Periodically, we get asked what we do… and what we don’t do. So here is a list of activities.
DO: We do pastoral counseling with people who come to us. This type of counseling is “spiritual informed” but utilizes insights from the social sciences and the 2000 years of church history (embracing an “integrationist approach.” Counseling is done free of charge. Donations are not refused, but also not encouraged.
DON’T: We don’t do clinical psychological counseling. We also don’t embrace a nuothetic or “bible-only” approach to counseling.
DO: We hold certified training in Clinical Pastoral Education. This certification is through CPSP (College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy) and CPSP-Philippines. We do charge for this form of training (typically P15,000 per full unit, and P8,000 per half unit).
DO: We also hold seminars on various topics like depression, abuse, basic counseling skills, conflict resolution, family relationships, and more. We normally do these on request from hosts. We don’t normally charge for such trainings, but do expect the host to provide venue, sound and video systems, snacks, and promotions. If we have to travel a sizable distance, we would expect lodging, food, and travel costs covered.
DON’T: We are not a certified provider of CPD (Certified Professional Development) trainings as identified by the Philippine Regulatory Commission.
DO: Do refer to specialists for issues that are better handled by others, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, physicians, social workers, and so forth.
DON’T: We don’t do formal psychological assessments (such as is needed for activities like court cases, or government requirements).
DO: We also do practical chaplaincy work in hospital and jail settings.
DO: We welcome visitors to our office on the grounds of Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary (19 Tacay Road, Baguio City, Philippines)
DON’T: Don’t just show up without appointment. We are a group of volunteers and so we are often not at the office. When we are at the office already holding training or doing counseling. If someone is there at the office and not busy, he or she would be happy to talk, but it is better to contact us first.
DO: We do have training materials available– much of it self-produced. Books on Pastoral Counseling are available at our office and on the Web. These we have to charge for. Electronic resources are also available online… especially on http://www.slideshare,net.
Bukal Life Care 