A conversation arose recently among one of our formation groups around tools for one's personal prayer life, so I thought I would collect some of the resources mentioned (with a few additions) here. If you have other resources to add, please comment or send them to me. Thank you!
Apps and Online Resources
Books
Thoughts on CPE
One requirement of the ordination process that strikes fear into the heart of many is the requirement to do a unit of CPE (Clincal Pastoral Education). In a nutshell, CPE is a practical internship that provides training in pastoral care and chaplaincy, usually done in a health care setting. For some it is simply the fear of the unknown. For others it is a fear or dislike of hospitals. For the introverts among us, the thought of walking cold into someone's hospital room and introducing yourself as the chaplain is terrifying. We might prefer a root canal. Others have heard stories of harsh supervisors or problematic group dynamics that have made for unpleasant CPE experiences. While it is true that not everyone comes to love CPE or have a wonderful experience, I hope some of my reflections below can help ease some fears and help you to get the most out of your CPE experience.
First off, I will confess to being one who loves CPE. I have done four units of it, and I am incredibly grateful for the gifts and ways it has shaped me and my ministry. I also know that it can be an incredibly challenging time, and for many one unit is all they would like to do!
Pick your site
We in CT are blessed to be in a rather CPE dense area of the country. Within CT or within an hour of our borders we have numerous CPE sites. This means it will likely be possible for you to have some choice in where you do your CPE. I strongly recommend applying to more than one place. Go and interview. CPE is a profound and enriching experience, and much of it hinges on the relationship with your supervisor. Think of the interview as an opportunity for you to interview the site and your potential supervisor as much as it is an interview of you. If at all possible, choose the site that feels like the best match for you.
Variety and Breadth
If at all possible, I recommend doing CPE in a Level 1 Trauma facility. For the most part this means a large, urban (often teaching) hospital. This is not to say that you cannot have a great experience at a small town hospital - you certainly can! The advantage of a Level 1 Trauma facility is that it will allow you to see a great variety of people and circumstances. You will truly see the breadth of the human condition and the human family there.
Extended vs. Intensive
If the constraints of your professional obligations or family life are such that you cannot take a summer off to spend 40-60 hours a week doing CPE, then the answer is that you need to do an Extended Unit (part-time, ~ 10-15 hours a week during the academic year). If you have flexibility in your schedule, there is certainly something to be said for doing it all at once in a 10 week internship. Particularly, if you think you might be called to healthcare chaplaincy, I would strongly recommend the Summer Intensive as a way to try that on.
Be Gentle with Yourself
While CPE is an incredibly rewarding and enriching experience, it is also exhausting - physically and emotionally. It is not a good idea to plan to accomplish a whole lot else while doing CPE. You need time to do your clinic hours, time to write verbatims, and most of all, you need time to process. The incredible privilege of chaplaincy is that you are right there to walk with people in some of the most profound moments of their lives. That is a gift and a burden. In CPE you will witness a great deal of suffering, and you need time to process that. We can suffer vicariously just by witnessing trauma, and so it is important to be gentle with yourself. Additionally, CPE helps us to be better caregivers because it asks us to examine our own lives and stories to see what baggage it is that we bring with us into the hospital rooms we visit. That is essential work to our formation as ministers, and it is challenging and exhausting. Be sure you have your personal emotional and spiritual support system strongly in place while doing CPE. Prayer, conversation, time to laugh with friends will all be very important in helping you cope with the remarkable learning experience that is CPE!
