CPSP Pastoral Report

I do not believe anyone involved in healthcare would argue the fact that our healthcare system needs overhauling. That was the main point I took away from another lecture by John C. Nelson, M.D. this past May when I attended the Association of Professional Chaplains annual conference in Atlanta. Dr. Nelson did a remarkable job of outlining the problems with our national healthcare system and offering workable solutions. He received a warm response by the Association.

As we all learned, either in our classes in behavioral science, in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), or in therapy, the first step to solving a problem is to recognize and admit there is a problem. “Denial ain’t just a ‘river in Egypt,’” as Stewart Smalley says. Then there is the old joke, “How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb?” Answer: “One, but only if it really wants to change.” “Wanting to change” is the second step.

As Capra points out, “wanting to change” begins with dissatisfaction over the way things are. And it seems that the biggest resistance to change comes from those who are simply satisfied with the status quo. As a profession of chaplains and pastoral educators, we must never get to the place where we are merely satisfied with “the existing system.” We cannot afford to simply “stay the course.” I remember well one of my CPE supervisors saying, “Never stop pushing your growing edges.” That is true for us as individuals, but it is also true for us as a profession as well.
To quote Capra again, “The most important force in health care revolution is a strong grass-roots movement of individuals and newly formed organizations dissatisfied with the existing system.” In the College oof Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP), I have found that grass-root movement of individuals who have formed a relatively new organization. Yes, they were, and still are, dissatisfied . . . “with the existing system.”

For personal and family reasons, I have chosen to remain located in central Arkansas. I have found a place to practice my profession as a chaplain in a health system here. However, the opportunities for personal and professional development have been rather limited in this part of the country. For example, the nearest Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) program offering training in Supervisory CPE is a several hours’ drive away from where I live and work. However, through CPSP, I have recently found an opportunity where I can pursue becoming a CPE Supervisor as a Supervisor in Training while remaining in central Arkansas. I am grateful for this “grass-roots movement” of individuals who became “dissatisfied with the existing system” and formed the organization of CPSP, making Supervisory Training more “accessible” here and elsewhere in the country.

I truly believe that CPSP is the “most important force” in the pastoral care movement today. And it is a force that is not going away.
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Al Henager
Staff Chaplain, BCC.,BCCC
Department of Pastoral Care
University of Arkansas For Medical Sciences
Little Rock, AR