What is CPE?
Clinical Pastoral Education
What is Clinical Pastoral Education?
Clinical Pastoral Education is interfaith professional education for spiritual care. It brings graduate students and practitioners of spiritual care (pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, crisis workers, death doulas, and others) into supervised encounters with persons in crisis. Out of an intense involvement with persons in need, and the feedback from peers and teachers, students develop new awareness of themselves as persons and of the needs of those to whom they provide care. Through theological/philosophical reflection on specific human situations, they gain a new understanding of spiritual care. Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping persons, they develop skills in interpersonal and inter-professional relationships.
The CPE Experience at Emanuel Medical Center
Our programs are based on the ACPE standards that focus on the areas of spiritual formation and integration, awareness of self and others, relational dynamics, spiritual care interventions, and professional development.
Within each program you will:
- Engage in spiritual care visits, peer group seminars, verbatim case conferences, patient care conferences, and interdisciplinary team meetings
- Examine attitudes and values as well as cultural, theological, and philosophical assumptions about life and spiritual care
- Explore professional and personal identity while receiving individual and group supervision from a CPE Certified Educator and/or a Certified Educator Candidate.
For additional information about CPE, please visit the ACPE's FAQ webpage.
