A Pastoral Care Center

A Pastoral Care Center is an institutional extension and expression of the healing and therapeutic ministry of the church.

A Center where pastoral counselors engage in the specialized ministry of pastoral counseling, pastoral psychotherapy, and other work of personal healing or growth, often in collaboration with other mental health professions, utilizing the insights and principles from the disciplines of theology and the behavioral sciences.  

The Staff

Pastoral counseling is a faith-based approach to therapy.  The American Psychological Association says  a growing body of research shows that strong spiritual beliefs can help people recover from traumatic events.  For those patients who have strong religious values the research is beginning to show that acknowledging and building on those religious values in the course of treatment can improve outcomes.  

Most pastoral counselors have a seminary degree and a specialized counseling or doctoral degree from a graduate school of theology.  Many also are licensed as social workers or marriage and family therapist.  They are taught not to preach to people but to empathize with clients of varying religious and ethnic backgrounds.  Pastoral counselors embrace the latest therapeutic approaches but offer a spiritual perspective for treatments.  And they most often view their work as ministry.

Chaplain Robert (Bob) L. Griffin

Clinical Chaplain

Pastoral Counselor

Diplomate, College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP)

Certified, Family Life Educator, National Council on Family Life

Minister, Presbyterian Church (USA)