Students

Training

Intro to Supervised Pastoral Education (SPE)

SPE is education in which a student develops the arts and skills of pastoral 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, pastoral counselling centre or other setting where the student's ministry may be closely supervised. SPE 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.

SPE consists of 2 different streams: Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) CPE Process or Pastoral Counseling Education (PCE) PCE Process

What are the essentials of a SPE Program?

1. Pastoral ministry 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 pastoral 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 ministered to as well as the one ministering from theological, psychological, and sociological perspectives.
3. A group process in which SPE students and their supervisor share and learn together.
4. Individual supervision for each student 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.