Pastoral care and counseling
My MSSW is focused on administration of nonprofit organizations. However, I have a grounding in basic clinical social work skills that has contributed to my ability to provide pastoral care. My social work training has given me the ability to sit with discomfort, and listen deeply to what another is saying. Social work also rooted me in a strengths-based approach that affirms the inherent worth and dignity of each person, while giving me an understanding of how systemic oppression affects individuals.
However similar social work and pastoral care may seem, they are not the same. I began to really appreciate this during my Clinical Pastoral Education at Beverly Hospital (Beverly, MA). This is where I learned how to provide a "ministry of presence," rather than a psychosocial assessment. It is amazing how healing it is to simply be heard and acknowledged. My pastoral care begins with deep listening and bearing witness. Sometimes my role is also to offer stories or scripture to help people make sense of their struggles or gain a new perspective.
When I graduated from Andover Newton, I earned a Certificate in Pastoral Care & Counseling in addition to my degree. I earned the certificate because of the number of credit hours I had accumulated in this field. I was actually unaware I had earned this certificate until right before graduation! These were simply the classes that I was naturally drawn to and that I felt would best prepare me for ministry. The classes I took ranged from Spiritual Practices for Healing and Wholeness to Family Systems Approaches to Pastoral Care and Leadership. But I also firmly believe that the bedrock of good pastoral care is something that cannot be taught or earned – and that is empathy. I have a heart for service and I deeply care about people. I genuinely want everyone to live their best life. I believe in meeting people where they are and walking with them through the journey of their lives.
Photograph by David Elmes.