Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
OVERVIEW
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is interfaith and interdisciplinary professional training for chaplaincy, integrating both spirituality and psychology.
In CPE, chaplains, theological students, laypersons, ordained clergy, medical staff, mental health professionals and members of religious communities learn critical clinical pastoral skills and essential relationship “tools” to expertly minister to people. Through practical clinical experience, written case studies, individual supervision and relevant reading and seminar participation, students are encouraged to develop competent and caring pastoral relationships and skills.
In this program, CPE credit will be accepted for national professional Chaplain and/or Pastoral Psychotherapist/Spiritual Counselor certification through the World Spiritual Health Organization (WSHO).
National/International Accreditation is provided through the World Spiritual Health Organization (WSHO).
9 REASONS TO PURSUE CPE WITH WSHO
- Master critical healing skills
- Deepen self-awareness
- Expand interpersonal skills
- Heighten self-understanding and reduce personal ‘blind spots’
- Mend past spiritual, emotional and relational blockages
- Enhance professional and personal growth
- Upgrade spiritual care and counseling skills
- Learn how to effectively integrate the spiritual and theological with psychology and behavioral sciences
- Gain empowerment to make a healing difference in the life of others
BENEFITS OF CPE FROM WSHO
- Eligibility for National Board Certification as a professional Chaplain and/or Pastoral Psychotherapist/Spiritual Counselor
- Gain higher levels of effective ministry competence and credentials
- Upgrade earning potential and professional marketability as a spiritual care provider
- Heightened respect and credibility among peers and employers
- Receive individualized clinical supervision and mentoring
- Learn and participate in an intense, dynamic and diverse peer group
- Enliven spirituality through interfaith Chaplaincy Service to patients and staff
- Broaden ministry experience and skills by learning and ministering in a complex institutional or organizational environment i.e. hospital, prison, military, etc.
- Flexible scheduling to obtain requisite clinical hours i.e. patient visitation hours
- Access to post-CPE local peer group consultation, fellowship and networking among local chaplains
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Duration: 12-15 months, consisting of four-12 week quarters: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
Class Size: Limited to 6-10 participants per group per quarter
Formats: In-person and virtual (online) session options
Cost: Tuition varies by location. For more information contact: wshomembership@gmail.com
CLINICAL HOURS COMMITMENT
A total of 400 supervised clinical hours per quarter, of which the majority of hours per week are flexibly devoted to patient visitation. Upon approval, participants may also mix and match clinical hours from other ministry sources outside of the hospital setting (i.e. hospice, military, parish, law enforcement, etc.) to meet the clinical hours requirement per quarter.
A successful and popular feature of WSHO's CPE program is our flexibility to customize the required CPE clinical/ministry hours to the trainees schedule.
PLACEMENT OPPORTUNTIES
Church/Parish/Synagogue, Hospital Ministries, Hospice Ministries, Prison and Jail Ministries, Rescue Mission Ministries, Elder Care Ministries, University Ministries, Military Ministries, Law Enforcement Ministries.
Active, Reserves/Guard, Retired & Former Military Chaplains
The Navy Seals of Professional Chaplaincy
CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY, RESERVE & GUARD MILITARY CHAPLAINS
For military chaplains currently serving in any of the three components of Active Duty, Reserves and Guard, you can apply for CPE equivalency credit when entering one of our in-person or online CPE training programs. From our own military experience, after completing CPE and then advancing to a fully accredited national board certification credential through WSHO, military chaplains will not only benefit from having a higher level of acumen and ability, but possessing such credentials can (and should) be cited in your officer fitness evaluations as a consideration for promotion.
RETIRED & FORMER MILITARY CHAPLAINS
We know what it is like to have spent years in military chaplaincy only to discover that our military experience does not automatically transfer to civilian chaplaincy. The reality is, the majority of chaplains exiting military service who want to continue their career as a professional chaplain soon discover they are ‘behind the curve’ when it comes to civilian chaplain jobs.
Why? In order to successful compete for civilian chaplain jobs, employers often expect the candidate to have completed at least four to five quarters of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), and an increasing number expect a national board certification credential.
Having successfully navigated this process and made the transition ourselves, WSHO is strategically positioned to help bridge the transition from military to civilian chaplaincy.
Among the few nationally accredited chaplain organizations in the USA, WSHO is unique because its founder is a 30-year retired senior military chaplain, who keenly understands and appreciates the military chaplain experience.
In honor of military chaplain contributions to our country and servicemen (and their families), WSHO is proud to grant the following special dispensation to current and former military chaplains: equivalency credit for (1) quarter of CPE upon acceptance into a WSHO CPE program. After successfully completing the remaining quarters of CPE with WSHO, you will then be eligible to apply for official national credentialing through WSHO as a Board Certified Professional Clinical Chaplain (BCC). Having completed CPE and received a board certification credential, you will be able to compete for jobs against any other chaplain in America!