What does Pastoral Care mean

 

Definition:

Pastoral care is an ancient model of emotional and spiritual support that can be found in all cultures and traditions. It has been described in our modern context as individual and corporate patience in which trained pastoral carers support people in their pain, loss and anxiety, and their triumphs, joys and victories.

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Pastoral care in our day  is emerging in the public arena in its own right as a care model and profession in our day.  Its value and helpfulness is now recognised as applicable to people generally in their everyday life.

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Because its theory and philosophy is not dependent on any one set of beliefs or traditions, so pastoral carers are trained to relate gently and skilfully with the inner world of individuals from all walks of life. They are trained to understand and relate a  persons sense of self, their inner resources, resilience and capacity to cope.

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They are not counsellors or therapists. They are personal relators operating under a positive motivation that has no strings attached.

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Pastoral care is:

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•          Holistic approach to the whole person

•          Exploring the inner essence soul in all of us: the inner world

•          Historically Christian .

 

 

A pastoral care worker is available for general or specific life issues concerning grief, loss, identity, , meaning of life, loss of hope, marriage break-downs, financial burdens, language barriers, loneliness, coping with disability, etc., as well as peoples triumphs, joys and victories.

 

 

Pastoral care includes

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•         Seeking to be available to you at all times, especially in times of crisis

          However appointments are preferred  

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•          Somewhere to go, someone to listen without necessarily wanting an outcome or treatment               e.g. for depression

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•          Looking Spiritual/religious issues they are often a part of a quest for a deeper meaning of                   life, and understanding of self.

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•           Referring  people to Health and Counselling services.

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•           Assist people who are too afraid to approach more formal avenues of help that is, they can                act as gatekeepers

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•           Providing a place to go and talk for those who are uneasy with the society in which they                      find themselves 

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•           Sustaining ongoing care and support with people to develop healthy relationships.