Willows Counselling Service
Willows Counselling Service
WILLOWS COUNSELLING SERVICE PROVIDES A KEY ROLE IN PASTORAL CAREWhen Jesus commanded us to love one another as I have loved you, it was clear that the love he was talking about, and had demonstrated during his earthly life, included both care and support to our neighbours. We now know this as Pastoral Care. In a society with ever widening social and geographical mobility, plus changing attitudes towards family life, there is a greater need for Christian churches to make Pastoral Care a part of their outreach ministry. Traditionally, people with problems were able to call on extended families living in close proximity for care and support but this is no longer the case. Today?s society faces the challenges of increased individual isolation and physical distance from family support. As Christians we are called to fill this void via Pastoral Care, but we need to be both organised and equipped to carry out our mission.
Willows Counselling Service helps to provide the necessary tools for our mission and devotes a significant amount of their resources to facilitating and training Pastoral Carers, who often find talking to people in their community challenging, particularly if those people are undergoing life changing and often traumatic experiences.
Examination of key issues affecting our lives confirms the need for local churches to become involved in Pastoral Care. Willows recently collated the following examples from major surveys. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men suffer from depression, over 50% of visits to a GP are stress related, 33% of the population have unresolved trauma in their lives, over 33% of all relationships end in breakdown, 1 in 7 adults have suffered some form of childhood abuse ? these are people who need Jesus? love and care through us.
So what is the role of the laity in pastoral care? Firstly, we must appreciate that the number of fully ordained stipendiary ministers has decreased significantly over the past few years. Clergy today have to take charge of large urban conurbations with numerous housing estates or as many as eight rural parishes. The only way in which the needs of such areas can be known and addressed through the love of Jesus is via the laity. The word ?laity? is derived from the original word ?laos? meaning all Christians including priests and bishops, so as Christians, we can all legitimately accept equal roles as carers and supporters of those less fortunate members of their communities according to the spiritual gifts God has bestowed on us. Willows can help us discover and develop those spiritual gifts associated with supporting others whose lives are going through ?stormy waters?.
Willows have long recognised that Pastoral Care requires additional skills and attitudes to those involved in normal social interaction. These include active listening, empathy, appropriate responses, self-awareness, confidentiality, good caring practice and discernment as to when full counselling may be needed. Willows are able to provide training, information, consultation and general assistance on the practical aspects of caring to parishes considering setting up teams. Such training and assistance, combined with prayer, calling and commitment will result in a powerful Pastoral Care ministry where all Christians are well equipped to serve in God?s name. Willows can provide initial and ongoing help to clergy and ministry teams in dealing with pastoral difficulties.
An excellent grounding in Pastoral Care is available through the Willows Introduction to Pastoral Counselling Course. Over a period of ten weeks, experienced tutors deal with a variety of issues showing how our faith can be used with practical skills and self-awareness to produce an effective and lasting Pastoral Care ministry in local communities. The most recent Pastoral Counselling Course finished in November 2005 with participants receiving a recognised qualification verified by Henley College, Coventry.
Once your Pastoral Care team is in place or for those established teams, Willows are available for consultation, providing information and help in further developing your team?s pastoral ministry. At All Saints, Lydiard Millicent, Wiltshire, Willows are currently assisting in setting up a Pastoral Care team for six local churches. They will also assist in helping both new and established teams in dealing with problematic issues such as complex bereavements, sufferers from childhood abuse, eating disorders, and difficult relationships.
Willows Counselling Service is a charitable organisation supported by local Churches and are based in Swindon. If you would like help with your pastoral ministry or in setting up a new one, please call Gilly Price at Willows on 01793 706646 or email us as willows@willowscounselling.org.uk. Or visit our Website at www.willowscounselling.org.uk Back to top
