Resources for Students in Spiritual Care

The Lab has many resources for chaplaincy students and those considering training in spiritual care. This fact sheet offers a quick overview of contemporary chaplaincy, including trends in training, employment, and the needs of those chaplains serve.

We encourage all to think about training broadly and learn as much as possible about career paths in spiritual care, including technical details like total compensation, early in the process. The Lab encourages employers to post open job listings here; a recent Lab report on individual financial investment in chaplain education and total compensation / work structure is available here. We also provide a series of videos about what employers in particular sectors of spiritual care look for in successful applicants here. Our recently published textbook includes in-depth discussions of skills and concepts that all chaplains need to know. Finally, all of the Lab’s webinars are free to attend and we welcome any interested students.

eBooks

The Lab publishes a number of eBooks of interest to students. These include a beginner’s guide to spiritual care, and introduction to clinical pastoral education, and more. These eBooks are free to download.

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Career Series

In the fall of 2022, the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab will welcome Erica Mattison, certified career coach, for a three-part series called “How to Assemble Your Career Toolbox & Use It to Create Impact.” This series will be beneficial for chaplains at all levels but will be especially useful for those at the very beginning of careers as spiritual caregivers, including students. Register free here; those who attend all three sessions will be entered to win a free one-on-one career consultation with Erica.

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Field Guide series

The Chaplaincy Innovation Lab’s Field Guide for Aspiring Chaplains offers an overview of the basics of spiritual care. In live sessions, there are also opportunities for small group discussion with experienced chaplains. This allows prospective chaplains a safe space to ask questions they may not otherwise feel comfortable asking, get on-the-ground advice for next steps, and generally understand the field better. The series takes place every academic semester, and we encourage students to register (at no cost) here.

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Finding Training Programs

Our databases of chaplaincy degree and certification programs, and of ACPE-accredited CPE sites, can help students determine where and when they would like to pursue their training. You may also wish to read Rev. David Fleenor’s article “What you need to know when filling out a CPE application,” a comprehensive how-to guide written by an experienced CPE educator, here.

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Job Resources

What do chaplaincy employers look for in successful applicants for chaplaincy positions? We interviewed leaders in six key spiritual care sectors and asked what they need in the places they serve. Learn more here.

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We welcome job postings from hiring employers; current openings can be found here.

The Lab’s report on the costs of becoming a chaplain and total compensation and work structure is available here.

Case Studies

Four interactive case studies related to but independent from the textbook cover topics that all chaplains must understand and integrate, regardless of their educational institution or trajectory, such as meaning-making, navigating institutions, and more.

If you would like to participate or have additional resources or other comments, contact us at info@chaplaincyinnovation.org.