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

[starlancer]

...to teach people how to listen better. And, believe you me, that's something the OTO dearly needs.

That may be the best, most accurate statement I've read on LJ in a long time.

[bythebootstraps]

As a therapist and OTO initiate, I think the workshops are a good idea, even with the caveat that the thought of certain individuals trying to clumsily apply counseling skills gives me the shudders. Snark aside, everyone could benefit from better listening and communication skills. It would prevent a multitude of drama and posturing in the order and in any group of people trying to bring about a common vision. It might even stop a windbag or two from expounding unnecessarily on nothing in favor of learning something.

I hope that this workshop, either now or in the future, will teach skills in spotting chronic and severe mental illness. In my experience this is SORELY needed. I saw some pretty disturbed people grow more disturbed when exposed to the magick and the literature, and I saw well-intentioned initiates completely bungle dealing with them.

[honeysuckle29]

Kuddos to your last paragraph...
If I had read it before now,
would have saved me Much heartache
and Stress.
That coupled with Aleister's words
of wisdom.
Smile.