Our program providing Pastors the opportunity to develop their skills from anywhere.

There is a sacred trust that allows pastors into the vulnerable moments of life. Precious few people are invited into struggles with addiction, medical diagnoses, tragedy or spiritual crises.  Clinical Pastoral Education offers the most trusted and tried means to develop pastoral care practices that are skilled, self-aware, and refined.

Through our years-long tested online format, you engage in group and individual supervision with an ACPE certified educator, for your own ministry context so that you can be the best pastor/chaplain possible to the people in your care.

There are two things every congregation consistently asks of their pastor–can they preach and will they be there for me when I am in need? Congregations are eager to invest in the most reliable method to improve pastoral care quality and pastoral well-being.

– Rev. Dr. Soomee Kim, ACPE Certified Educator

In order to qualify, whether looking to develop their skills as a pastor in their own context or as someone pursuing CPE units for certification as a chaplain, prospective students must be engaged in at least 20 hours of pastoral care or congregational ministry per week. There is an application fee of $50 and tuition for the unit is $3500.

100% of participants in the fall 2021 Clinical Pastoral Education cohorts said they would “recommend this CPE training to a friend or colleague in a role similar to yours.”

Reserved for pastors/chaplains, ministry candidates, and lay persons interested in providing pastoral care; candidates will be selected based on their preparedness to walk with people during the most difficult moments of their life.

Applications are accepted throughout the year 

During the application process, students will indicated their term and day of the week availability. Groups are offered exclusively online, or in a hybrid setting with an in-person retreat and online supervision.

Eight ACPE certified educator groups are offered throughout the year in various lengths and on different days of the week:

  • In the fall, Multiple extended groups are held spanning five to six months with an in-person orientation retreat. The units are scheduled to end before Holy Week the next year.
  • An Intensive all virtual group meets for 13 weeks, every Thursday for 8 hours.
  • Various extended groups are offered in the spring and summer on different days of the week.
  • A special group for Korean speaking students is offered based on student interest and adequate enrollment.

Program Highlights:

  • Complete CPE certification requirements in the student’s ministry context, without the need to serve in CPE centers’ clinical units or to cover overnight on-calls
  • We use the applicants’ ministry settings for their “clinical assignments” so that they don’t have to add extra 300 hours of ministry
  • Group and individual instruction conducted online; accessible for those residing far from traditional CPE centers
  • Accredited by the ACPE —the highest standard for spiritual care and education
  • Fulfills CPE unit for certification as a chaplain or as required by your Annual Conference Board of Ordained Ministry
  • All faculty members are ACPE Certified

This interfaith program focuses on formation through self-awareness and empathy, granting capacity to engage and shepherd people with spiritual guidance during the most difficult times of their lives.

– Rev. Mike Baughman

Center for Integrative Pastoral Practice

The Center for Integrative Pastoral Practice (CIPP) extends opportunities for chaplaincy education by offering hybrid, community-based Clinical Pastoral Education. CIPP is fully accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE) and offer Level I and Level II CPE programs by the ACPE Certified Educators.

ACPE is the premier, Department of Education-recognized organization that provides the highest quality CPE programs for spiritual care professionals of any faith and in any setting.

If you have any questions or for more information on our Clinical Pastoral Education program, please contact the Rev. Dr. Soomee Kim at skim@gbhem.org.

Interested in future CPE Programs in 2024? 

71% of patients want chaplains to offer support to their family and friends.