The College of Pastoral Supervision & Psychotherapy is a theologically based covenant community, dedicated to "recovery of the soul" and promoting competency in the clinical pastoral field.
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After not attending an NCTS gathering for several years, returning home became an apt metaphor on multiple levels. Being one of several dual-process SITs, (ACPE and CPSP) in the mid 90’s, the training road was in some respects uncomfortable to travel. The bi-annual NCTS gatherings became for us an integral part of our SIT journey, as a place where we as trainees pursuing supervisory CPE were welcome to meet together and focus on our respective gifts and growing edges. These sessions became an opportunity to share our work, play a little, and deepen our collegial relationships in the context of a hospitable learning environment.
At that time I was not alone in feeling like we experienced the early tension between Cabot and Boisen as Richard Liew created and sought to remain faithful to the agenda while Raymond Lawrence lived out an exploration of the existential moment in the midst of whatever transpired. These memories were very much with me as I participated in NCTS gathering in October 2010.
On another level returning home arose within me as I arrived at the Stella Maris Retreat Center that beautiful fall morning in October. The pool area, and the little shelter overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, looked vaguely familiar. I commented to several that I remembered being at this setting previously. Upon returning to my office, I looked through some old files to uncover whether or not my recollection was on target.
Early in 1996, perhaps at the Plenary itself, the Pastoral Counselor designation had been developed and introduced to CPSP by Perry Miller. I was encouraged by my supervisor in letter form, “by the fictitious authority vested in me as a member of the New York Diplomate Chapter,” to convene the founding Pastoral Counselor Chapter. We held the inaugural chapter meeting of pastoral counselors at the Stella Maris Retreat Center, July 12 & 13, 1996. This meeting was held in conjunction with our NY/NJ Chapter meeting. We as SIT’s met separately to begin building a chapter together. Beng-Imm Low and I were affirmed as co-conveners. Thom Keely, at that time a chaplain and SIT in a Veteran’s Hospital in West Virginia, was selected to be our representative to the Governing Council. As to the name of the chapter, we were considering names relating to the midwife image from our CPSP covenant.
In the midst of our deliberations, however, Storm Bertha threatened the New Jersey coast and we had to evacuate prematurely from the retreat center. By our meeting during the fall NCTS in October 1996, it was decided that our chapter would be called “Birtha” in keeping with our initial midwife focus and in recognition of the stormy winds and waves enlivening our deliberations and actions. Already by that October meeting chapter members were initiating additional pastoral counselor chapters in various locations. For a time, at least through 1998, the Birtha Chapter met in conjunction with the NCTS gatherings.
Ultimately the Birtha Chapter experienced a short but significant life revealing the transition from SIT’s sitting with diplomate chapter members to meeting separately in what quickly became multiple pastoral counselor chapters. Prior to the Pastoral Counselor designation, we as SIT’s sat with diplomates as they lived out chapter life. It was incredibly powerful to directly witness our chapter members living as authentically as they were able to in community with all that this represented. In many respects, though acknowledging that many have benefitted from the pastoral counselor certification, as an SIT I experienced this development from our prior posture largely as a loss when our opportunities to sit with diplomates quickly evaporated.
During the NCTS gathering, therefore, I was literally dwelling in the space between the memory of this auspicious gathering in 1996 as a group of green SITs, and being present with those gathering in 2010 including SITs I am now supervising, both occurring at the Stella Maris Retreat Center. May generations of trainees, perhaps once again including those seeking dual certification, experience the relational hospitality and sense of returning home built into NCTS that has been so meaningful for me.
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The Rev. Dr. Steven Voytovich is Director of the Department of Pastoral Care and Education at Episcopal Health Services in New York. He can be contacted at svoytovi@ehs.org
Dr. Voytovich has been named the Keynote Presenter for the National Clinical Training Seminar spring meeting being held February 28-March 1, 2011.
Posted by Perry Miller, Editor at February 17, 2011 9:05 AM
