PC501: Syllabus JoAnn KraftSummer 2009 Bethel Seminary, St. PaulJune 15-August 21 E-mail: j-kraft2@bethel.eduIntensive: July 20-24 Phone: 952-912-9800M-Th 8:30-4, F 8-12

INTRODUCTION TO PASTORAL CARE

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to introduce the student to the shepherding function with emphasis on pastoral counseling. Basic counseling methods will be discussed in relation to typical situations faced in pastoral ministry. Ten hours of volunteer visitation is included in the requirements of this course. Seven hours will be scheduled by the student and supervised by a mentor. Three hours will be scheduled by the instructor during the intensive.

MAIN OBJECTIVES:1. Prepare ourselves and others for effective care in and around the Body of Christ:

overcome obstacles for care;2. Learn to observe and assess needs, then plan and mobilize multiple resources of

the church and community;3. Develop a systematic process for approaching and responding to persons, families

and groups with the more frequently present critical needs;4. Evaluate and appreciate the resources of both faith and science for meeting

people’s needs, performing theological reflection and taking action with those resources.

5. Evaluate and grow in the understanding of cultural and ethnic influences and their impact on pastoral care and counseling relationships.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:Benner, David. Strategic Pastoral Counseling, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids:Baker, 2004. ISBN: 0801026318Johnson, Brad & William Johnson. Pastor’s Guide to Psychological Disorders and Treatments. New York:Haworth, 2000. ISBN: 0789011115Paget & McCormack. The Work of the Chaplain. Judson, 2006. ISBN: 0817014993Patton, John, Pastoral Care:an essential guide. Nashville:Abingdon, 2005. ISBN: 0687053226Wright, H. Norman. New Guide to Crisis & Trauma Counseling. Regal, 2003. ISBN:0830732411

RECOMMENDED READING:Gerkin, Charles. An Introduction to Pastoral Care. Nashville:Abingdon Press, 1997. ISBN: 0687016746Lebacqz, Karen and Joseph Driskill. Ethics and Spiritual Care. Nashville:Abingdon Press, 2000. ISBN: 0698071569

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Mintilla, R. Estaban and Medina Ferney. Pastoral Care and Counseling with Latino/as. Fortess, 2006. ISBN: 0800638204Shields, Harry and Gary Bredfeldt. Caring for Souls. Moody Press, 2001. ISBN: 0802437419Wimberly, Edward P. African American Pastoral Care and Counseling: the politics of oppression and empowerment. Pilgrim, 2006. ISBN: 082981681X

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:*****LOG ON TO THE DISCUSSION BOARD BY JUNE 18 TH AND FOLLOW THE ASSIGNED INTRODUCTION TO CLASS DIALOG.

1. Reading: Complete readings as assigned in Course Schedule.

2. Class Participation: Students are expected to participate in class discussions and activities (e.g., intensives, discussion forums and conference calls).

3. Discussion Forums: Follow guidelines for discussion board use and assignments posted on the discussion board; see Course Schedule. Discussion posts are to be completed by Friday, at the end of the day (11:59pm) in your time zone. The introductory post does not require a reply. The remaining posts should have an introductory response and one to two follow up responses.

4. Integrative Essays – 4 pages, 1000 wordsa. Essay #1 - Using the concepts in Benner, Strategic Pastoral Counseling

and Patton, Pastoral Care – integrate these readings with your own personal and Biblical perspectives and how you understand your role in providing Pastoral Care and Pastoral Counseling. How will those you shepherd experience your care? Due July 10.

b. Essay #2 – Using the concepts discussed in class, integrate and identify your own emerging theoretical perspective and theological understanding of Christian community. What function/role does community play in pastoral care- what is your role in the community of believers? Due August 21.

