Vocations in Pastoral Care

Areas of Service

Training Recommended or Required

Contact

Pastoral Care

Pastor, Church Staff, Social Services

Clinical Pastoral Education (minimum of one unit)

Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE) or CAPPE

Professional 
Chaplaincy

Hospital, hospice, military or other institutional chaplaincy

 Clinical Pastoral Education
(4 unts required for Board certification)

ACPE for training and Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) or NACC or NAJC for certification

Pastoral Educator  
(CPE  Supervisor)

Supervisor of CPE programs in a variety of settings

CPE (Level I, Level II and Supervisory) Successful completion of certification process

Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE)

Pastoral Counselor

Counselor on church staff, counseling center or agency

CPE (at least 1 unit) PLUS Pastoral counseling training program

ACPE for introductory unit and American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC) for pastoral counseling training

Licensed Professional 
Counselor

 Varies from state to state, can often be done in conjunction with pastoral counseling training.

 AAPC or state credentialing agency