Explore the concept of formation in pastoral counseling from a variety of perspectives Two dozen of the most prominent clinicians and scholars in the field reflect on The Formation of Pastoral Counselors from clinical, theological and theoretical perspectives. This unique book explores the challenges to the personal and professional formation of pastoral counselors in a cultural and historic context that’s radically different from the era when the profession first emerged as a specialized ministry. Contributors examine formation from a variety of contexts and perspectives, including spirituality and gender, address theological education and intercultural issues, and present emerging models for pastoral counselors. The Formation of Pastoral Counselors is a practical guide for educators working to shape curricula and training programs to the shifting context in which pastoral counselors are formed for ministry, service, and lifelong learning. This unique book examines ideas about appropriate content and processes for the formation of pastoral care professionals and looks at specialized contextual training models that form their emerging identities. The book’s contributors call on extensive experience in pastoral theology, care, and counseling to explore the essential components of formation across different contexts; how those contextual realities change the delivery systems; the epistemological nature of formation; reasons for the limited roles that formal theological education and spiritual experience seem to play at the moment; and why formation is rarely formally addressed in pastoral counseling training. Topics discussed in The Formation of Pastoral Counselors include: the turn to formation the goals of theological education core elements of pastoral theology developing spiritual practices diversity pastoral counseling training programs race and ethnicity in the formation of pastoral counselors cultural identity intercultural contexts practical relevancy in training gender identity and sexual orientation economic disparity Models and practices examined in The Formation of Pastoral Counselors include: parallel charting clinician narratives group supervision Benedictine spirituality academic and clinical training at the Claremont School of Theology the model of formation at the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care (VIPCare) and much more The Formation of Pastoral Counselors is an essential guide for pastoral counselors, faculty in pastoral theological care and counseling, and training directors in pastoral counseling centers.

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Grounded in empirical research and richly illustrated with case studies, this introduction continues the theoretical, practical, and theological expansion of Pastoral Care and Counseling. Because of increasing cultural diversity and the fact that more training is done outside of seminaries in non-seminary related colleges and universities, there is fragmentation in the discipline. This makes a coherent orientation to pastoral care and counseling as a ministry increasingly difficult. To address this confusion, author, Loren Townsend, calls us to readdress basic understandings. He also makes the case that pastoral identity can function as a unifying concept.

This volume lays out an important new interdisciplinary approach to the relationship between theology and psychology in the work of pastoral counseling, setting forth a method emerging from a Barthian theological perspective.

Gain fresh perspectives on pastoral care and counseling from international experts! This informative book will show you how pastoral care and counseling are viewed and practiced in Africa, India, Korea, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Central America, South America, Germany, and the United Kingdom. You’ll find new perspectives on theoretical and practical aspects of pastoral care and counseling as well as fascinating case studies and unique insights on how culture affects this type of ministry. In his Preface, Dr. Howard Clinebell, Professor Emeritus of Pastoral Psychology and Counseling at the Claremont School of Theology, explains the need for this book: “In the radically new world of the 21st century, pastoral counselors of all races and ethnic backgrounds will be challenged by a growing need to provide competent help to burdened individuals, couples, families, and communities of different cultural backgrounds and worldviews than their own.” International Perspectives on Pastoral Counseling gives you an intimate view of: counseling models from the United States that are being adapted to the realities of urban Korean life pastoral care and counseling in African and multicultural contexts counseling issues arising from urban realities in Pretoria, South Africa the state of pastoral counseling and the impact of globalization and international markets on pastoral theology in Brazil care and counseling models from Holland and the United States that are being imported for use in Indonesia how the realities of life in Singapore relate to pastoral care and therapeutic conversations the needs of women and the historical development and meaning of pastoral care and counseling in the Philippines the meaning of forgiveness--from an intercultural perspective spiritual, philosophical, and other perspectives on Chinese cultures the pitfalls of individualistic models of pastoral care and counseling in poverty-stricken regions of Latin America the unique challenges of delivering care and counseling in Asian-Pacific cultures

The relationship between pastor and parishioner is the essence of pastoral counseling--a simple truth with profound implications. Dr. Richard Dayringer explores these implications in The Heart of Pastoral Counseling: Healing Through Relationship, Revised Edition to help pastoral counselors understand how to use the relationship to bring about the desired ends in the therapeutic process. Drawing on research from the disciplines of psychiatry, psychology, marriage counseling, family therapy, and pastoral counseling, this book lays the foundation for utilizing the pastoral counseling relationship to bring about positive change as it explores topics such as observation, listening, communication, handling transference, and termination of therapy. Because the interpersonal relationship is the vehicle of therapy, it is critical that pastoral counselors understand the psychological assumptions that play a large part in the characteristics of relationships as well as the factors requiring attention in order to establish a secure counseling relationship. The Heart of Pastoral Counseling will help you attain this understanding as you also improve your knowledge on: how pastoral relationships may be applied outside the therapeutic hour in general pastoral work eclectic methods for clarifying feelings, developing intellectual insight, interpreting, questioning, and assigning certain behavior employing the problem-oriented record in pastoral counseling distinguishing relationship from transference and countertransference the unique problem that counseling acquaintances presents personality traits that attract people to the minister/pastoral counselor counselor attitudes that foster relationship how a client’s view of the counselor has an impact on the effectiveness of therapy The Heart of Pastoral Counseling brings a solid base of research to pastoral counselors, seminary students, graduate students in counseling, professors of counseling, and specialists in pastoral psychotherapy so that you might better understand the nature of pastoral counseling relationships and how they are helpful and constructive in people’s lives. You will be challenged to rethink your role in initiating and carrying out therapeutic change and realize why you should build your ministry on relationships, rather than on friendships.