The main focus of the Seminary is to provide a comprehensive educational program for those students wishing to pursue the entire Seminary program with a final goal of ministry. However, non-matriculated persons are also welcome to take individual courses from the Seminary's entire course catalogue of on-campus, on-line and external study courses. Some proof of having met prerequisite levels of mastery may apply for some courses.

Pastoral Counseling students have a rigorous curriculum in order to meet certification requirements, and have limited space for additional electives. Please consult your faculty adviser prior to registering for your elective coursework.

As Pagans, we celebrate our world, seeing the Divine in virtually everything and everyone.  Addictions of any kind will always distort, diminish and eventually destroy relationships, moving us away from ourselves, our world, and others. Recovery from addictions of any kind can be a powerful experience, both for Pagan clergy and those they counsel. In this class, students will gain insight into the the processes of addictions, the paths to recovery, and the Pagan perspective on both.  We will explore 12 Step programs, Native ways of knowing and other traditional and nontraditional paths to recovery.

An exploration of the ethical limits and responsibilities of Pagan ministry and pastoral counseling. By the end of the course, students will be required to articulate their own personal ethical code in regards to their work with others. Note: This class is a Cherry Hill Seminary core requirement.

This is a 14 week Ministry Level course for students in Cherry Hill Seminary and is available as in-depth continuing education to Pagan clergy beyond the Cherry Hills student body upon approval of the Academic Dean. Through reading, chat-room class discussion, role playing and essays, students will gain an understanding of what community is, the basics of group relationships and the process of community building and maintenance. In addition, they will develop the tools and resources needed for the development of their community. Prerequisite: Participation in Group Dynamics or (since the Cherry Hill course in Group Dynamics is in development) permission of the Dean or Instructor.

A survey course exploring various issues of Pagan parenting and education, the ways in which children are incorporated into Pagan communities across traditions, and how this next generation is shaping (or re-shaping) Paganism. The course is primarily designed for Pagan parents and other community leaders who are responsible for or interested in facilitating the participation of children in Pagan spiritual life. While the course is not specifically designed for counseling professionals, those who are engaged in pastoral counseling of Pagan families may also find the class informative.

A brief overview of the history and organizational structure of the Communitarian Church. This course explores the philosophy of Communitarianism as a spiritual approach through the ages and in various cultures. This course will also briefly cover the various alternative concepts to which the term has been applied. This course is required for students seeking ordination through the Communitarian Church.

The celebration of marriage is one of many rites of passage our society recognizes. Whether enacted with or without religious association, in order for the marriage to be considered legally binding the ceremony requires the presence of an individual acknowledged by, or bestowed with the power of, the state to perform or witness the rite. Along with an understanding the legalities, the job of a Celebrant or Officiant is to guide a couple, their family, friends and other witnesses, through this sacred rite - the transformation of two people into a married or spiritually united couple. This course is to teach the Officiant the ins-and-outs of facilitating the often complex rite of marriage. Through readings, listserve dialogue, personal creativity and active participation, you will examine the many facets involved in both writing and officiating a wedding or union ceremony. Topics covered include: pre-marital counseling, legal issues, lesbian and gay unions, inter- and intra-faith ceremonies, stage directions, spiritual and logistical considerations.

Learn about creating large-group and public ritual, new forms of ritual, ritual design, ensemble work, and some interfaith ritual creation. Covers motivation; purpose; venues; music; rhythm; lighting; dance/gesture/movement; chants and songs; mask work; costumes/makeup/clothing; seating, if any; acoustics, indoor & outdoor, altars, if any; rituals for different age groups or all age groups; guided meditation, if any; scripts; events insurance, if required; permits, if required; promotion/publicity; tickets/pricing, if any; candles and/or open flame, or facsimiles thereof if no open flame permitted; etc. This is the intersection where theater and ritual meet; performance ritual and participatory ritual.

This course will explore the strategies we can use as Pagan counselors to help survivors of disasters and other traumas begin their recovery. We place our faith in Mother Earth and yet She sometimes wreaks havoc with our lives. How do we cope with the immediate aftermath of disaster and ultimately make sense of our losses? In this course, we will also explore issues related to compassion fatigue, self-care, and the practicalities of being a Pagan counselor in disaster settings.

