(2 credits) This class will develop the students’ interpersonal competencies of spiritual care or pastoral care and counseling, focusing on the foundational skills most often used by those in service roles such as chaplains, therapists, counselors, dharma instructors, and community leaders. Students will learn and practice current therapeutic skills such as compassionate presence, reflective listening, bearing witness, spiritual assessment, and explore concepts of suffering, spiritual struggle, and supporting others in crisis and to create change. Students will develop self-awareness while offering pastoral/spiritual care, and may begin to discover how their personal histories and spiritual traditions inform their practice of caregiving/ministry. This class may offer practical training in communication and contemplative skills for effectively, compassionately, and sustainably engaging in helping relationships with others. The introductory course is intended for both MA and MDiv students and community members or CE students.
MISSION STATEMENT: Maitripa College is a Buddhist institution of higher education offering contemplative learning culminating in graduate degrees. Founded upon three pillars of scholarship, meditation, and service, Maitripa College curriculum combines Western academic and Tibetan Buddhist disciplines. Through the development of wisdom and compassion, graduates are empowered with a sense of responsibility to work joyfully for the wellbeing of others. We serve our students and the region through diverse and relevant educational, religious, and community programs.
