Pastoral Crisis Intervention

Pastoral Crisis Intervention may be thought of as the combination of faith-based resources with traditional techniques of crisis intervention. Pastoral crisis intervention represents a powerful addition to traditional community and organizational psychological support resources. The purpose of this two-day course is to assist the participants in learning how pastoral interventions and traditional psychological crisis interventions may be effectively integrated.

Chaplains, pastoral counselors, mental health professionals, ministers, and anyone interested in the use of faith-based resources in healing should find this course of interest.

Program Highlights:

• Nature of human crisis
• Nature of crisis intervention
• Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
• Signs and symptoms of the crisis state
• The “crisis of faith”
• Criteria for psychological triage
• Strategic SAFER-PCI Model
• Common PCI Mistakes
• Challenging PCIs

Successful completion of the Approved Instructor Candidate Program will allow you to teach this curriculum to others. Continuing education will be required to maintain your instructor status.

Prerequisites for Participation in Approved Instructor Candidate Program:

• Completion of the following ICISF courses as taught by ICISF or by an approved ICISF instructor. (Copies of certificates of completion are required to accompany the application.)
  • Group Crisis Intervention
  • Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support
  • Pastoral Crisis Intervention
  • Preferred: Completion of above plus Advanced Group Crisis Intervention.
• A minimum of three years critical incident / traumatic stress experience.
• Completion of a minimum of 5 group interventions. (Equivalent experience will be evaluated on a case by case basis).
• A letter of recommendation from a local, state or regional CISM team or agency / institution dated within three months of application due date.*
• A letter of endorsement from a local, state or regional CISM coordinator or clinical director dated within three months of application due date.** At least one of the letters of recommendation must attest to the instructor candidate’s teaching ability. If neither of the aforementioned letters can do so, a third letter must be submitted.
• Active membership on a crisis intervention team.
• Current ICISF membership.
• A copy of a current CV or resume.
• Official course application form.
• A brief statement outlining:
  1. Your crisis intervention/CISM experience.
  2. Your instructional experience.
  3. Reasons for applying for ICISF Approved Instructor Training.