5. Personal Growth Plan In addition to submitting this assignment to the course instructor, you are also required to upload your assignment to your Integrative Portfolio once the Integrative Portfolio technology is introduced.  This requirement applies to all degree seeking students who begin fall of 08-09 and after.

a. – (3-4 pages, 750-1000 words) Charles Gerkin states, “many pastors evidence a lack of coherence in their work, resulting in a fragmentation of purpose, confusion among often conflicting methods of operation in various functions, valuing of one function and neglect of another…Pastors need a foundational, organizing image of the whole of pastoral ministry that can give coherence to and inform all of the various functional roles of the pastor.”

b. Describe the foundational, organizing image that will guide your ministry (interpretive guide, others?). How does this image inform, or what are the

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implications of this image for your various roles (i.e. pastoral care, preaching/teaching, leadership, administration, vision, supervision, spiritual formation, etc)?

c. What are your growing edges and concerns (personal reorientations)? Organize this section around any new realizations that occurred for you during the quarter that re-shaped your way of understanding and practicing pastoral care and counseling. Include implications of appropriate boundaries and ethical concerns in ministry. Due August 7.

This personal growth plan will become part of your Supervised Ministry File.

6. Volunteer experience – Students will complete 7 one hour meetings with an individual or family in a pastoral setting. This is to be arranged through a church, parachurch or community organization. Students who are on staff may use work experience. You will need to arrange for a mentor who will meet with you after every 2 hours of visitation experience to debrief. Provide your mentor with the attached information (Information for Mentor letter and Evaluation). Your mentor will be required to submit an evaluation of your experiences with them. You must provide me with contact information for your mentor by June 25.

7. Reflection of the pastoral experience – Using the form provided (Reflection on Visitation Form found in Course Documents on Blackboard), students are to submit via the corresponding assignment link in the Assignment tab on Blackboard a short reflection of each pastoral visitation. Specific instructions are provided on the form. See Course Schedule

8. Verbatims –One verbatim of a pastoral experience is to be brought to the intensive for group processing. BRING SIX COPIES OF THE VERBATIM TO CLASS FOR GROUP PROCESSING. A second verbatim is to be uploaded to the corresponding assignment link in the Assignment tab and the Discussion Board on Blackboard by 8AM on August 10. You may choose which of your visitations you use for your verbatims. You must read the verbatims of those students who are in your small group in preparation for your small group discussion about them (Verbatim 1: during intensives; Verbatim 2: by conference call in week 9).

9. Conference Call: A conference call sign-up will be available on the course wiki found on Blackboard. The sign-up is on a first come basis and will determine the small group for each conference call. In the week prior to the call an email will be sent to you from Bethel Telecommunications with the details of the call. It will include the date, time, number to call, call ID and personal pin number. It is important that you save this information. Please set your email to accept emails from bethel-teleconference@bethel.edu. If you do not receive this email please check your junk email filter or contact molly-noble@bethel.edu. It is good practice to ascertain that you have the teleconference info prior to the time of your call (even a day or two in advance) so that you can contact me with ample time to have it resolved prior to the start of your call. The conference calls will be scheduled for August 10, 11, 12.

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10. All written work is to be submitted to the corresponding assignment link in the Assignment tab in Blackboard and be in WORD.doc (no .docx or zip files) format by Friday @ 5PM CST of the week it is due. Use the following format for naming your files; name_assignment_PC5012009, i.e. Smith_essay1_PC5012009

11. Inclusive Language: In accordance with Bethel Seminary policy, inclusive language should be used in class discussion and papers.

12. Plagiarism: Zero Tolerance. If a student plagiarizes any of their work, it will result in failure for the course and will be reported to the Student Development Committee.

13. Late Papers: Due dates are listed on the Course Schedule and the deadline is the end of the day the date listed (11:59pm) in your time zone Unless otherwise noted in the schedule. If you do not turn in an assignment when due, you will have until noon the following day to turn it in without penalty. This should be used only as a cushion for unexpected problems. After this “buffer day,” the assignment will lose 10% of its earned grade for each day that it is late. Late papers may not be graded or returned at the same time as those received on time. For writing format consult Kate Turabian’s latest edition of her Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations. Late discussion board posts will not be accepted.

