Page 58 - CPE E-BOOK ROUGH COPY

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM COMPONENTS

ESSENTIALS OF CPE

WHAT IS CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION?
CPE is education in which a resident develops the arts and skills of spiritual care work together
with a small group of colleagues while being guided by a qualified supervisor. This education
may be conducted in a health or correctional institution, parish, spiritual care counselling centre
or other setting where the resident's ministry may be closely supervised. CPE is normally in an
inter-disciplinary context where the insights of other professions promote creative dialogue and
where co-operation is encouraged with other workers and agencies serving the community.

WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIALS OF AN CPE PROGRAM?
1. Spiritual Care with others who may or may not be in a crisis situation. The frequency and
intensity of visits depends on factors unique to each situation.

2. Reflective consideration of spiritual care encounters facilitated by reports (written or
taped), role playing, seminars, and discussion with peers and a supervisor. This reflective
process considers the dynamics of the one being receiving spiritual care as well as the one
providing spiritual care from theological, psychological, and sociological perspectives.

3. A group process in which CPE residents and their supervisor share and learn together.

4. Individual supervision for each resident with their supervisor.

5. An opportunity to acquire relevant theoretical information through an educational process
including directed reading. Clinical seminars are integrated with the education.

CPE assumes that the resident has a base of knowledge, and experience from which to draw.
Each resident is encouraged and supported to take responsibility for his/her own learning goals
and objectives. The supervisor assists the resident in recognizing, developing, and enhancing
their unique and individual gifts and skills in ministry.

BASIC ASSUMPTIONS OF THE CPE PROGRAM
1. CPE assumes that we learn spiritual care best by doing it; therefore, participants both give
and receive spiritual care.
2. Reflection augmented by theory intensifies and accelerates learning so the program will
include academic content, information, and data as well as the experience of spiritual
care.
3. CPE affirms the principles of adult education including:

BASIC ASSUMPTIONS OF PARTICIPANTS
1. Participants bring rich and varied experiences and gifts to the program and each other.
2. Each person is committed to his/her own development as a person and her/his skills in
spiritual care.

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