2022 CPA Conference: Psychotherapist, Heal Thyself! Tailoring Practical Human Formation Plans for Catholic Therapists Now

Catholic clinicians experience high levels of stress due to the intense nature of our work and other life demands. The secular professional literature focuses on stress reduction through external systemic change, cognitive approaches and clinician lifestyle change but largely ignores the underlying human formation of the clinician. This presentation defines human formation grounded in a Catholic anthropology and reviews the main reasons why solid human formation is so critical for Catholic clinicians. Through lecture, examples, experiential exercises, Q&A and discussion, Catholic clinicians recognize gaps in their human formation and walk through the process of creating the first draft of their own Personal Human Formation Plan. Finally, we focus on how to use the PHFP on an ongoing basis, oriented toward lasting change via better human formation.

Target Audience: Catholic clinicians (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, marital and family therapists, graduate students and others) who are engaged in direct client services 

Course Content Level: Beginner

Learning Objectives: 

• Recite the definition of human formation and the importance of human formation in their personal and professional lives, and the core elements of a Personal Human Formation Plan (PHFP).
• Identify at least two gaps in their own human formation, writing them down at the beginning of their own PHFP.
• Collect three to five additional components to their own PHFP, bringing it to an initial completion and be ready to begin using the plan on a daily basis, modifying it as necessary.

This program does not qualify for NBCC credits