What Is A Counseling Chaplain?

  A counseling Chaplain is a bit different than a clinical counselor or therapist. While we may provide similar services, counseling Chaplain's integrate spirituality, faith and theology with psychotherapy to help people seeking assistance with   personal, family, marital and faith issues.   Most counseling Chaplains have experience and training in the ministry, hold at   least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, are credentialed by a local religious community, and have   significant education and supervised counseling experience. Many also possess a state license as a psychologist, marriage   and family therapist or social worker.

Chaplain Mark is NOT a licensed therapist he holds a bachelor's degree only.

A Day Life of a Counseling Chaplain

   I spend much of my day talking with clients, helping them in a variety of ways—some time premarital counseling for those who are preparing to be married, while at other times providing grief counseling for those who have recently lost a loved   one. Still other times help with substance abuse, personal counseling, and crises of faith. Due to my training in therapy and counseling techniques, I can assist clients in the same ways that a licensed therapist can.    It is common for a parishioner to seek out assistance from other members of the church or from their pastor when they want to deal with personal issues from a faith-based perspective.   Others may seek out a chaplain for assistance with spiritual guidance and prayer. However, there are circumstances when the nature of the problem and the therapy desired   calls for care from a professional with a more specialized educational background and training. This is where a chaplain   counselor may be the best fit.

Pastoral Counseling Settings   

    A Counseling Chaplain may be called upon when a member of a congregation needs professional assistance or when any person, in any situation, would like spirituality, faith and theology incorporated with their emotional care. counseling    Chaplain's often have private practices through which they see patients, but they are not limited to seeing patients in the  professional setting of an office. Chaplain care can take place in settings such as churches, hospitals, prisons, industrial   workplaces, homes, law enforcement agencies, and military combat zones. This is one of the primary distinctions between a   chaplain counselor and clinical counselors, such as clinical psychologists, marriage and family therapists and social workers.     While most clinical counselors are strongly discouraged from interaction outside the professional counseling relationship, and typically have a single contact setting (an office) A     Chaplain counselors typically find ways to relate to the client on multiple levels and are encouraged to build a relationship and dialogue with a person outside of formal counseling settings.