Foundation

What is Clinical Pastoral Education?

Sep 11, 2020

What is clinical pastoral education? This question hangs over prospective CPE students from the moment they attempt to answer it as part of their application for admittance into any ACPE-certified program. It was the first question my educator, Dr. Jacob George, asked me during our introductory class. At first, the thought overwhelmed me. Where was I supposed to start? It seemed vague, as if the asker was holding the answer behind their back, waiting to correct me-- and yet, in Dr. Geroge’s class, no “correct” answers were forthcoming. Nudges were made, of course; there are wrong answers to the question. But in the absence of the One Right Answer™, my peers and I were drawn into the delicate process of reflection -- a process which has shaped my ministry in ways I hadn’t anticipated when writing my answer to the above question during the application process. To illustrate this, I invite you into the room of a patient I found crying in his room, shortly after entering the room. He’d said hello, welcomed me into the room, and then said the following phrase.

Summer CPE Unit Leads to Self-Healing

Aug 28, 2020

In the early days of May 2020, my career plans changed when my employer, a parochial school, informed me that they were dismissing me. The reason was that I was no longer a good fit for the school. When the president of the school gave me the notification, I was not angered by it. I was relieved by the information because I had not been happy with the teaching profession since I started two years prior. I had an intuition that there was going to be a change with my career plans but did not know when it was going to happen.

Spiritual Care Resident Reflection

Aug 20, 2020

As the end of my year-long CPE residency draws near, I reflect upon a multitude of profound experiences. I've affectionately called this CPE residency "Human School" because it is an education on the experience of being human. I've had a course load that includes such classes as Grief and Loss 101, Adapting and Adjusting, Managing Complicated Family Relationships, Emotional Responses to Physical Limitations, and, my favorite, "What Now?": Living Your Best Life from Your Recliner. I did some additional required reading. While truly informative, I would not recommend Humiliation in the Workplace , Witnessing Chronic Pain , or Loving Someone Who Can't Remember You: A Loved One's Guide to Alzheimer's. We don't always get to choose our courseload or our professors, but I have received a remarkable education this past year. In fact, I attended a portion of a time-limited seminar called Emotional Regulation in a World Pandemic. There were also some interesting guest lectures I had the chance to sit in on, like Reckoning with Your Whiteness (Geriatric Edition).

Resident Chaplain Reflection

Aug 14, 2020

My CPE experience has been life-changing, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unbeknownst to me, I never thought my CPE residency was destined to cross paths with this unprecedented pandemic. However, I feel peaceful, content and believe that my ministry has made a difference at Christus Health. With God’s help, I have been able to stay focused on my ministry and calling, not crippled by fear or panic due to this invisible enemy. CPE has surpassed my expectations in all areas of ministry, especially during this critical time.

Nurturing the Next Generation of Spiritual Care Professionals

Jul 17, 2020

Congratulations to the 2020 cohort of the ACPE Boisen Scholars! Thanks to the generous support of our donors to the Foundation for ACPE, six exceptional students were selected as part of the second cohort of Boisen Scholars. This program supports professional development opportunities for all ACPE students, including Level I and Level II, Psychotherapy Student Members, Chaplain Residents and Certified Educator Candidates. Although this year’s cohort was not able to attend the 20/20 Joint Conference due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are still exploring opportunities for the selected Boisen Scholars to receive professional development support.