In this episode, Dana Daugherty invites her guest Tyler Brewington-Mathis to explore how she supports grieving families during hospitalizations, specifically at the intersection of grief and unexpected hospitalization during pregnancy. These experiences are not often talked about, especially loss around the expected birth experience. Tyler Brewington-Mathis is a chaplain who supports parents and their support systems as they navigate the NICU. We discuss how she walks alongside people through moments of grief and crisis, inspired by Henri Nouwen’s focus on being with someone instead of fixing the problem for them. We also discuss the ways Tyler helps people make meaning and heal as she regularly sits with and advocates for families alongside their healthcare teams, providing emotional and interfaith care. She thrives in this ministry of presence and values being present for each person who enters the hospital.
Tyler Brewington-Mathis is an ordained American Baptist minister and a board-certified chaplain with a speciality in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Perinatal Health. Tyler holds a master’s in public health from UC Berkeley and a master’s in divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. Currently, she is pursuing her doctorate in ministry in Chaplaincy at the Candler School of Theology. Outside of her academic experiences, Tyler is a second-year Made for PAX Fellow in the Contemplative Activism and Spiritual Formation cohort. Tyler was the recipient of the 2023 Frederick Buechner Award for Excellence in Academic Writing, and her writings have been featured in Fuller Magazine, Abbey of the Arts, and Cosmic Christ. She is the author of I Cried Oceans: A Journey of Faith, Hope, and Resilience. Outside of her academic and professional work, Tyler loves walking labyrinths, reading for pleasure, practicing Pilates, writing, hosting dinner parties, and spending time with her beloved community. Tyler lives in her hometown of Los Angeles, California with her husband and their toddler son.
You can connect with Tyler via email at revdrtyler@gmail.com and view her article featured in Fuller Magazine here.