14. Academic Course Policies: Please familiarize yourself with the catalog requirements as specified in Academic Course Policies document found on the Syllabus page in Blackboard. You are responsible for this information, and any academic violations, such as plagiarism, will not be tolerated.

GRADING:

The Personal Growth Plan and Reflection of the Pastoral Experience are graded much more subjectively than some other courses in seminary. In these areas I am not looking as much for cognitive growth as for total personal growth that is clearly expressed in terms of developing one's whole self as a person involved deeply with people in pastoral care and counseling. I will be trying to determine whether or not the student gives evidence of having self-awareness and appropriate goals for his/her self in growing in pastoral care skills and knowledge.

Final Grades:Final grades for this course are based on the following percentage of accumulated points:

A 96-100 B- 83-85 D+ 71-73A- 92-95 C+ 80-82 D 68-70B+ 89-91 C 77-79 D- 65-67B 86-88 C- 74-76 F 0-64

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PC501 COURSE SCHEDULE

Date Reading AssignmentsWeek 1June 15

Begin readings -Develop and Set-up: visitation sites and set up mentoring relationship-Discussion Board Post: follow instructions for posting an introduction by Fri., June 26-Sign-up: using the course wiki in Blackboard sign-up for the Verbatim 2 conference call by Fri., June 26

Week 2June 22

Patton, Pastoral Care: An essential guide -Visitation-Due: Mentor contact information; Fri, June 26-Due: Reflection Form 1; Fri, June 26

Week 3June 29

Benner, Strategic Pastoral Counseling -Visitation-Due: Reflection Form 2; Fri, July 3 - Discussion Board Post: – follow posted instructions

Week 4July 6

Wright, New Guide to Crisis and Trauma Counseling

-Visitation-Due: Reflection Form 3; Fri, July 10 -Due: Integrative Essay 1; Due July 10

Week 5July 13

Other course Intensive Nothing Due

Week 6July 20

Intensive for this course -Due: Verbatim 1; Mon, 8:30AM 6 copies

Week 7July 27

Paget & McCormack, The Work of the ChaplainPart 1 & 2

-Visitation-Due: Reflection Form 4; Fri, July 31 -Discussion Board Post – follow posted instructions

Week 8August 3

Paget & McCormack, The Work of the ChaplainPart 3, Conclusion and Appendixes

-Visitation-Due: Reflection Form 5; Fri, August 7 -Due: Personal Growth Plan; Fri, August 7 - Due/Post: Verbatim 2; Fri, August 7 to Discussion Board & Assignment Link-Read: verbatims for your small group prior to your scheduled conference call next week

Week 9August 10

Johnson & Johnson, Pastor’s Guide to Psychological Disorders and Treatments

-Visitation-Due: Reflection Form 6; Fri, August 14 -Participate: in the small group conference call that you signed up for

Week 10August 17

-Visitation-Due: Reflection Form 7, Due Fri, August 21 -Due: Integrative Essay 2; Fri, August 21

VERBATIMS:A verbatim, in essence, is a request for help for a difficult moment in care-giving for which the student wants to ask for helpful feedback from his/her supervisor and peers.

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The image in your head should not be that of a tape recorder, but rather, the processing of a difficult counseling experience with colleagues. After you experience the "difficult situation," you should sit down very soon with paper following the interview to note key words and transitions, and then write it all out as soon as you can get to a word processor. You should be pleasantly surprised how much of the conversation you remember. The most important thing: describing how you feel the "sticky spot" happened. When writing up your verbatim, follow the format that is included on the next page.

VERBATIM GROUPS:When verbatims are processed in your small group, the questions you should have in mind as you listen and interact should be as follows [review these each time you will be reading/listening to a verbatim] :

• Is the setting and the client's condition clear to you?• Is the presenter clearly aware of the client's emotions, mood, tone, physical,

social and spiritual situation?• Is a pastoral identity evident in the presenter?• What issues of their own does the student bring to this situation? What personal

work do they have to do?• Is there evidence the student has reflected on the theological issues involved in

this situation?• Is there a helpful response made to the client?• Is there evidence the student is ready to improve his/her approach next time?

