Spiritual Training

Clinical Pastoral Education Program

This CPE Program provides training for the next generation of spiritual leaders in caring for patients and families affected by substance use.

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Enroll in Caron's Clinical Pastoral Education Program

Led by one of Caron’s experienced Board-Certified Chaplains, the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program offers practical training accompanied by education to deepen understanding and knowledge. The program is designed for those with master’s degrees or students in seminary or a master’s program who want to better understand how to provide spiritual care to those wrestling with substance use or mental health issues.

Caron’s program is affiliated with the Center for Spiritual Care & Pastoral Formation (CSCPF).

The Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) has previously accepted this program’s CSCPF CPE unit to count, alongside three Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) units, for students applying for board certification through APC/Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI). CSCPF also offers board certification opportunities with four CPE units and the formal application process.

The 400-hour program includes:

  • Clinical spiritual care (300 hours): Participants receive training and regular supervision as they provide spiritual care to patients in individual and group sessions and participate in staff meetings. This clinical internship can be done at Caron or another site.
  • Education (100 hours): Offered online through Webex, the education component includes individual and group supervision as well as verbatim/case study writing and presentation, reading assignments, journaling, and other projects.

Typical Program Schedule & Cost

The program is offered two times during the year in the fall and spring. Currently, the educational components of the program are currently remote. Expand the menus below for details about each schedule:

Mondays (5 hours)

Check-in15 minutes
Verbatim 11.25 hours

Break

15 minutes
Verbatim 2, reflection or IPR1 - 1.25 hours

Lunch or Dinner
30 - 45 minutes

Didactic
1.25 hours


The CPE Program cost is offered a very competitive rate of $600 for interns working on campus at Caron or $900 for interns working remotely at a different clinical site. Upon acceptance, a $100 non-refundable payment is required to secure your place in the unit.

Payments can be made over the course of the unit; typically, half is due at the beginning of the program and the other half is due at midterm. To fill out an application, please visit here or for more information please email Rev. Zoë Hill.

Spiritual Leadership with Compassionate Care

Rev. Zoë Hill, M.Div., BCC
CPE Program Director

Caron's CPE Program Director, Rev. Zoë Hill, M.Div., BCC, graduated from Lancaster Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity in 2010. She is ordained through Metropolitan Community Church and currently serves as CPE Program Director at Caron Treatment Centers in Wernersville, Pennsylvania, working with patients in the Women’s Program milieus. She also facilitates specialty groups, such as those dealing with grief and loss and chronic pain.

She has a passion for teaching pastors and chaplains hands-on ministry, especially how to work with people and their families who may be struggling with addictions, grief, and chronic pain.

She began working at Lancaster (PA) General Hospital, followed by St. Luke’s Hospital (Bethlehem, PA) in residency programs prior to starting her ministry at Caron in 2012. At those hospitals, she served in the emergency room, trauma, ICU, mental health, physical rehabilitation, medical and intermediate ICU units.

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