| Pastoral counseling goes beyond the encouragement | | | | kind of psychotherapy? Well, most of the pastoral |
| or support that any religious community can deliver, by | | | | counselors have belief in God or supreme power that |
| offering psychologically sound therapies that weaves | | | | has created human beings. They think that we all |
| in spiritual and religious dimension. It is important to see | | | | desire for a transforming connection with God and |
| that not just it is a time improved emphasis on the | | | | some of the AAPC members think that in a |
| therapy but also it is a time of improved interest in | | | | therapeutic way they can balance the healing and |
| spirituality. | | | | loving nature of being itself. Some of the members in |
| The pastoral counselors are basically clergy who have | | | | AAPC believe that in the therapeutic role for the |
| undertaken a graduate training in behavioral science | | | | spiritual values but not in God. The pastoral counselor |
| and religion for clinical practice that assimilates | | | | can also use the traditional religious sources like |
| theological and psychological disciplines. This program | | | | scripture reading, prayers and taking part in community |
| typically involves a 3 year professional degree through | | | | life and worship of congregation. They also pay |
| a seminary and a doctoral or masters degree in | | | | exclusive attention on the history of client and his |
| pastoral counseling along with a clinical experience and | | | | family and determine how it can contribute to the |
| personal psychotherapy. Most of the pastoral | | | | resources required for coping and to pathology. |
| counselors are registered by the AAPC (American | | | | The false pictures of God can hamper one's concept |
| Association of Pastoral Counselors), which also | | | | of oneself. The traits of parents of the client and other |
| approves the training programs and accredits different | | | | authorities might have been focused on a heavenly |
| counseling centers. | | | | figure. What emerges to the true internal voice in an |
| The counselors also practice in both private offices | | | | individual's life may actually function as false absolute |
| and institutions. They also perform consultations for the | | | | or an idol. Mistaken beliefs about people, oneself and |
| community clergy. In many states, an individual does | | | | entire world may result due to participation in hidden |
| not require a license to perform pastoral counseling; | | | | theological drama, derived from history of the family |
| many people practice the profession under the title of | | | | and mistakenly supported by different religious |
| priests, parish ministers or rabbis who does not | | | | institutions. |
| possess AAPC affiliation. AAPC has developed a | | | | Thus, Pastoral Counseling is a unique synthesis of |
| national licensing exam and its members are also in | | | | religion and therapy, which serve to help and heal |
| charge of the faith communities. | | | | human beings in times of crisis and trouble. |
| So, what is discreet about pastoral counseling as a | | | | |