“I don’t know what to say” is a common response when someone we care about is facing a difficult, emotional, or uncertain moment. We may worry about saying the wrong thing, or think that nothing we say could make a difference. But being present is a form of care in itself. This month’s gallery chat explores how we can show up for others in challenging times, something chaplains do every day. Chaplains offer a listening ear and a calming presence in many settings, including the military, polling places, hospitals, and other places where people encounter stress, vulnerability, or major life events. Their work often means supporting people across differences in belief and background, without judgment or harm.
Join us this November for a conversation about what chaplains do, how they respond when people face uncertainty, and what their work can teach us about caring for one another. Together, we’ll consider a simple but important question: How can we be more present for someone when we don’t know what to say?
Chaplain Stacey Tarquino oversees the Southern Arizona Jewish Community Chaplain Program and has been serving as the Jewish Community Chaplain since 2019. She is a licensed professional counselor with her own private practice, specializing in grief and loss, but works with adolescents and adults alike through all manner of life challenges.
Rev. Gretchen Steffenson is the Spiritual Care Services manager for Tucson Medical Center. She has been with TMC for two years.
TJMHC Gallery Chats are made possible due to the generous support of Daniel & Julie Langerman Kagan and the Langerman Foundation.
LOCATION:
Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center
564 S. Stone Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85701