Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center
Discern your vocation in spiritual care
Clinical Pastoral Education at PeaceHealth : A space to recover and discover your identity as a spiritual caregiver.
The setting
When you become a CPE intern at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Washington, the hospital is a regional referral center and the only hospital in Whatcom County, serving communities across Northwest Washington. It is a Catholic, not for profit, multi campus medical center with 251–253 licensed beds and home to the Haggen Family Emergency and Trauma Center, a Level II Trauma Center providing comprehensive emergency and critical care services. The hospital offers a full range of specialties, including cardiovascular care, joint replacement, cancer treatment, behavioral health, imaging, childbirth, and complex surgical services. Founded in 1891 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, St. Joseph has grown into a modern regional hub recognized for high quality care and strong patient safety performance.
Bellingham itself provides a distinctive clinical learning environment—nestled between snow covered peaks, pristine lakes, saltwater shoreline, and miles of forested trails, the city blends the feel of a small, vibrant college town with exceptional access to outdoor recreation. Located 90 minutes north of Seattle and 30 minutes south of British Columbia, Bellingham draws residents and visitors seeking a balance of culture, nature, and community, creating a rich and diverse context for spiritual care practice.
What we teach
In our Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program, we offer spiritual and clinical education that will allow you to become more effective at providing spiritual care and embodying your unique way of ministry. As you go through the program, you will be invited to develop skills that help you become a more effective spiritual caregiver, that encourage you to deeply engage your identity, personally, professionally, and spiritually, and that challenge you to reflect on how you are in relationships with others.
How we educate
Our curriculum includes is rooted in an experiential model of education. Through seminars and didactic instruction, small group reflection and one on one consultation with the CPE Educator, our program brings you into supervised encounters with patients and hospital staff. Your peer group consists of theological students, religious clergy of all faith backgrounds, and lay people interested in learning to provide spiritual care.
For more information on the other clinical sites of the PeaceHealth CPE program, please visit Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at PeaceHealth
Program Specifics
Clinical Pastoral Education is offered in “units” of CPE.
One unit of CPE includes at least 100 hours of structured group and individual education and 250 hours of supervised clinical practice in ministry. The combined two are 400 hours of structured education.
We currently offer three programs. Each program is designed around a specific topic.
Full-Time Summer Unit
Forty hours a week over an eleven-week period from the end of May to the middle of August. One evening and one overnight shift per week is required.
Fall Extended Unit
Twenty hours a week over a twenty-week period from September through January. One evening and one overnight shift per week is required. The peer group meets for structured education on Wednesdays.
Spring Extended Unit
Twenty hours a week over a twenty-week period from February through May. One evening and one overnight shift per week is required. The peer group meets for structured education on Wednesdays.
Application Process
Fill out a ACPE Clinical Pastoral Education application form https://acpe.edu/education/cpe-students/cpe-application and email to: lellis1@peacehealth.org.
If mailing via USPS, send the application with the fee of $50 to:
PeaceHealth Clinical Pastoral Education
3333 RiverBend Dr.
Springfield, OR 97477
If you wish to pay with a credit card, please phone Laura Ellis at 541-222-2245 and she will process your payment.
After we have received your application, we will contact you regarding an application interview. Final acceptance into the program depends on successfully completing a drug screen and a criminal background check.
Once accepted into the program you will need to pay a deposit to hold your place in the peer group. This will be counted towards your tuition of $600 per unit. Scholarships are granted upon request. Final acceptance is contingent upon passing a background check, drug screen, and PeaceHealth’s immunization requirements.
Questions?
Please contact:
Laura Ellis
Phone: 541-222-2275
Email: lellis1@peacehealth.org
The Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend CPE Program is accredited for Level I CPE, Level II CPE by:
ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education
1 Concourse Pkwy, Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30328, 404-320-1472
www.acpe.edu