The training program in pastoral psychotherapy has been an integral part of the Samaritan Center since 1988.  It is the only training program in Michigan approved by the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC).

The three-year internship prepares persons for the specialized ministry of pastoral counseling. The core curriculum consists of both graduate-level theoretical study and supervised clinical practice.  Long-term intensive psychotherapy and brief supportive pastoral care are stressed.  Second and third year interns receive training in marriage and family therapy.

The Center is affiliated with several seminaries offering the Doctor of Ministry degree in Pastoral Counseling.  The elements of training are designed to meet the academic requirements of those institutions and the curriculum structured to enable graduates of these seminaries to meet the requirements of Licensed Professional Counselors.  The program also meets the requirements for “Member Associate” of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. 

Another training category is that of an Extern, who enrolls in the three-year program but does not rely on the Center for referrals.  The status of Special Student is granted to persons from cooperating academic institutions who may wish to take courses and/or engage in supervision as part of their professional or continuing education.

Concepts of “Training”

Becoming a pastoral counselor and psychotherapist is a rigorous process of formation.  As with preparation for generalized ministry, training consists of the intellectual, emotional and spiritual development of the pastoral counselor.  The acquisition and application of therapeutic skills require an ability to become empathically attuned to the client, and to gain insight into oneself as a therapist.  The training program has Four Foci:

Therapist:  The major tool for a therapist is the therapist.  Crucial to doing therapy is the ability to listen with a “third ear” to the subjective experience of the client, and to discern the nature of the intersubjective process between client and therapist.

Theory:   The concentration of learning is in the practice of psychodynamically-oriented   psychotherapy, as well as the understanding of other approaches.

Therapy:  Trainees are supervised in the use of skills and techniques commensurate with the primary theoretical orientation.

Theology:  Religious beliefs and values inform a therapist’s view of personhood and relationship, of mental health and psychopathology.  Integral to the training of pastoral counselors is the articulation and critique of the religious faith, spirituality, and theological convictions that shape the counselor’s ministry.

The Program:

The internship at The Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeastern Michigan is an intensive program.  It involves the exposure to and integration of course work, clinical application, one’s spirituality and beliefs as well as one’s personal therapeutic experience.

During training, an intern spends at least 375 contact hours engaged in individual and marriage and family therapy with clients, receiving up to 200 hours of supervision.  Supervision is offered in both individual and group settings.  Trainees participate in a weekly clinical staff conference.  The combination of on-site didactic courses, supervision, administrative meetings, and case conferences consists of about 8 hours per week.  Client contact hours and study require an additional time commitment.

Admission Requirements

1. Graduation from an accredited theological seminary with a Master of Divinity or its equivalent.

2. Ordination to the ministry or endorsement by a recognized denomination or faith community.

3. Completion of at least one basic unit of clinical pastoral education with ACPE.

4. Sufficient parish work or life experience to indicate emotional maturity necessary for training in pastoral psychotherapy.

5. Completion of an applicant’s own personal therapy, either prior to admittance or during training.  In the interview process the admissions committee may advise the best course to be taken.

6. Program fees for instruction & supervision are $3,200/per year, plus a $60 application fee.

7. Applications will be due by May 21, 2008.

Course Descriptions:

The courses are listed according to the year taught.  For instance, first year interns take introductory courses in Psychopathology, Beginning Therapy & Assessment, and Professional Formation.  Second and third year interns undertake more concentrated work in Individual, System, and Group Therapy.  Some courses involve all interns.  By the completion the third year, an intern will have taken all courses.

Classes are taught on Thursdays (1:00 – 5:00).

FIRST YEAR  (Introductory Courses for the First Year Interns)

BEGINNING THERAPY AND ASSESSMENT

In the initial phase of therapy, it is necessary for the therapist to make an assessment of the nature and causes of the client’s problem in order to determine the treatment of choice.  This course will introduce participants to the elements of an assessment process using a structured approach and provide a theoretical framework and practical guidelines for beginning therapy.  It will include a focus on such issues as first session preparations, the nature and purpose of assessment, its relation to the larger context of psychotherapy, “history-taking” and the relation of the psychosocial history to the client’s presenting complaint, developing a treatment plan, and principles of technique in initiating therapy.

PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

This course will provide an overview of major categories of psychiatric diagnosis in the DSM IV.  The interplay between nosologic and dynamic diagnoses will be explored.  Students will begin to develop tentative diagnoses from assessment data.  (Note:  For purposes of differentiation, the course on BEGINNING THERAPY & ASSESSMENT will focus on techniques of data collecting; the course on PSYCHOPATHOLOGY will focus on the organization of the data once collected.)

PROFESSIONAL FORMATION AND ETHICS

In the intimate and personal encounter between therapist and client, the therapist’s understanding of the encounter is grasped through the monitoring of his/her subjective experience of the exchange.  This seminar/workshop will guide the therapist through a process of self-exploration in order to deepen awareness of the ways in which their understanding of the therapeutic relationship and client issues are influenced by their own personal journey.  The therapist will learn how to use himself/herself as an instrument of understanding in the therapeutic relationship, as well as how to protect the client from the therapist’s personal issues.  Special focus will be given to ethical issues, enabling the therapist to acquire a working knowledge of ethical principles and the ways in which their application influences the therapeutic encounter.

SECOND AND THIRD YEAR COURSES  (Courses Concentrating on Individual, Marriage and Family, and Group Therapy) 

ONGOING ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGY IN INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY I & II

Assessment is an ongoing process throughout therapy, of which the initial assessment and staffing are only a formal, structured part.  With every session, indeed with each exchange between the client and therapist, new data is obtained which modifies and perfects one’s initial clinical impressions, particularly the dynamic, operational “style” of the client, and the impact of the therapist’s interventions on those dynamics. 

The purpose of this seminar is to assist advanced student-participants in perfecting their initial clinical impressions of a client by the use of emergent material, which develops out of the dynamic interaction to the therapist/client relationship.  Attention will be focused on developing more precise estimations of therapeutic capacity and prognosis; the implications of particular personality styles/psychopathology for the work of therapy—both mid-term to long-term therapy as well as briefer, supportive modes; developing a more functional dynamic formulation of one’s work with particular clients including the integration of presenting complaint with historical, developmental material including the clients defensive operation; and counter-transference and its impact on the therapeutic interaction.

TERMINATION:  THE PROCESS OF TERMINATION

Termination is the goal toward which all psychotherapy moves.  As such, it is a crucial phase of the therapeutic enterprise.  In its processes, the themes and conflicts which have dominated the attention and energies of both client and therapist receive their final reworking and, frequently, their ultimate resolution.  Moreover, some theorists contend that the termination phase of therapy has its own themes to be addressed.

Much has been written about the opening phases of therapy; and one can find considerable material in the literature on the middle phases of therapy, particularly concerning major personality styles and psychiatric constellations.  But comparatively speaking, given its importance in the larger context of psychotherapy, relatively little focus has been given to the process of termination.

This seminar will explore those termination processes.  The primary focus of the seminar will be the relation of termination to the larger context of therapeutic work.  In addition, some attention will focus on topics such as criteria for termination and referral, the relation of treatment goals and “life” goals, theological issues in termination, and other special problems (e.g., parting gifts from clients, and post-therapy contact between client and therapist).

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY I & II

This course is an introduction to the major theories of couple therapy and of family therapy.  While each arises from an understanding of systems theory, the course looks at the major theories separately.  An introduction to systems theory is provided at the beginning.  Along the way special issues of each modality will be highlighted.

GROUP THERAPY: THEORY AND PRACTICE

The purpose of this class is to acquaint students with another modality of psychotherapy: working with groups.  We explore pragmatic issues involved in beginning a group practice, the dynamics of groups in the beginning and advanced phases of psychotherapy, a theory of change unique to group psychotherapy, techniques of doing therapy, leading specialized groups, group psychotherapy outcome research, and issues of transference and training.  Attention will be given to the modality of group therapy as a unique form of pastoral counseling, with its emphasis on change rooted in community healing and perceiving oneself as able to give to others as well as to receive care.