Does the student have a plan?Each student will complete two verbatims. One will be processed with an assigned small group leader during your intensive and a second by conference call with a small group and the professor. Both will need to be turned in to the professor with the processing date recorded at the top.

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VERBATIM FORMAT FOR PC501

Date of Processing this Verbatim: _________Date/Time of Visit:___________Student’s Name_________________________________________________Age of Client: _______Gender of Client: _____________________________Location of Visit (i.e. home, hospital, nursing home) ____________________

PRELIMINARY: Describe the physical setting and emotional tone of your visit. What sights, sounds, and emotions did you experience as you began the interview? Did you select this individual or were they chosen for you? How did you prepare yourself? What did you know about the person beforehand, and from what sources? Describe the client briefly. Were there others, either present or absent, who were important in this visit? How did their presence affect the interview?

INTERVIEW: Include a verbatim account of the most significant dialogue by all participants sequentially. Separate your non-verbal communications or pertinent feelings about what is happening in parentheses. Number the sequence of verbal interchanges as follows: P1, C1, P2, C2, etc. for Pastor and Client, respectively. To protect his/her privacy use an alternative name, do not identify the individual in the written material.

Example: P 1: Good Morning, Mrs. Johnson.C1: Good Morning, Chaplain. How are you this morning?P2: I'm fine. (Really, I felt anxious, she appeared angry to me, and

I wondered why she wanted to see me.) I understand you wanted to see me.

C2: Yes. I'm kind of wondering about my son. I know he is drinking....

Rather than trying to record the whole interview, include some background about how the visit is initiated, and then record the most critical exchanges that reveal the problem area you want to discuss with others. Summarize in a brief paragraph how the visit ended.

EVALUATION: Go back over the conversation, meditate on it, then write up the following elements in numbered summary paragraphs at the end of the verbatim:

1. Initial impression of the person.2. Change(s) in that impression.3. Significant conversation shifts, emotions expressed, resistances to you, insights

gained by either of you.4. Perception the client seemed to have of your person and role.5. Main problems presented and your response.6. Would you change anything in this visit?7. Do you plan to return? What are your goals?8. Was there need for referral? To whom, and why?9. Summary of your ministry to this person (include issues for counseling and pastoral

care).10. What issues arose in this interview, either implicit or explicit, for pastoral theology,

ethics, and pastoral care?

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PC501 REFLECTION ON VISITATION FORM

These reflections will be valuable when completing your Personal Growth Plan. Download this form for each visitation, complete and upload to the assignment link. You should use another copy in your discussion with your mentor.

Student Name: ___________________________________Date of Visit: __________Place of Visitation (i.e. home, hospital, nursing home)__________________________Age of Client: _______ Gender: _______ Predominant Issue: ____________________

As you look back on your visit(s) today, do what AA people call "a fearless inventory" which will stretch you to grow in your pastoral care and counseling skills and awareness.

[Rate with: 1 = failure, 2= poor, 3 = average, 4 = good, 5 = excellent]

1. Counseling elements I used, and how I would rate myself:______ a. active listening______ b. empathy and sensitivity to underlying emotional tone______ c. grasp of client's principal issue(s)______ d. allowing client to develop his/her own agenda with me______ e. my ability to track with the client______ f. ability to feel and communicate a "pastoral presence"______ g. tolerance for the other person's belief system______ h. perseverance with issues in face of my own uncertainty about

them______ i. alertness to underlying/overt spiritual/theological issues______ j. alertness to client's needs for networking or social support

2. As a result of today's learning, what goals ought I set up for myself for improved effectiveness and skill?

3. What am I most thankful to God for out of today's experience?

4. What elements of today's experience would I like to bring up to my mentor next time we meet?

5. What did I learn about my style of approach from the mentor when I addressed #4's issues?

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Mentor Evaluation of Visitation Experience

