Pastoral counseling

Pastoral counseling is a branch of counseling in which ordained ministers, rabbis, priests and others provide therapy services. The therapists integrate modern psychological thought and method with traditional religious training.

All branches of the U.S. Armed services offer Pastoral Counseling to their members.

Only 6 states license the title "Pastoral Counselor": Arkansas, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Tennessee. In many other states Pastoral Counselors may qualify for licensure as Marriage and Family Therapists or as Professional Counselors.

Due to the United States Constitution and its principal of the separation of church and state, religious activities are not subject to regulation by the government to the extent secular businesses are regulated. Therefore, pastoral counseling is essentially a non-licensure track in the US. Most Pastoral Counselors will seek certification from an authorizing body and the covering of an established church to insure their religious nature is acknowledged and to prevent undue regulation from the state. Many states forbid prayer as a form of treatment by state licensed practitioners while most Pastoral Counselors will readily engage their subject in prayer. Most Pastoral Counselors do not accept assignment of their fees to insurance companies and instead encourage their clients submit requests for reimbursement. Pastoral counselors usually maintain the position that insurance belongs to the insured and that it is the responsibility of the insured to seek reimbursement of expenses. Insurance companies often will not pay for pastoral counseling by counselors without state licensing in addition to their pastoral licensing.

It is often synonymous with pastoral care and Christian Counseling.

Pastoral Counselors typically have one or more of the following degrees or credentials: D.Min, Th.D., D.Th., D.D., D.Div, P.Th.D., S.T.D., Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor (L.C.P.C.), Licensed Pastoral Counselor (L.P.C.), Certified Pastoral Counselor (C.P.C.), Master of Arts Clinical Christian Counseling (M.A.C.C.C.)

ee also

*List of counseling topics
*Christian Counselors
*Clinical pastoral education

External links

* [http://www.ncca.org/ The National Christian Counselors Association (NCCA) A training and certifying agency]
* [http://www.aapc.org/ The American Association of Pastoral Counselors]
* [http://www.jbc.edu/preaching/res_counsel.htm Pastoral Counseling Resources] A resource listing for Pastoral Counseling web sites from Johnson Bible College.
* [http://www.chaplaincare.navy.mil US Navy Department of the Chaplain]
* [http://www.mindandsoul.info Mind and Soul] Exploring Christianity and Mental Health - online resource in the UK
* [http://www.pastoral-counseling-center.org/ Pastoral Counseling Center] Dr Maureen Young is the Director of Pastoral Counseling Center