ALL STUDENT COURSES

NORMALITY:  THEORIES OF PERSONALITY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY I

Given the complexity of human beings, no single theory can adequately describe all the dimensions of the human personality.  Rather, only a “collage” of perspectives can even approach an adequate description of what it means to be human.  This seminar, offered over two quarters, will explore the major theorists of personality and their contributions to a comprehensive understanding of human personhood.

In the first term, using the concept of “normality” as a theme, we will explore the theories of major pioneers in the modern development of psychology, endeavoring to establish something of a ‘baseline’ of mental health in order to have a backdrop for future deliberations regarding such things as psychopathology, the nature of psychotherapeutic treatment, and criteria for determining the appropriateness of termination.  Among the theorists and theories explored will be:  Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, Eric Fromm, Karen Horney, Harry Stack Sullivan, Carl Rogers, Gordon Allport, B.F.Skinner, and Stimulus-Response Theory.

NORMALITY:  THEORIES OF PERSONALITY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY II

This seminar is the second part of a two-term course on theories of personality and therapy.  In this term, the focus will be on the threads of development within the psychoanalytic school of psychology.  Taking “object relations” and the “development of the concept of ego” as themes, we will explore the sub-schools of Ego Psychology, Object Relations Theory, and Self Psychology. Among the theorists featured will be:  Melanie Klein, D.W. Winnicott, Heinz Hartmenn, Margaret Mahler, Edith Jacobson, Heinz Kohut, Otto Kernberg, Joseph Sandler, Harry Guntrip, and David Beres.  It is expected that participants will begin to pull together their own conceptual and operational theory of personality, and begin to articulate the implications of such a theory for a theory of psychotherapy.

DEVELOPMENTAL COUNSELING 

Major theories of human growth and development across the life span will be covered.  Developmental theories of childhood and adolescence, including Erickson, Piaget, Mahler, Kohlberg, and Fowler will focus on physical, social, psychological, cognitive and spiritual development.  Theories of adult development, including Chickering, Havinghurst, Erickson, Gilligan and Jung will focus on career, family, intimacy and spiritual growth.  Special emphasis will be given to implications for counseling children, adolescents, and adults at each developmental stage.

 

PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING

The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of psychological testing used for assessment purposes in counseling.  Course content includes the basic statistical methods for evaluating tests for use with clients.  Two or three specific tests will be reviewed in depth in each of the following areas: intelligence, aptitude/achievement, neurology, personality, career, marital and projective testing.  Students will develop skills for selecting and administering some tests and recommending referrals for the administration of other tests.

SPIRITUALITY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY

Clients often seek counseling/psychotherapy at a pastoral counseling center because they want or expect that the resources of their faith might have some positive effect on their emotional and relational problems.  Their “self” and relational alienation, however, is often matched by their sense of disconnectedness from those very religious resources which they hope might be helpful if they could again learn how to access them.  This seminar considers the role and impact of religious beliefs and spirituality on issues arising within the therapeutic process.  The therapist will learn current approaches and models of spiritual assessment and develop an understanding of the implications of his/her own personal religious beliefs and spirituality on the therapeutic process.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

This course will review current theories of career development and consultation.  It will include a survey of occupational and educational resources for career decision-making and career counseling.  Career development programs will also be studied from planning through implementation and evaluation stages.  Process consultation methods will be highlighted for use with individuals, groups, and organizations.

CONSULTATION

This course will provide an overview of consultation.  Consultation will be defined along with the roles of the consultant and ethics.  A generic model will be presented including entry, diagnosis, implementation and disengagement.  Specific types of consultations studied will include organizational, mental health and behavioral.  Students will select a specific type of consultation to implement and will complete one consultation of their choice.  A sample case study will also be reviewed.

MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING

The reality of the contemporary, pluralistic and multicultural society demands that the therapist develop an understanding of the role played by culture in all aspects of counseling/psychotherapy, from assessment to intervention.  This seminar will enable therapists to increase their understanding of cross-cultural concepts, issues, and their impact on individuals and families.  It includes a focus on cultural awareness, sensitivity, knowledge and skills of various ethic groups as well as an understanding of the influence of gender and alternative life-styles and the unique issues these present for clients.

TRAINING PROGRAMS

Contact Person:  Patricia A. McCluskey, Ph.D., D.Min., LP

Associate Executive Director/Director of Training

248-474-4701