NSW College of Clinical Pastoral Education
NSW College of Clinical Pastoral Education
Welcome to the Hunter Centre for Clinical Pastoral Education. This Centre celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018 and is recognised as the main provider of pastoral/spiritual care training in the Hunter and Mid-North Coast regions.
The Hunter Centre offers pastoral/spiritual care training at the John Hunter and Calvary Mater Hospitals in Newcastle and, from time to time, in other suitable locations in the Hunter and Mid-North Coast regions. Introductory courses are conducted regularly in Newcastle and in other locations as requested.
Centre Director
Gwen is a former music teacher with considerable experience of pastoral ministry in both the church and hospital context. A Provisional CPE Educational Consultant, she has been supervising CPE students since 2008.
April is a Pastoral Educator and Supervisor. A former Pastoral Care Manager, and practitioner at the Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle, April has a background in healthcare as an Intensive Care Nurse. April has a special interest in raising awareness of pastoral/spiritual care in critical care environments and in pastoral research. She is a Provisional CPE Educational Consultant with ten years of supervisory experience.
Roger is the Anglican Chaplain and Pastoral Care Coordinator at John Hunter Hospital. A priest with many years’ experience in parish and chaplaincy ministry, Roger has counselling training and experience in spiritual direction. He is a Provisional Clinical Pastoral Educator.
Roslyn joined the Hunter Centre in 2022 as a Provisional CPE Supervisor. Ros has a background in community and school chaplaincy, with some focus on pastoral care of people with disabilities. She has been working in hospital pastoral care in Newcastle since 2019. Ros has post graduate qualifications in Chaplaincy and in Disability Studies, and is enjoying the new learnings in Supervisory training.
This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of pastoral/spiritual care. It is a qualification required by NSW Health for those wishing to become hospital visitors. It covers such topics as listening skills, empathy, grief and loss, self-awareness and hospital procedures. It is conducted over six days from 9am to 4pm. A certificate is awarded on completion.
These courses are aimed at providing intensive training in pastoral/spiritual care by means of supervised group and individual reflection on pastoral conversations. Using an action/reflection method, they require students to complete 150 hours of clinical work (pastoral visiting) in assigned hospital wards or other approved locations, together with 90 hours of group work, 10 hours of individual supervision and 150 hours of reflection/reading/seminar preparation and verbatim writing. Applicants are interviewed prior to acceptance into the course.
This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of pastoral/spiritual care. It is a qualification required by NSW Health for those wishing to become hospital visitors. It covers such topics as listening skills, empathy, grief and loss, self-awareness and hospital procedures. It is conducted over six days from 9am to 4pm. A certificate is awarded on completion.
CPE 1, 2, 3 units are offered in four possible modes. Not every mode is offered each year. See course dates and details.
Full-time: 11 weeks between mid-November and mid-February with a three week break over Christmas/New Year. Students attend Monday to Friday for 40 hours per week.
Part-time: 22 weeks- February to July or July to November- 20 hours per week- group work is held on one day per week- eight hours of clinical work are required each week
Extended: 9 months (38 weeks)- the group work is conducted as intensives on Friday afternoon and Saturday once a month. Four hours of clinical work are required each week.
Intensive: 6 months- this mode is offered at Port Macquarie- the group work is conducted as 6 x 15 hour sessions (Wednesday afternoon to Friday afternoon) each month for six months. It involves eight hours of clinical work each week.
The group work is conducted at John Hunter Hospital or at another facility by agreement with the student and the facility in question. The maximum number accepted into a Basic CPE group is six students.
Who can apply?
2023 Course Dates
Two Introductory Courses
1 - 20/2, 27/2, 6/3, 13/3, 20/3, 27/3
2 - 24/7, 31/7, 7/8, 14/8, 21/8, 28/8.
Two units in the extended mode offered (Friday afternoon and Saturday)
Supervisors Gwen Vale, Roslyn Wetzler, Roger Zohrab
These will be on different weekends
1 2
17,18 Feb 24/25 Feb
17/18 March 24/25 March
14/15 April 21/22 April
19/20 May 26/27 May
16/17 June 23/24 June
14/15 July 21/22 July
18/19 August 25/26 August
15/16 September 22/23 September
Mixed mode course - in person and zoom
Supervisor Gwen Vale
In person 4/5 February,14/15 April, 10/11 June
Zoom February 5pm-8.30pm, 6-8 March 5pm-8.30pm, 27-29 March 5pm-8.30pm,1-3 May 5pm-8.30pm, 22-24 May 5.30-8.30pm
Further Introductory Courses may be offered in second semester if required.
All enquiries and applications to The Reverend Canon Roger Zohrab
Chaplains’ Department
John Hunter Hospital
Locked Bag No 1
Hunter Region Mail Centre 2310
Separate forms for enrolment in Hunter Centre CPE 1, 2, 3 courses and enrolment in the MA (Chaplaincy)
Introductory enrolment forms will be forwarded to enquirers on request
Introductory Course
$500.00
Basic CPE 1
$2000.00
Basic CPE 2
$2000.00
Advanced CPE
$2000.00
The above fees include the cost of the CPE certificate.
As a Member Institute of the Sydney College of Divinity, the NSW College of Clinical Pastoral Education provides Master of Arts degrees specialising in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Supervision, and gives credit for Basic and Advanced Units of CPE.
Students with a Bachelor degree or other relevant qualification may enrol in a Master of Arts (leading to a Specialisation in Chaplaincy) which is offered by the NSW College of CPE through the Sydney College of Divinity. Students undertake three core units of CPE (CPE 1, 2, 3) and receive 54 credit points, half the course work.
The remaining 54 credit points may be gained by enrolment in related courses (such as theology, Biblical studies, pastoral counselling) offered through the other member institutes of the Sydney College of Divinity.
Ready to enrol with NSWCCPE?
Call our Registrar on 0420 359 097
or send us an email message
