Spiritual Care

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

What is Clinical Pastoral Education?

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is interfaith professional education for ministry which brings students into supervised encounter with persons in crisis. Out of an intense involvement with people in need, and feedback from peers and teachers, students develop awareness of themselves as persons and of the needs of those to whom they minister. Through reflection on specific human situations, they deepen their understanding of ministry. Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping people in need, they develop skills in interpersonal and professional relationships.

Clinical Pastoral Education includes:

1. Pastoral Reflection -- reflecting on one's self as a person and spiritual care giver in relationship to others in crisis, the Supervisor, and peer group members, as well as the curriculum and institutional setting
2. Pastoral Formation -- focusing on personal and pastoral identity issues in learning and ministry
3. Pastoral Competence -- deepening competence in spiritual care skills and knowledge of faith traditions, human personality, development and behavior.

The essential elements of CPE includes:

• Spiritual care with people in crisis
• Learning through action and reflection
• Individualized contract for learning
• Written reflection and evaluation
• Peers in a shared learning experience
• Individual and group supervision

What does CPE prepare a person to do?

CPE may be a component of one's preparation for ministry within a religious community, chaplaincy, lay ministry, teaching, health ministry and counseling.  Some students, after completing several units of CPE, choose to enroll in Supervisory CPE, working toward certification as a CPE Supervisor.

Finding the right CPE program for you.

There are over two hundred and fifty accredited ACPE centers, twenty of which are within the Pacific Region. For further information about regional sites, go to http://www.pacificregionacpe.org.

Methodist Hospital is accredited to offer Level I and Level II and Supervisory CPE by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE), an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

ACPE may be contacted at:
1549 Clairmont Road, Suite 103
Decatur, GA 30033-4635
404-320-1472   http://www.acpe.edu

The Methodist community is culturally and religiously diverse. Our chaplains practice cultural humility with respect to the social locations and faith traditions of their patients, even as they develop a deeper understanding of their own faith and cultural uniqueness.

Full Time CPE units are offered quarterly. Students meet Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. through 5 p.m. and have on-call duties on evenings and weekends.

Extended CPE Unit Internships  are offered in the Fall and early Spring, students may enroll for 22 week units which involve approximately 20 hours per week education and pastoral visitation. Usually these units meet on Thursdays for educational components and on the weekend days for service in the hospital.

CPE interns are not eligible for stipends, housing, or meal tickets.

Supervisory CPE is available to a limited number of qualified applicants as positions become open. Supervisory CPE entails a full time commitment over several years.  Requirements for admission into Supervisory CPE include sufficient ministry experience to demonstrate pastoral competence, the successful completion of Level II outcomes (usually four or more units of CPE), and membership in the ACPE. Supervisory students are eligible for yearly stipends plus health benefits.

Admission to CPE

Our center is committed to giving fair and thorough consideration to all qualified applicants and to enhancing the educational experience by selecting students with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.  We select students who are seminarians, clergy and lay persons according to aptitude for learning, capacity for self-reflection and potential for ministry without regard to age, gender, race, national origin, disability, religious affiliation or sexual orientation. Successful applicants generally have completed at least one year of graduate theological education or specialized training in their particular faith traditions.

Clinical Pastoral Education Schedule 2012

Apply Early!

For further information and application materials contact the Spiritual Care Department at 626-574-3433 or Brenda.Simonds@methodisthospital.org Application fee: $25 

Clinical Pastoral Education Faculty

The Rev. Brenda Simonds
Director of Spiritual Care
ACPE Supervisor

The Rev. Cheri Coleman
Pastoral Education Supervisor
ACPE Associate Supervisory

The Rev. Dr. Fred Smoot
Manager of Pastoral Education
ACPE Supervisor

The Rev. Brian Bailey
ACPE Supervisory Student

Mailing Address
Methodist Hospital
Spiritual Care Department
300 West Huntington Drive
Arcadia, CA 91007

For further information and applications, please see our Web site or contact us at spiritualcare@methodisthospital.org