Pastoral Counseling
People might choose pastoral counseling when faced with the following challenges:
- Want to approach mental health issues from a faith-based perspective
- Are not comfortable in a formal counseling setting
- Are facing end-of-life issues
- Have concerns that secular counselors will not validate their religious beliefs
- Crisis of faith
A Brief explanation of Pastoral Counseling
Pastoral Care Therapy presents a unique alternative to behavioral health recovery practice and concepts of healthcare reform.
Understanding the spiritual value of Pastoral Care and how the role interacts with mental and behavioral health, (while taking in consideration the National Consensus Statement on Mental Health Recovery) presents a unique approach for individual wellness and recovery.
This faith-based approach to behavioral health integrates the wisdom of religious understanding with the insights of psychology.
It is dedicated to the healing of mind, spirit, and human relationships through spiritual values and psychological knowledge.
More emphasis today is being placed on Pastoral Counseling that involves partnering and helping individuals identify/create support or outcome- based programs that promote recovery, healing, and wellness.
Who Provides Pastoral Services and what type of services are provided?
Pastoral Care services are provided by a pastor or trained Pastoral Care specialist who offers not only pastoral counseling as a form of care, but a long list of faith-based supportive community-based programs.
These programs are designed to provide short and long- term support for individuals needing to be seen on a regular and continuing basis or for ongoing recovery care needs to include quality improvement monitoring, counseling, independent living programs, and case management services.
This is a faith-health system of care that provides adequate support to trauma survivors, substance users, and those who have mental health conditions within the faith-based community, among other issues.
This is a loving way of caring for people rather than controlling them.