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Spiritual Care

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

Kaiser Permanente San Leandro Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Center

Dear prospective CPE student,

Thank you for taking the time to look at our website.  I hope you will get a feel for our program in the middle of all the facts and figures.  It is my hope that you will see that this program is a safe place for you to explore your spiritual service where diversity is celebrated and compassionate care is the ideal.  I hope that you will find a place to take extended CPE that is accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) , supervised by someone who wants you to be the best spiritual care giver that you can be and who is committed to your success and growth.  If you should find that this is a program that is compatible with your personal goals for spiritual development and your professional goals to be a competent and caring spiritual care provider, please feel free to contact me and find out more.

Many Blessings,
Rev. Carrie L. Buckner, M.Div., BCC, ACPE Certified Educator
Carrie.L.Buckner@kp.org, 510-454-4718

What is CPE?

  • Graduate level education to prepare one for healthcare chaplaincy or to help one learn critical skills for dealing with conflict, crisis, grief, ethical concerns, and to learn how to assist others in times of critical emotional and spiritual need.
  • A learning/teaching method that integrates practical experience (actual spiritual support to patients and their loved ones and staff) with lectures, reading, case review, and critical reflection within an accredited training site.
  • Close on-the job mentoring by a qualified and certified educator (ACPE Supervisor) and select mentors (Board Certified Chaplains) in intense individual and group review and reflection on the practice of spiritual care.
  • An educational process that is guided by individual learning contracts and specific outcomes that are demonstrated in the actual practice of spiritual care, in written materials to demonstrate mastery of specific concepts and practices that are required for certification as a chaplain, and in verbal reflection within a peer group and in personal evaluation, peer and supervisory evaluation, and in evaluation by interdisciplinary staff.