
4) Publish three academic articles about shared crossings in each of the medical, mental health, and humanities disciplines.
To date, SCRI has completed two of these articles, which will be submitted to targeted top tier medical journals at the beginning of November 2020.
The Ultimate Purpose
Displays of conscious, connected, and loving end-of-life experiences serve as a prototype for others to follow. They offer a life-changing perspective by awakening people to what matters most in life. Firsthand accounts of shared crossings can initiate significant personal transformations in the lives of listeners, which SCRI aims to harness to effect positive socio-cultural transformation related to end of life.
Testimonial
“When my dear friend was dying, I was sitting vigil with two other caregivers. I was so thankful for the Shared Crossing training as it prepared me for the amazing, heart-opening experiences that occurred during and after the death of my friend."
- Arlene Radasky
