“Welcome to a transformational life experience”
WHAT IS CPE
Many people have heard the term "CPE" and often ask what the letters mean. CPE stands for Clinical Pastoral Education. The majority of CPE programs are hospital based. Often there are placements within the local community as a means to broaden the ministry experience. Through individual and group supervision students learn skills for ministry and at the same time deepen their self knowledge and their own skills for ministry. Following is a brief description about CPE.
- CPE is interfaith professional training for ministry. It brings theological students, ministers and laypersons of all faiths into supervised encounters with persons in crisis.
- Out of an intense involvement with persons in need, and the feedback from peers and teachers, students develop new awareness of themselves as persons and of the needs of those to whom they minister.
- Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping persons, students develop skills in inter-personal and inter- professional relationships.
- CPE students work alongside staff chaplains and other interdisciplinary team members in an environment that works towards what is best, not only for the patients of the hospital, but also their families.
A key learning component is challenging students to examine their ministry approaches, their interpersonal postures, and personal and theological meaning making within a large institution.