Pastoral Skills and Methods
Overview
Pastoral Skills and Methods helps students to explore and critique the aims and methods of pastoral care. It is a practical unit teaching relational skills such as empathy, respect, and how to listen to others. Special attention is given to the pastoral care of persons with special needs, including those with disabilities, as well as those in situations such as divorce, bereavement, and depression.
Mode
|
On-campus |
| Workload |
12 credit points, 36 contact hours |
| Status |
Elective |
| Subject Code |
PC003 |
| Teacher |
Richard Trist |
Content
Section A: Pastoral Skills and Methods
An introduction to aims and methods in pastoral care and pastoral counselling and their implications for Christian community.
- Relational skills; empathy, respect, concreteness, genuineness; listening skills
- Equipping others; teaching, encouragement, recognition of abilities, training
- Mechanics of care; administration, publicity, the various settings of care, record-keeping
Section B: Pastoral Care in Particular Situations
In the topics studied below, attention should be paid not only to the needs of those in care but the carers’ own lives.
5. Pastoral care of persons with special needs, including
- the recognition of normal and abnormal conditions
- the mentally ill
- handicapped and disabled persons
6. Pastoral care of people in the following situations
- marital disharmony and divorce
- dying, death and bereavement; the grief process
- depression
7. Pastoral care of those in crises, or with chronic conditions. Students study two of:
- alcoholism & drug dependence
- attempted suicide
- long-term illness
- child abuse and domestic violence
- AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases
- unemployment and work related stress
- those in trouble with the law
- financial or debt-related stress
8. Community resources for pastoral care, including other helping professions; when to refer
Study Expectations
In this subject, you can expect to be guided through a variety of weekly learning activities which are designed to develop your understanding of and skills in the themes and passages covered in the syllabus. Students should allow 10 hours of study time per week for this advanced subject.
