Clergy Training and Counseling

Consultations and Staff Development

The staff at BPI is available for consultations (at no charge) with clergy on pastoral care/counseling issues that may need another's input for clarification. Perhaps help is needed in making a referral, or there are persistent feelings left over from a church committee meeting. Sometimes the need is to talk about a particular relationship, or to find a specialized continuing education program. We will consult by phone, over lunch, or in our office.

BPI offers the consultative service of helping a church staff with team-building or working through interpersonal conflict among staff members. We have designed particular processes for small or larger staff and this can be as brief as a one-day workshop/retreat or a longer, in-depth process of focusing upon relationships, job descriptions, communication patterns, resolving interpersonal conflict, and envisioning together.

Psychotherapy for Clergy

Approximately 25% of BPI's psychotherapy clients are clergy. This is an important dimension in the spiritual and personal growth of numerous clergy who desire to take this journey into their soul. BPI offers a special fee (separate from our sliding fee scale) for clergy who wish to undertake psychotherapy.

Interim Clergy Support Group

Meeting now for over eleven years, the Interim Pastors' Support Group meets monthly on the second Thursday. It is a support group for those in the specialty of interim ministry or those considering such. Using a method called Critical Incident Study, the peer group helps the presenter of the day critically reflect upon and evaluate a particular incident in one's ministry.

Premarital Pastoral Therapy

What is pre-marital counseling?

Pre-marital pastoral counseling is an opportunity for a couple planning marriage to make work on their relationship an integral part of their wedding preparations and of their commitment to a life together. One value of this counseling being done with a professional therapist is that in future years the couple has established a helping relationship to which they can return if needed. Furthermore, the professional therapist in his or her daily work is familiar with many of the causes of marital failure and this greatly informs the pre-marital counseling. This is especially useful when dealing with couples that are entering second or third marriages.

What issues are discussed in pre-marital counseling?

The couple’s story
The commitment to marry—how did they reach this decision?
Strengths/growing edges—individually and relationally
What happened in previous relationships or marriages?
Family-of-origin issues
The emotional climate
The role of feelings
How conflict was handled
What each learned about being a husband or wife and being male/female
How unfinished business from f/o affects this relationship
Significant “marker” events
Managing anger and other feelings
Relationships with In-laws
Gender roles
Children
Work
Goals
Stress
Resolving conflicts
Religion/spirituality
Money management
Sex/sexuality
Grief

How many sessions are required?

We suggest a minimum of three but prefer six sessions to maximize exploration and learning. The couple can certainly request more if desired. Couples will need to contact us several months in advance to ensure availability.

What is the cost?

Our flat fee is $100 per session.

Training Lay Persons
Training Congregations
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