Loyola's graduate programs in pastoral counseling offer a place where faith, research, and professional paths intersect, creating a caring, yet rigorous academic experience. Our distinguished faculty members, pioneers in the field, invite you into their classrooms to begin your discernment and vocational journey. Through this in-depth introduction, you will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with current students and faculty members to learn more about their discipline, their research, and their clinical experiences.

TUESDAY, MARCH 13
9:30-12pm: Pastoral Helping Relationships (MA course)
Designed to enhance the students' self-understanding of the methods and motivations used by caregivers in helping relationships. Introduces M.A. students to basic counseling skills necessary for pastoral care situations. Such interviewing skills as attending, listening, reflecting feelings, and restating ideas are taught. Students are also introduced to the theological underpinnings of the helping relationship. Distinctions between counseling, caregiving, and spiritual direction are examined. Professor Larry LeNoir.

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1:30-4pm: PsychoSpiritual Issues in Counseling (PhD course)
An advanced course in clinical and pastoral integration. Students read and reflect on spiritual themes as they emerge in clinical experience. Clinical case presentations focus primarily on spiritual or religious issues and approaches that will assist clients. Students have the opportunity of exploring their pastoral identity and how it enhances their clinical practice. Professor Joseph Stewart-Sicking.

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Wednesday, March 14
9:30-12pm: Psychological Testing (PhD course)
Focuses on the understanding of the individual through methodology of data collection, testing, and interpretation. An overview of the field of psychological testing: basic concepts, interest and personality inventories, and projective techniques. Reviews the use of the psychological report. The didactic experiential approach is the teaching method used. Includes ethical and legal issues as well as professional identification and orientation as related to this topic. Also discusses multicultural and social issues in relation to this subject. Professor Ralph Piedmont.

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7:00-9:30pm Theological Anthropology (MS/PhD Theology Course)
Overarching and universal themes in religious experience and conversation are considered. Some of these themes are sin, suffering, freedom, conversion, salvation, and grace. The students' objective is to discover the relevance of these themes in their personal experience and the experiences of those with whom they work. Questions are explored that originate in the process of becoming a more fully aware and healthy person; for example: What is the nature of our theological experience? How does theology shape us as individuals? Does theology promote or inhibit human development and well-being? How do we reconcile our theology with the experience of suffering? The course content is designed to promote theological insight and challenges for theological discernment in the existential situation. Professor Gerry Fialkowski.

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Thursday, March 15
9:30-12pm: Intro. To Pastoral Counseling (MS)
An introduction to the professional identity, responsibilities, goals, and functions of clinical mental health counselors who are pastoral counselors. This includes the study of needs assessment; program development; consultation; healthcare and mental health trends; client advocacy; political, social, and cultural issues; and community resources. It also includes an integration of Jesuit values and community commitment as a pastoral counselor. Professor Jill Snodgrass.

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