Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
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at Alegent Health in Omaha, Nebraska
The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. describes Clinical Pastoral Education in this way:
"Clinical Pastoral Education is interfaith, professional education for ministry.
It brings theological students, qualified laypersons, and ministers of all faiths
(pastors, priests, rabbis, imams and others) into supervised encounter with
persons in crisis. Out of an intense involvement with persons in need, and the
feedback from peers and teachers, CPE participants develop new awareness of
themselves as persons and of the needs of those to whom they minister. From
theological reflection on specific human situations, they gain a new understanding
of ministry. Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping persons, they
develop skills in interpersonal and inter-professional relationships."
CPE supports Alegent Health’s mission, “faithful to the healing ministry of
Jesus Christ, . . .to provide high quality care for the body, mind and spirit
of every person.” The CPE program began at Immanuel Medical Center in 1965 and
remains today an important component of the faith-based ministry of Alegent
Health. The program is highly regarded and appreciated by the many healthcare
professionals across the region that experience the dedicated pastoral service
provided by the program’s graduates. The program contributes to the Alegent
Health pledge to “be creative, visionary leaders committed to holistic healthcare
in the region.”
Preparation of Pastoral care leaders is part of Alegent Health’s ongoing ministry.
Participants enrolled in the program contribute to the persons they serve by
their pastoral care in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and other
services within Alegent Health. In addition, CPE participants’ work in the local
community supports and furthers Alegent Health’s commitment to improving the
health of the communities in which they serve. Preparation of CPE Supervisors
contributes to the future development of Clinical Pastoral Education. Alegent
Health provides administrative and financial support for the CPE program out
of the belief that the persons enrolled in CPE will take with them a commitment
to care for the whole person, including the spiritual and pastoral dimensions.
Program
dates
Who are our Alumni?
More than 500 persons in 37 states and Germany, many of them pastors
of churches, professional chaplains, CPE supervisors.
84% of the current staff chaplains at Alegent Health
Recent program celebrations include:
- Continued CPE program accreditation through 2017 with no notations
- Jan Peterson (CPE 2005) ordained in ELCA
- Dino Sinos (Residency 2006-07) ordained priest in Greek Orthodox tradition
- Stephen Toller (Residency 2002-03) ordained in Church of Christ
- Linda Schlafer (CPE 2005-06) achieved Board-certification as chaplain
- Kit Billings (Residency 2006-07) named Chaplain at Bergan Mercy and Alegent Health Hospice
- Sally Carlson (CPE 2000-2004) named Interim Operations Director, Pastoral Care at Alegent Health
- Dorothy Lawson (CPE 2006-07) named Chaplain at Bergan Mercy
What do Alumni Say about CPE?
Here are the voices of experts, people who have taken at least one unit of
CPE in the program at Alegent Health:
“I now see myself as having a strong, compassionate and confident pastoral
authority among colleagues as well as with clients and family members. It seems
I am better able to ‘think on my feet’.”
“CPE has given me an ability to be aware of me, to help me consciously choose
how to respond to what is going on. I feel that I am living more awake, especially
when I see people reacting and having no clue what is going on inside of them.”
“CPE was an amazing experience. I think it should be required of anyone considering
ministry.”
“I use my CPE training almost daily.”
“CPE helped me to become focused in my ministry. CPE helped me realize that
my personal growth (emotionally, physically, and spiritually) is also important.”
Main Outcomes of CPE
What do our CPE program alumni say? Our CPE alumni, out of the program
one, three, and five years, identify the following as most important for them
(11 of 20 items are listed here in rank order for the three groups surveyed)
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Rank order 5-years out
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Rank order 3-years out
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Rank order
1-year out
|
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Component in developing pastoral identity
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1
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3
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3
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|
Preparation for hospital/institution visitation in ministry
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2
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1
|
2
|
|
Impacted personal spiritual journey
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3
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4
|
6
|
|
Better understanding of ethical issues in health care
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3
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15
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5
|
|
Helpful in appreciating value of peer group learning
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5
|
11
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13
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|
Enhanced ability to reflect theologically about death, loss
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6
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2
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8
|
|
Appreciate value of ongoing consultation/ supervision in ministry
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9
|
12
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4
|
|
Helpful in developing basic listening/counseling skills
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10
|
10
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1
|
|
Process to identify personal strengths
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14
|
8
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14
|
|
Process to identify personal limitations
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15
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14
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15
|
|
Important step in pursuing career goals
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17
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5
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10
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What do persons who send participants to CPE say? In a May 2007 survey,
field education supervisors and others involved in the formation of priests,
pastors and other church workers identified the following as the most important
outcomes of CPE:
| |
Rank order
|
|
Ability to identify personal limitations
|
1
|
|
Ability to identify personal strengths
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2
|
|
Development of basic listening and counseling skills
|
2
|
|
Development of hospital/institutional visitation skills
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2
|
|
Development of Pastoral identity
|
5
|
|
Development of crisis intervention skills
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5
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Would you recommend CPE to a potential ministry candidate? Overwhelmingly, alumni answer yes: 87.5% of those five years out; 94.1% of those three years out; and 92.7%
of those one year out of CPE.
To get more information, please look at our Frequently
Asked Questions page or contact:
Rev.Dr. Inba Joshua Inbarasu. D.Min. BCC
CPE Supervisor & OD, Ministry Development
The McAuley Center
12809 West Dodge Road
Omaha NE 68154
phone: 402-343-4613
fax: 402-343-4621
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