Student:______________________Mentor: ______________________Contact Information:_____________________________________________Professional Position:____________________________________________Dates of Meetings with Student:____________________________________

Please address the following:

1. Was the student prepared for the mentoring process with a reflection of the time spent?

2. Using the following scale:1- Strongly disagree, 2 – Somewhat disagree, 3- Neutral, 4 - Somewhat

agree, 5 – Strongly agreeHow would you rate the student in the following areas:

a. Expresses empathy for the client 1 2 3 4 5b. Is able to grasp the clients primary issue 1 2 3 4 5c. Is able to provide a “pastoral presence” 1 2 3 4 5d. Is tolerant of the client’s belief’s 1 2 3 4 5e. Receives feedback well 1 2 3 4 5f. Shows growth in pastoral care 1 2 3 4 5g. Exhibits good boundaries 1 2 3 4 5h. Can express growth areas for him/herself 1 2 3 4 5i. Listens to others well 1 2 3 4 5j. Is able to handle anxiety in the process 1 2 3 4 5k. Exhibits interest in the process of pastoral care 1 2 3 4 5

3. What are your general impressions of the student’s ability to be in the pastoral care role?

4. What there anything of concern that I should be aware of?

Please return to JoAnn Kraft MA at j-kraft2@bethel.edu by August 21 in order for the student to receive grade credit.

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Information for Mentors

Thank you for mentoring this student as they are enrolled in the class, Introduction to Pastoral Counseling at Bethel Theological Seminary. As they are doing visitation with parishioners or those in their community it is essential that they have dialog with someone in the practice of pastoral care to help them process their experiences. During their intensive week in St. Paul we will be further dialoging about the practicum experience. Below are the guidelines for the students.

1. They are to have 7 hour long visits over the 10 week quarter.2. They are to meet with you after every 2nd visit. They may meet with

you more often if you or they prefer.3. They are to come prepared to discuss the visit, their reactions,

feelings, beliefs, difficulties and to ask questions.4. They should be exhibiting growth in their work over the quarter both

in pastoral care and also in their ability to dialog about their experience.

5. Any concerns about their ability to see clients/parishioners should be addressed immediately with me.

6. They are to provide you with an evaluation form in a timely manner.

Your completed evaluation is part of their grade and needs to be received by August 21st.

Any questions that you have during the quarter can be addressed to me at j-kraft2@bethel.edu or at 952-912-9800.

On behalf of the student and myself, thank you for taking the time to help develop another person in ministry.

In Christ,

JoAnn Kraft, MA

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PC501: GRADING GRID [STUDENT'S GRADING SHEET]

STUDENT NAME: __________________________________________

P.O.: __________

1. INTEGRATIVE ESSAY #1 ( 100 pts) ______________

2. INTEGRATIVE ESSAY #2 ( 100 pts) ______________

3. PRACTICUM: Includes...1. Mentor's report (25) _______2. Reflections (50) _______

(75 pts) ______________

4. VERBATIM #1 (In Class) ( 50 pts) ______________

5. VERBATIM #2 (Via Conference Call) ( 50 pts) ______________

6. PERSONAL GROWTH PLAN (100 pts) ______________

7. DISCUSSION BOARD/CLASS PARTICIPATION (25 pts) ______________

TOTAL: (500 pts) ______________

FINAL COURSE GRADE: ______________

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ADDITIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHIC RESOURCES FOR THE COURSE

Balswick, Judith & Jack. Families in Pain. Working Through the Hurts. Baker/Revell, 1997.

Bowman, George. Dying, Grieving, Faith & Family: A Pastoral Care Approach. Binghamton, NY: Hayworth Pastoral Press, 1998.

Brister, C. W. Pastoral Care in the Church. 3rd ed. NY: Harper/Collins, 1992.Carr, Wesley, ed. The Dictionary of Pastoral Studies. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans,

2002.Clark, David C. Clergy Response to Suicidal Persons & Their Families. Chicago, IL:

Exploration Press, 1993.Clinton, Timothy and George Ohlschlager. Competent Christian Counseling: Pursuing

and Practicing Compassionate Soul Care. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2001.

