Case Study: My Clinical Pastoral Education

(Pastor Dunbar) My Clinical Pastoral Education had two different parts. 1. The African Methodist Episcopal Church education was basically hands off with a mentor with home visits and hospitalization visits under the leadership of a senior pastor. Several classes consisted of how to handle yourself in different situations. 2. The United Methodist system was beyond ordinary with accelerating classes, informative reading, and papers to be written as it relates to CPE. Part of the experience I personally had was being part of a licensing school taught by Joe Smith. He was probably one of the greatest Clinical Pastoral Educators around. An internship course at that time was only six weeks at a hospital working with the sick and sometimes working

with the mentally ill, yours truly augmented that because I was testing and dealing with human behavior.
Instead of receiving Continuing Education Units by reading books I started taking classes at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Capital University and Bowling Green State around sociology and psychology so I could figure out how people tick. I think that has been a wonderful part of my ability not to let people get on my nerves. Those who do not have time and spiritual connection will find their behavior all over the place.