So...what is a Pastoral Counselor anyway?
We are counselors, which means we have advanced education in the field of counseling, which enables us to be licensed by the State of Arizona...but there's more. In addition to having advanced education in the field of counseling, when a Pastoral Counselor counsels individuals, couples and families, they do so in a way that integrates the understanding and experience of theology and spirituality with the knowledge and skill of psychology and psychotherapy.
Religious language may or may not be a part of the counseling dialogue, depending on the beliefs or wishes of the client. However, irrespective of the language, an observer would notice a qualitative difference in the depth of counseling experience when there is a holistic attention to the spiritual, as well as psychological, meanings in the stories of people's lives.
Because Pastoral Counselors approach counseling sessions with the intention of integrating spirituality, each Pastoral Counselor also has training in theology and religious studies, many are clergy or members of a religious order who have been endorsed or specially recognized for their work.
Finally, while Pastoral Counselors are trained to understand psychopathology and work among and along with mental health practitioners, the focus of pastoral counseling is not from a mental illness model. Rather, it is a model that looks for unique possibilities for healing, change and growth in every situation. The Pastoral Counselor works in collaboration with the persons who come for help, with the aim that they find faith, hope, and courage to keep reaching for what they truly want in their lives and relationships.