Pastoral Counseling

[hierophant49]

Very good weekend--still have a lot to process.

Attended ~12 hours of classes on "Pastoral Counseling." Now, I had an interesting conversation with stevensteven about the opposition that the Pastoral Counseling Workshop is meeting internally within the OTO. I should note that I don't actually read the LJ "discussions" regarding OTO policies, programs and

Comments

[soror_daath]

I personally think these workshoppes are a good idea. In the Pagan community, many years ago, we did something similar through the "church" I was ordained through. It was informative to have certified psychologists and other ordained (experienced and intelligent) clergy there to answer questions and address hot topics we in the Pagan community were just then being bombarded with. Questions pertaining to birth, death, life, sexuality, abuse, etc.

No one expected to walk out of there a LICSW or a PHD in psychotherapy but we did have more insight into how to proceed better in assiting those in our covens and in larger congregations when they came to us for help / advice.

I look forward to what the OTO offers, in the future when I am able to attend.

[stevensteven]

Its interesting that much of the criticism comes from people who have not attended the workshop. I thought it was a great weekend, and if it wasn't already scheduled at Tahuti, I would have tried to bring it to Salem.

[soror_daath]

Why not host it in Salem in the Spring / early Summer?

(When I can attend. Hee hee hee...)

[x_bluerose_x]

Frankly I'm super thrilled that these sorts of counseling workshops exist!! And I look forward to the opportunity to taking them. I run into problems all of the time just performing tarot divinations for people. You are GUARANTEED to run into people who will want to talk to you about their problems or ask for help, and sometimes you are NOT qualified to help them. It's also useful to have a greater sense of confidence in dealing with the public and helping them out.

Kudos. Hope the sessions were awesome. :)

[z111]

I haven't seen any controversy around it and if I did see it, I'd stand up to differ.

I come out of a psychotherapy background -- have my master's in clinical psych and am ABD for my doctorate in clinical psych. I worked as a psychotherapist for years before leaving it behind for the internet.

I don't know much about the history of pastoral counseling, but I do know that peer counselors are often found to be as effective as professionals in counseling people in garden variety life events (clinically known as adjustment disorders.) The main thing is to be a good listener and to know when to refer. I'd assume those things are being taught in the workshop. And that's really the primary stuff you need. No one is expecting anyone to be a professional in 12 hours of training, but one really doesn't need years of schooling to be helpful.

[hierophant49]

Again, my knowledge of any criticism is naught but hearsay.

AH Listening yes yes yes

[shepjoe]

LISTENING WELL is the Main TOOL of any Therapist- or may i even say, "good person"- by "good" I mean balanced and objective- but with enough INSIGHT to be able to respond without preaching. LISTENING is all one reallyneeds to be a good therapist- others know if you are really doing deep listening or not- even if they can not articualte HOW they know.
VALIDATION is important of course- but to a POINT. Of course it all depends on the situation.

People in general assume that anyone who is "clergy' is above and beyond them- where as WE assume that Every Man and Every Woman is a Star