Clinical Pastoral Education Courses 2026 (400 Hours)

Venue:

Pastoral Education Seminar Room

Level 3 De Lacy Building and/or Virtual (Microsoft Teams).

Date details:

Course registration and payment link: 

Program overview:

CPE programs at St Vincent’s
St Vincent’s Hospital is one of Sydney’s leading health care institutions with a long tradition in educating healthcare professionals including pastoral care practitioners
St Vincent’s recognises that spiritual care is an integral part of patients’ healing and well-being.  It has a dynamic pastoral care department that responds to the spiritual care needs of patients, their families and the staff.

Clinical Pastoral Education CPE) Centre, was established by Sr Margaret Lee in 1981.  The Centre offers Introductory, Basic, Advanced and Supervisory Education programs. 

CPE program involves:

• Weeks in teaching sessions: 
  18 weeks + 3 days extra (orientation, Mid- Term /End-Unit Evaluation). 5 hours a week.  
  10 months for the Year Long Unit
• Group work: 90 hours scheduled, students must attend a minimum of 80 hours. 
• Individual Supervision: 10 hours. Students must complete 10 hour of individual supervision
• Clinical Placement:  200 hours.  Learning from one’s experience of providing Pastoral Care to patients and their families (Minimum of 150 hours of clinical practice)
• Study and assignment: 100 hours
• Responding to the vulnerable and to people experiencing crisis. 
• Working with a small group to develop one’s knowledge and skills
• Reflecting theologically and growing your understanding of the theology/philosophy that informs your praxis
• An opportunity to work alongside other members of the healing team

Catering:

Participants are encouraged to bring their own lunch, alternatively there is a cafe within St Vincent's Hospital. Tea and coffee will be provided.

Key topics:

• The Role of Pastoral/Spiritual Practitioner
• Principals that informs Pastoral Boundaries/Ethics
• Spiritual Care Australia (formation)
• Pastoral Intervention; Listening skills, inviting the patient’s story, Empathy, Validation, responding to existential questions and exploring spiritual/emotional needs. 
• Becoming a reflective Pastoral/Spiritual practitioner, supervision a reflective space for learning; taking charge of my learning.
• Theological Reflections; my theology of Pastoral Practice, Methods of Theological Reflection, understanding suffering and responding to what tradition/faith offers in pastoral practice. 
• Spiritual assessments; hopes, values, dreams and resources.
• Understanding culture
• Grief and Loss
• Documenting Pastoral Visit/Intervention
• Group dynamics
• Self care: a theology and practice
• Appropriate use of Pastoral/spiritual resources; prayer, ritual/liturgical, sacraments. 

Who should attend:

Pastoral Care Practitioners, Chaplains, Seminarians, Parish Pastoral Workers, volunteers, healthcare professionals, those wishing to explore suitability to work in this field, those seeking to develop their capacity to provide spiritual care and those seeking to deepen their search for  a deeper spiritual meaning in life.

Course enquiries:

Helena Naif (Sr), 8382 2119

Bernadeta.naif@svha.org.au

Course Pre-requisites:

 n/a

Pricing:

Maximum number of students:

32 Students/Year
6 Students/class or 7/class students with NSWCCPE ARPS Committee approval 

Catering:

Participants are encouraged to bring their own lunch.

Parking:

For parking options, please click here

Cancellation policy:

Registration Fees will be refunded in full if Pastoral Education Centre is notified a month before starting date, 80% two weeks before starting date, 50% two weeks after starting date. No refund will apply for cancellation a month after starting date.

St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney does not accept responsibility for any act or omission on the part of the Seminar/Conference/Event organiser/presenters. No liability is accepted for inaccuracy, misdescription, delay, damage, personal injury or death.

St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney collects personal information provided on this registration form for the intended purpose of processing your seminar/event registration.