We are the only Zen Buddhist-based organization accredited by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, to offer Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Our New York City ACPE Clinical Pastoral Education Training Program is open to those who have completed our Foundations in Contemplative Care Training Program and are engaged in a spiritual practice tradition. Our program is a professional level training and is designed both for those interested in becoming professional chaplains, and those interested in deepening their spiritual practice.
The combination of professional education and clinical experience in conjunction with Soto Zen practice instills in chaplain interns the expertise to provide inclusive spiritual care in various clinical settings.
Our training brings interns into supervised care partnerships with people at pivotal moments in their lives. Coming from a reflective, intimate involvement with people in both crisis and celebration, and with feedback from peers and educators, students develop a deepening awareness of themselves and the needs of those they care for. New York Zen Center’s CPE program emphasizes being in care partnership rather than caring for another; relationship is paramount in healing.
New York Zen Center CPE is a transformative relational experience. Interns commit to investigating how they function in relationship, which is enlivening and challenging, at the same time fostering deep trust, intimacy and care in the cohort that extends beyond the boundaries of CPE.” – Past CPE Intern Sally.
New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, 119 West 23rd St, Suite 401
New York City, NY 10011
Our Contemplative CPE Education Program is based in New York City and is designed for people who have completed our Foundations in Contemplative Care program. Students must attend all educational training days in person.
Please email info@zencare.org for an application
*Please note that for students living outside of New York City, the need of finding a local clinical placement is the student’s responsibility. The student will have to be very proactive and innovative to create the clinical placement relationship. Once the student has identified a potential clinical placement with an institution that is open to creating a relationship with us, someone from the Zen Center will reach out to the institution to determine whether a clinical placement is possible.
The cost for the nine-month program is $6545 (two extended units x $3272.50 per unit).
The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc.
1 Concourse Pkwy, Suite 800, Atlanta, GA 30328
Tel: 404.320.1472
Fax: 404.320.0849
We offer clinical placement in a number of different kinds of settings. In many of the settings, such as general hospitals, mental health facilities, correctional institutions, children’s hospitals, and nursing homes, you will care for individuals, families, and small groups of people as a chaplain.
If you have never participated in a dynamic, interpersonal, process educational experience, you may be curious about what it will be like. A foundational task will be for the other interns, your educator, and you to share with each other in such a way that all are cared for, supported, and challenged without being belittled. Furthermore, since an individual best knows their own limits, everyone will need to respect others boundaries and work to negotiate appropriate learning relationships. Developing a learning environment that is supportive, stimulating, and safe will make the risks of interpersonal learning and growth worth taking.
No, because we believe Foundations is a core learning for the path of an integrated life of service, and those who go through Foundations develop a strong connection to the path and sangha.
While non-local students are encouraged to apply, in-person participation at our CPE Educational Days and NYZC retreats in New York City and in the surrounding areas is required for all students. Please note that for non-local students (those who live outside of the New York metropolitan area), the challenge of finding a clinical placement is the student’s responsibility. The student will have to be very proactive and innovative to create the clinical placement relationship. Once the student has identified a potential clinical placement with an institution that is open to creating a relationship with us, someone from the Zen Center will reach out to the institution to determine whether a clinical placement is possible.
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