Clinical Pastoral Education

Presbyterian Homes & Services offers Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in faith-based senior care settings.  CPE is a combination of professional education and hands-on learning for pastoral leaders. This program is taught within a Christian ministry context and is accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education.

What you’ll learn
Through supervised encounters, CPE participants learn to minister to older adults in care settings, including assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, home care and hospice. This spiritual care extends to their families and the staff that serve them. This engagement, along with reflection on the interactions and feedback from peers and supervisors, enables you to develop new insight into yourself personally and professionally (pastoral identity). You’ll also learn how to identify and address the needs of those to whom you offer spiritual care (pastoral competence).

Using action and reflection (the clinical method of learning), you’ll begin to articulate the meaning and purpose of your experiences as a spiritual caregiver within a Christian ministry and integrate these insights into your ongoing spiritual care practice.

Program components
The CPE program at Presbyterian Homes & Services combines structured educational sessions, hands-on clinical practice at one of our communities in Iowa/Minnesota/Wisconsin and spiritual reflection. The program offers a volunteer/intern learning experience and is not remunerated. Components of the program include:

• On-location experience in pastoral ministry with older adults, families and staff at designated PHS locations, and/or with Optage Home Care and Hospice
• A cohort learning model with feedback from peers and pastoral educators, and theological reflection on specific ministry experiences
• Focus on mutual learning, self-awareness, spiritual growth and effective interpersonal and self-leadership

Program eligibility and requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited higher education institution
• Master’s level theological education (coursework or degree) preferred
• Significant ministry experience, e.g. seminary field education, parish ministry, institutional ministry
• Availability to serve as PHS spiritual care volunteer intern for the duration of CPE course

Presbyterian Homes & Services is partnering with R.C. Freedom Ministries to offer this program. The PHS program is open to all including PHS employees.

Consider participating in CPE at Presbyterian Homes & Services
If you wish to learn how to provide spiritual care to people who live and work in a senior care setting, CPE at PHS may be for you. Please indicate your interest in participating in the program by completing the form.

There are six openings for the upcoming cohort. Selected candidates will be asked to complete the formal application process through R.C. Freedom Ministries.