Programs

Clinical Education Programs In Pastoral Care and Counseling

        VIPCare is a multi-age, often multi-cultural group seeking to respect one another         and to learn from our diversity.  An ongoing theme is the relationship of religious         experience to psychological growth and problems.

        Educational opportunities are available for:

• those seeking to become certified as pastoral counselors;
  
• clergy, seminarians and church professionals seeking to improve their skills in pastoral counseling;
  
• for lay persons called to care for persons in their congregations; and
  
• those moving toward state licensure and graduate degrees in ministry.
  

VIPCare's educational program seeks to live out two dynamics of the faith experience: acceptance and challenge.

In small group settings and individual supervision, participants learn to enter the experiences of ministry, to reflect theologically and psychologically upon experiences, and then to return to the action.

VIPCare has a policy of admitting students without regard to race, sex, age, disability, nationality, income, or religious heritage.  VIPCare seeks to maintain openness to a variety of lifestyles, theologies and life views. 

• African Counseling Center
  Partnership with the counseling center in Cameroon, Africa
  

• Congregational Pastoral Care Program
  Designed for pastors, seminarians, chaplains and selected lay ministers who seek to increase skills in pastoral care
  


• Congregational Care Program
  Education for lay people chosen by their pastors and congregrations to provide caring support 
  

Pastoral Counseling Education Programs

• Pastoral Counseling Reading Seminar
  A specialized seminar for advanced academic education in pastoral counseling

• Certified Pastoral Counselor Formation Program
  A minimum two-year pastoral certification program
  

• Internship In Pastoral Counseling
  Interns function as part-time members of the VIPCare staff, see clients, develop caseloads, cultivate referral sources and participate with staff in administrative meetings and peer consultations

• Minister and Denominational Assessments
  The Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care has provided psychological assessment of candidates for ministry since 1971

• Pre-Marriage Seminars
  VIPCare offers one-day, Saturday seminars for couples that plan to be married or who are recently married

• Presentations
  Presentations are an educational service offered to church and community groups in the Central Virginia area