VIPCare's Certified Pastoral Counselor (CPC) Formation program meets on Wednesdays 10 to 1 at the main office. It is a minimum 2 year program, which can be expanded to 3 years. Individual supervision is required and may be scheduled flexibly.

The Formation Program seeks to enable students to:

• Acquire knowledge of the theological, spiritual, clinical, psychological, and administrative aspects of pastoral counseling.
• Engage in a process of vocational formation to intentionally integrate the various aspects of BEING a pastoral counselor.
• Become a Certified Pastoral Counselor and/or Fellow through meeting standards established by the American Association of Pastoral Counselors.

Clergy are especially encouraged to apply to the Certified Pastoral Counselor Formation Program, whether to strengthen their pastorate, or to move into the specialized ministry of pastoral counseling. Pastoral counselors undertake a life-time process of formation: the process of internalizing and integrating theological, spiritual, clinical and intellectual aspects as part of the core of one's vocational life as a pastoral counselor.

The Program assumes that being precedes doing, and therefore formation precedes intellectual acumen and therapeutic skill development. Intellectual acumen and therapeutic skill are highly stressed, but seen as effective primarily when congruent with the being and becoming of the pastoral counselor using them. The Program assumes that this congruence is foundational for the personal authenticity and presence of the pastoral counselor with the client.

Goals of pastoral counselor formation at VIPCare are:

• Increasing awareness of self, other, and environment.
• Increasing freedom to use one's self for the healing and growth of the other.
• Increasing relatedness to the depth at which the other is capable.
• Increasing transcendence, including openness to the Holy in the counseling relationship.*

The Program assumes these principles are present in authentic growth under the impact of the Holy in all faith traditions.

*"Four principles determining the New Being as process . . . . How these principles will unite in a new type of life under the Spiritual Presence cannot be described before it happens, but elements of such a life can be seen in individuals and groups who anticipated what may possibly lie in the future. The principles themselves unite religious as well as secular traditions and can, in their totality, create an indefinite but distinguishable image of the 'Christian Life.'" Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, Vol. III, p. 231.

The CPC Formation Program components include:

• Academic coursework
• Interdisciplinary case study
• Small group continuous case conference
• Formation focus at the middle and end of each quarter of interdisciplinary case study and small group continuous case conference
• Semiannual formation retreats (Fall for group-building; Spring for sharing and refining Pastoral Counselor Identity Paper)
• Individual supervision
• Providing at least 375 hours of pastoral counseling with clients from the student's own referral source
• Receiving at least 25 hours of personal psychotherapy
• Weekly reflection papers, and final integrative paper

Admission to the second year is contingent upon satisfactory completion of an interview with the faculty to consider progress and learning issues, and upon completion of at least 12 hours of personal psychotherapy.

Student membership in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and attendance at the Atlantic Region AAPC conference are required.

Personal psychotherapy is required for the Certified Pastoral Counselor Formation Program. During supervision, individual therapeutic issues often emerge and are dealt with in relationship to the client being presented; however, these issues often need focused attention more possible in one's personal therapy. Supervision is distinct from personal therapy. A primary way that pastoral counselors learn to offer competent, compassionate psychotherapy is by receiving this experience.

Weekly reflection papers about oneself as a person are due each week in the boxes of all Formation Program students, Interns, and faculty members. The focus is to be journal-style entries about the training experience here, your professional formation or your spiritual pilgrimage. These should be typed or very legibly handwritten. The purpose of reflection papers is to integrate who one is with the learning process and one's faith.

The final integrative paper must be presented to faculty and approved by a majority vote. This 10 to 20 page paper is a personal reflection on one's spiritual and professional journey of becoming a pastoral counselor. It integrates one's pastoral identity, faith experience, psychological theoretical orientation, life experience and clinical experience. A core image may be useful. It also presents a vision of future specialty areas, certification plan, and employment goals.

Tuition is

• $550 per quarter per academic course, including interdisciplinary case study or small group continuous case conference
• $75 for the Spring Formation Retreat
• $425 for advisor for final integrative paper
• $75 per hour for 60 hours of individual supervision over 2 years, priced separately from the basic formation program (60 hrs @$75 hr = $4,500)
• Total 2-year tuition is $9,425:
  • $4,400 for academic courses,
  • $150 for retreats
  • $425 for advisor for final integrative paper,
  • $4,500 for individual supervision.

Scholarship Assistance may be available through the William B. Oglesby Endowment, the Carpenter Foundation Grant, the Homeward Grant, or the Goodykuntz Fund.

Academic Courses: (See full descriptions on page 18 of the Education Catalog.)

• Fall 2004: DM710 Family Therapy
• Winter 2004-05: DM709 The Helping Relationship
• Spring 05: DM708 Group Theory & Therapy
• Summer 2005: DM712 Career Development
• Fall 2005: DM702 Emotional, Behavioral & Mental Disorders (Abnormal Psychology)
• Winter 2005-06: DM701 Practice & Theories of Pastoral Counseling
• Spring 2006: DM704 Social and Cultural Foundations of PC
• Summer 2006: DM703 Pastoral Counselor Identity Formation
• Fall 2006: DM706 Marital Therapy (Couples Counseling)
• Winter 2006-07: DM705 Appraisal, Evaluation and Diagnosis
• Spring 2007: DM707: Theories of Human Behavior & Personality Development
• Summer 2007: PT 653 Substance Abuse Ministry

Academic credit requires enrollment in an academic institution such as Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, The School of Theology of Virginia Union University, or other institutions.

Admission Criteria for VIPCare's AAPC Certification Track:

• A graduate degree in Divinity, Theological, Spiritual or Biblical Studies; or a graduate degree in Pastoral Counseling; or the equivalent.
• Membership in a religious body which endorses the applicant as a minister or ministry candidate
• A continuing responsible relationship to one's local religious community
• Eligibility for malpractice insurance
• Acceptance through the following application process:
  
  Application Procedure begins by contacting the Director of Education for application forms. If the paper application, accompanied by a $75 processing fee, is in order, the applicant will be invited to complete psychological testing (for which an $80 testing fee is charged), to submit an audio or videotape of a counseling session with case study, and to provide references. The faculty will interview the applicant, who will be notified concerning acceptance within a week. April 15 is the preferred date for receiving applications for the fall, although applications are accepted until all positions are filled.