International Association of Pastoral Counselors

P.O. Box 140182 - Dallas, Texas 75214



Become a member of the International Association of Pastoral Counselors
& a Board Certified Pastoral Counselor (CPC).

The International Association of Pastoral Counselors is a professional association of clergy dedicated to the support and development of pastoral counseling. IAPC Mission Statement: "To encourage and promote excellence in the use of pastoral counseling by qualified clergy; to advance scientific research, education and standards of practice in pastoral counseling, and to advise others about the value, application and ethical use of pastoral counseling."

Pastoral counseling is a branch of counseling in which ordained ministers, rabbis, priests and others provide therapy services. The therapists integrate modern psychological thought and method with traditional religious training. Only six American states license the title "Pastoral Counselor": Arkansas, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Tennessee. In many other states pastoral counselors may qualify for licensure as marriage and family therapists or as professional counselors. In the United States, due to the Constitution and its principle of the separation of church and state, religious activities are not subject to regulation by the government to the extent secular businesses are regulated. Therefore, pastoral counseling is essentially a non-licensure track in the US. Most pastoral counselors will seek certification from an authorizing body and the covering of an established church to insure their religious nature is acknowledged and to prevent undue regulation from the state. Most pastoral counselors will readily engage their subject in prayer. Most pastoral counselors do not accept assignment of their fees to insurance companies and instead encourage their clients submit requests for reimbursement. Pastoral counselors usually maintain the position that insurance belongs to the insured and that it is the responsibility of the insured to seek reimbursement of expenses. Insurance companies often will not pay for pastoral counseling by counselors without state licensing in addition to their pastoral licensing. It is often synonymous with pastoral care and Christian counseling. In the United States pastoral counselors typically have one or more of the following degrees or credentials: D.Min, D.Th., Th.D., D.D., D.Div, P.Th.D., S.T.D., Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor (L.C.P.C.), Licensed Pastoral Counselor (L.P.C.), Certified Pastoral Counselor (C.P.C.), Master of Arts Clinical Christian Counseling (M.A.C.C.C.), Th.M.

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Telephone: 214.916.0514 - Fax: 206.338.2088