Introduction:
This clinical training program offers participants an opportunity to acquire knowledge, develop skills, and embrace attitudes required for the professional practice of chaplaincy, spiritual consultation, pastoral psychotherapy, and family counseling. It uses a dynamic curriculum that integrates the knowledge of theology, medicine, sociology, anthropology, and psychology.
Vision:
The ultimate goal is to equip participants with the competencies required to integrate the spiritual dimension with psychological, social, and cultural aspects of people so that they can offer specialized pastoral care with commitment to professional excellence.
Mission:
To assist participants in affirming their specialized ministerial vocation (pastoral care, chaplaincy, spiritual consultation, pastoral psychotherapy, and clinical supervision) by preparing them to teach, heal, proclaim, guide, reconcile, defend, and care for others while assisting them in living fully and achieving holistic wellness.
OBJECTIVES:
- To inspire participants to be fit with general health and psychological wellness by incorporating wise self-care measures.
- To expose participants to the different areas of specialized clinical training including (a) theological reflection, (b) spiritual and psychosocial assessment, (c) holistic intervention in pastoral psychotherapy, (d) human development across the life course, (e) crisis and psychological trauma management, (f) cultural and religious diversity, (g) preventive and palliative health, (h) psychological health and diseases of the soul, (i) couple and family counseling, and (j) axiology and ethics of pastoral care.
- To follow a study plan divided into four units or semesters incorporating the andragogical model, multisensory learning, interactive didactic strategies, and reflective practice.
- To encourage participants to use pastoral clinical supervision to reflect on encounters with the leading textbook, namely, the human being with their joys, sorrows, and uncertainties. Supervised reflection and introspection can assist participants in developing attitudes such as humility, openness to new experiences, peaceful coexistence, and respect for human rights.
Reflective Theoretical Content
Unit I
SPC 5310 Intercultural Human Communication
SPC5311 Crisis Intervention, Psychological Trauma, and Grief Facilitation
SPC5313 Pastoral Counseling Through the Lifespan
Unit II
SPC 5314 Principles of Health and Psychological Well Being
SPC 5316 Theories and Strategies of Pastoral Psychotherapy
SPC 5317 Systematic Reflections on Theology
Unit III
SPC 5318 Theology of Pastoral Care and Counseling
SPC 5319 Ethics of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Psychotherapy
SPC 5320 Psychopathology and Diseases of the Soul
Unit IV
SPC 5322 Theories and Strategies of Family Counseling
SPC 5324 Couples Counseling and Sex Therapy
SPC 5325 Religious Diversity, Spiritual Assessment and Interculturalism
Practical Clinical Content
The Practical component, following the model of professional training called action-reflection or experiential learning, uses clinical dialogues in individual and group clinical supervision as a strategy for personal and professional growth. In this sense, the parishioner, patient, or client is considered a living human document whom one “reads” but who simultaneously “reads” us. Hence, the transformation process is intended to occur in both directions. The clinical dialogues in clinical pastoral supervision have as their ethical framework the dignity and human right of each participant and recipient of pastoral care.
Of the four hundred (400) hours of supervised clinical practice required per unit or semester, 120 must be in direct pastoral care or counseling services with clients, patients, parishioners, or consultants. In addition, they must complete 48 hours of group clinical supervision and 15 hours of individual clinical supervision. These clinical hours may occur in various settings, such as churches, community welfare agencies, hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, prisons, educational institutions, sports teams, businesses, military systems, government offices, and police forces. Practice sites can be the participants’ places of service.
In these contexts, participants could live and experience a myriad of positive and not-so-delightful experiences. Reflecting on these experiences that occur in clinical, individual, or group supervision constitutes the ideal medium for the integral development of the professional. Being a safe place, the group process with peers and supervisors lends itself to transparency and, simultaneously, offers a space where new interaction strategies can be tested, professional limitations recognized, and strengths celebrated.
About the Center
The Ecumenical Center for Education, Counseling, and Health was founded in 1967 by a Christian bishop and a Jewish rabbi to offer clinical pastoral training programs, psychotherapy services, and professional consulting from an interfaith and holistic perspective where the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual capacities of individuals are considered. The College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy was founded in 1990 by a group of Christian theologians to train clinical chaplains, pastoral psychotherapists, and clinical supervisors through theological reflection together with experienced supervisors who see the human being in the tradition of Rev. Anton Boisen (1876-1965) as living documents.
The program is directed by Esteban Montilla, Ph.D., and ordained pastor, clinical supervisor, and psychotherapist committed to contextualizing and decolonizing pastoral ministry. This specialization is offered in-person, hybrid in-person-online, and fully online via Skype. It is delivered face-to-face in San Antonio, Texas, Laredo, Texas, and Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and online in the U. S., Mexico, Spain, Central, and South America.
For more information, you may contact the following people:
Online: Rev. Patricia Berron, Ph.D.,
Email: berron.counselor@gmail.com or (956)648-2227
Laredo, TX: Rev. Perla Salce
Email: perlalsalce@gmail.com or (956)949-0381
McAllen, TX: Rev. Josefina Rios, Th.M.
Email: jdeleonrios@yahoo.com or (956)769-2068
San Antonio, TX: Esteban Montilla
Email: emontilla@ecrh.org (210)616.0885
Jasper, TX: Rev. Molly Siau, Th.M.
Email: mollyhughessiau@gmail.com or (361)779-1229
CPSPCPE ApplicationForm – If interested in participating please complete the form and email it to Lcenanovic@ecrh.org