Copen, Lisa J. "So You Want to Start a Chronic Illness/Pain Ministry." [booklet] San Diego: Rest Ministries, Inc., 2002. Cf. her web site: www.restministries.org.

Dayringer, Richard. The Heart of Pastoral Counseling: Healing through Relationship. Rev. ed. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Pastoral Press, 1998.

Gerkin, Charles. An Introduction to Pastoral Care. Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1997.Goldingay, John. Walk On: Life, Loss, Trust, and Other Realities. Grand Rapids, MI:

Baker Books, 2002.Grossoehme, Daniel H. The Pastoral Care of Children. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth

Pastoral Press, 1999.Haugk, Kenneth C. Christian Caregiving. A Way of Life. Minneapolis, MN:

Augsburg/Fortress, 1985. Howe, Leroy. A Pastor in Every Pew: Equipping Laity for Pastoral Care. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 2000.

Hightower, James E., Jr., ed. Caring for People from Birth to Death. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Pastoral Press, 1999.

Hunsinger, Deborah van Deusen. Theology and Pastoral Counseling. A New Interdisciplinary Approach. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1995.

Hunter, Rodney, ed. Dictionary of Pastoral Care and Counseling. Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1990. James, John W., and Russell Friedman. The Grief Recovery Handbook. Rev. ed. NY: Harper Perennial, 1998.

June, Lee N., ed. The Black Family: Past, Present, & Future. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1991. Koenig, Harold, and Andrew Weaver. The Pastoral Care of Older Adults. Minneapolis: Augsburg/Fortress, 1998.

Knutson, Lois D. Understanding the Senior Adult. A Tool for Wholistic Ministry. Bethesda, MD: The Alban Institute, 1999.

Louw, Daniel. A Mature Faith: Spiritual Direction & Anthropology in a Theology of Pastoral Care and Counseling. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999.

Lester, Andrew. Hope in Pastoral Care and Counseling. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1995.

McMinn, Mark. Psychology, Theology and Spirituality in Christian Counseling. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1996

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Moesner, Jeanne Stevenson. Through the Eyes of Women. Thoughts for Pastoral Care. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg/Fortress, 1996.

Patton, John. Pastoral Care in Context: An Introduction to Pastoral Care. Philadelphia: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993.

Ramsey, Nancy J. Pastoral Diagnosis. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg/Fortress, 1998. Schlauch, Chris. Faithful Companioning. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg/Fortress, 1995. Steinbron, Melvin J. The Lay Driven Church. Ventura, CA: Regal, 1997.

Tack, Theodore, and Ann Murphy. The History of Pastoral Care. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2001.

Watson, Jeffrey A. The Courage to Care: Helping the Aging, Grieving & Dying. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1992.

Wiersby, David. The Dynamics of Pastoral Care. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker/Revell, 2000. Wimberly, Edward P. African American Pastoral Care. Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1991.

Prayer in Pastoral Counseling: Suffering, Healing and Discernment. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1990.

Wolfelt, Alan D. Death & Grief A Guide for Clergy. Muncie, IN: Accelerated Development, Inc., 1988.

Zonnebelt-Smeenge, Susan J., and Robert C. DeVries. Getting to the Other Side of Grief Overcoming the Loss of a Spouse. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998.

SUGGESTED ANCILLARY READING SOURCES FOR CLASS TOPICS:

Good reference sources in our library for researching a particular topic:Baker's Encyclopedia of Psychology, second ed, edited by David Benner and

Peter Hill.Christian Counseling Today (magazine of AACC)The Dictionary of Pastoral Care and Counseling, edited by R. Hunter.The Journal of Psychology and ChristianityThe Journal of Psychology and TheologyAtkinson, David J., Editor; Field, David F.; Holmes, Arthur, et.al. The New

Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Theology. Downers Grove : InterVarsity Press, 1994.

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