Winter 2003

The INNERLIFE
A Publication of the
Pastoral Counseling Centers of Tennessee, Inc.

Partners in Caring Since 1985

NURTURING THE INSTITUTION
In the Lord’s Supper the Words of Institution infuse that which is common with transcendent depth. For many Christians, the Supper unites one with Christ and is the occasion for worship. While no "institution" can compete with what comes together in the Lord’s Supper, it is hoped that all of our institutions could somehow be infused with the Spirit of God. As we complete 2002 and begin 2003, our sensitivities to that Spirit is worth consideration.

First, I am aware of how God’s presence so often appears in the midst of brokenness, poverty, and failure, that which is common. The human condition occasions ample experience in these arenas. A local social worker is overwhelmed by her workload and by the sense of frustration that her clients do not
change. An African American mother feels hopeless when two of her children become pregnant outside of marriage and she is left to provide guidance to them and her first grandchildren. A young Christian questions her faith when she is anxious about her vocation and her finances after losing her job. An eleven year old does not understand why her
father has abused her and then rejected her. These souls are bombarded and struggle with how they will understand themselves and their faith in these experiences. I belong to an institution that seeks to help persons in these experiences. These human stories are present in a particular environment.

The current environment is a challenge for nonprofits. A recent article in The Tennessean observed the challenges for nonprofits in Nashville. Executive directors and their boards are having to make adjustments because of the economic
environment in which we find ourselves. Like other
nonprofits, we are working to stretch our financial resources.

There are a couple of things I would observe about our experience in this environment. First, our primary assignment is to remain faithful to our mission. The counseling and education that we do is so very important. There has not been a reduction in people who need help, in students in need of training, or in the intensity of crises we see. In fact, demand is
as high as ever. Just as the challenge to the individual is to remain faithful, our challenge as an institution is to remain faithful and this we shall do. Remaining faithful to the mission is what an institution is about.

Second, institutions are composed of constituents who play critical roles. We are profoundly grateful for the pastoral counselors and support staff which we have in the Pastoral Counseling Centers of Tennessee. Their loyal service makes it possible for us to be faithful. We are blessed with many
generous friends who make it possible to sustain our work. Our supporting congregations, ourcontributors, and the people who refer counselees to us are simply the best. We are richly blessed by friends, and we give thanks to God that they are able to stand with us in an environment like this one. We are grateful.

Finally, every human experience has potential for some revelation. While this does not mean all experience has deep meaning, it does mean that God does not forsake, that there is nothing that separates us from God’s love, and there is no
human experience that is hopeless. In the final analysis, this is what the Words of Institution seek "to re-member." Persons and institutions will face suffering and challenges, and our challenge is to live in faith.

We are excited about the opportunities for service in 2003 and hope that you will call on us for counseling, enrichment, and training.

We nurture the institution by serving. We are sustained by the community of the faithful. Both personally and institutionally, our hope is in God.
James R. Coffman
Executive Director

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

JANUARY
28 CPE BOARD MEETING
31 STUDY GROUP: Extra Marital Affairs
Facilitator: Dr. Jim Coffman
9:00 am - Noon, Vine Street Center

FEBRUARY
7 STAFF RETREAT
20 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
MARCH
25 CPE BOARD MEETING

APRIL
28 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

MAY
Mental Health Month

15 “IN THE PRESENCE OF GRIEF”
Presenter: Dr. Dorothy S. Becvar
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
27 CPE BOARD MEETING
30 STUDY GROUP 9:00 am - noon

JUNE

19 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

JULY
22 CPE BOARD MEETING

AUGUST
21 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
29 STUDY GROUP 9:00 am - Noon

Dorothy S. Becvar, Ph. D., M.S.W., is a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice in St. Louis, Missouri and is President and CEO of the Haelan Centers, a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to promoting growth and wholeness in the body, mind and spirit. She is also a well-respected teacher and trainer who has been a member of the faculties of the University of Missouri - St. Louis, St. Louis University, Texas Tech University, Washington University and Radford University and has presented workshops and taught courses, both nationally and internationally, on a wide variety of topics.

“In the Presence of Grief: Helping Family Members Resolve Death, Dying and Bereavement Issues” is the topic for this lecture and discussion on May 15, 2003. Dorothy S. Becvar, Ph.D. will be the presenter for this seminar sponsored by the Nashville Clinical Pastoral Education Partnership and the Partner Institutions: Baptist Hospital, McKendree Village Retirement Community, Saint Thomas Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Dealing with the death of a loved one involves more than picking up the pieces and moving on – rather, survivors live indefinitely in the presence of grief. More than picking up the pieces and moving on, individuals are challenged to create an entirely new picture, or story, about themselves, their world, and what it means to live. For those in a supportive role, the focus is on helping the bereaved to navigate the grieving process and, ultimately, to reclaim joy as well as sadness as an integral part of life.

Similarly, awareness of being in the presence of grief, regardless of the passage of time, is crucial for pastoral counselors, therapists and others working to help family members resolve death, dying, bereavement and related end-of-life issues. Understanding grief as an inevitable part of the context may enhance the ability to provide meaningful assistance. Participants in this workshop will have an opportunity to understand various grief reactions as well as learn ways to support clients on their healing journeys consistent with evidence derived from the latest research studies. Provided will be an overview of the various contexts of grief including: anticipated and unanticipated death; euthanasia issues; child loss; sibling loss; parent loss; spousal loss; and loss of an extended family
member or friend. Also discussed will be grief in the context of counseling and therapy with a consideration of strategies related to creating funerals, ceremonies and other healing rituals; searching for meaning; and the process of reclaiming joy.

For further information on this seminar or to request
registration materials, please call Chrissa Jennings or
Dan McRight at 615-383-2115.

ACCREDITED CENTER
The Pastoral Counseling Centers of Tennessee, Inc. is one of only 33 centers in the United States that holds accreditation through the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC) as a Service Center and Approved Training Program. We are the only center or practice in Tennessee, which has met the strenuous standards of the AAPC. We believe that our work should be held to a high standard and seek to submit the operation of our centers and the clinical work conducted in them to the careful scrutiny of AAPC. In addition, many of our staff members hold licenses in the state of Tennessee, which further helps assure quality care for the people with whom we work.

Archived Issues:
Winter 2003: Nuturing the Institution
Fall 2002
Summer 2002
Spring 2002
Winter 2002: Ethics In The Workplace
Fall 2001: Room for Laughter
Spring 2001: Suicide - A Loss of Hope
Winter 2001: Helping a Child Through Loss
Fall 2000: Adolescence and Substance Abuse
Summer 2000: Hospitality, A Context for Care and Healing
Spring 2000: The Cry of Anguish