Polly Toner joined DePaul University in Spring 2023 as an Adjunct Faculty member within the Masters of Occupational Therapy Program. Polly is currently working as an inpatient rehabilitation and acute care OT at Weiss Memorial Hospital in the Uptown neighborhood. Much of her 27 year OT career has been in adult inpatient rehabilitation and mental health.
In addition to being an OT, Polly received an MDiv from the University of Chicago, completed additional coursework at McCormick Theological Seminary, is ordained in the Presbyterian Church:USA and is a Board Certified Chaplain through the Association of Professional Chaplains. Her time as a healthcare chaplain has increased her experience working with those impacted by traumatic injury, burn and multiple organ transplants.
She has enjoyed opportunities to teach students at Pritzker Medical School of Medicine on topics of ethics, patient centered intervention and the impact of culture, values and religion on healthcare. Additionally, she worked with surgical residents at the University of Chicago Medicine on creating their own sustainable life balance, effective coping skills, and methods delivering difficult news.
At home, life is busy with a 2-year-oldr old little boy and her 5-year-oldar old dog who is learning to adjust to sharing! She loves the outdoors, travel, eating out, music and learning new things.
Education:
- BS in Occupational Therapy and Minor in Gerontology University of Southern California
- Masters of Divinity at University of Chicago
- Ordination Coursework, McCormick Theological Seminary
- Clinical Pastoral Education Northwestern Medicine
Additional Training:
- George Washington University Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWISH) trained to instruct others in the Interprofessional Spiritual Care Education Curriculum (ISPEC)
- Trauma Informed Professional Certification
- Puckett Institute on Family Centered Care