This course will explore the basics of grant writing and fundraising. Learn the fundamentals of how to write a successful grant proposal including research, correct composition, program evaluation and more. We will also explore the various ways and means of fundraising including sponsorships, organization, and delegation. Students will end the course having completed an actual grant application and fundraising action plan.

This course is designed to assist Group Leaders understand the stages of group development, the dynamics of member interactions and what makes a group succeed or fail. Through exercises, class interaction, readings and written assignments, students will learn to put communication techniques to practical use in groups to which they already belong or plan to organize. With the development of these skills, the Group Leader will be better prepared to deal with group issues and lead more effective, cohesive and productive groups. This course is a prerequisite for 'Community Building.

In this course students will become familiar with psychological development throughout the lifespan. For each stage of development we will examine current psychological theories and research regarding physical, cognitive, social, and personality development. The primary focus of the course is to consider the ways in which a Pagan lifestyle and a Pagan world-view might influence an individual's development. This course provides clergy with developmental information that can be applied to age-related ritual design, curriculum, and counseling.

The world is getting smaller and we, the peoples of the world, are getting to know each other better. We have entered a critical and thrilling time of developing global community which makes interfaith dialogue a crucial issue. As representatives of contemporary Paganisms, and world religions in our own right, we as Pagan clergy are now more than ever faced with the challenge of operating in many worlds -- in the inter- and intrafaith environments, building community among the religions, and defining common principles of a global ethic.

Working with a variety of principles and techniques, this introductory class will help you identify those other religions, put a face on them, and get to know them. It will offer suggestions as to how to make contact with them, and provide you with information and skills for establishing lasting dialogue and working relationships once contact has been made.

It is through the realm of interfaith work that the cycle of religious superiority and intolerance, and ignorance of other religions, can be broken and replaced with something positive, nurturing and unifying. We can learn to work together while preserving our own distinct visions of the divine and our unique cultural differences. In order to do this, we need to understand the benefit of blending versus cloning, and the distinction between harmony and consistency. We need to show that we care enough to become familiar with the things of greatest import that we all share.

Topics discussed in this course include physical and mental health (both prevention and illness), cognitive abilities and changes, relationship and family issues, living arrangements, work and retirement issues, and dying, death and bereavement. In all cases the discussion will include the application of information to Pagan lifestyles and information of use to clergy.

Life Work / Work Life: Pastoral Counseling for Right Livelihood - PCC 652

Occupation, vocation, career – the choices we make, the context of our experience, faith and practice, and the results of how we develop and navigate our life work and our work life are fundamental concerns. Each of us comes with a unique set of aptitudes, talents and interests that can enhance the potential of satisfying, meaningful work and a good livelihood. The expression of those skills offers opportunities to negotiate relationships with self, others and our world.

In this class students will explore their personal patterns and values relating to occupation, vocation and career. They will explore how these can be expressed in economically and ethically viable venues. They will then be introduced to some standardized evaluation procedures, apply those measures to themselves and others, and design an instrument that will be uniquely suited to their career choices and foci. Finally, they will design a project, including the evaluation instrument, which will assist them, as Pagan pastoral counselors, assist others in their journey.

This course will teach you how to get media coverage of your events, and what to do when you get unsolicited-and maybe even unwanted-media coverage. Topics will include finding your story peg, writing press releases that get results, selecting appropriate media outlets, and determining who your press spokesperson ought to be. In addition we will cover crisis PR, how to talk in sound bites, and how to be a superstar in every reporter's Rolodex.

Spiritual mentors are called to guide and assist others as they work towards establishing, deepening, clarifying and sustaining conscious contact with Deity. This class is an introduction to that process. Each student will be responsible for finding a Pagan spiritual seeker. During the semester, they will guide that person through a series of exercises designed to facilitate their connection with the Ancient Gods. We will share and reflect upon our experiences of guiding another, and give each other feedback as appropriate. Students will also do an independent research project related to Pagan spiritual development and/or mentoring. Prerequisites: PCC 550 (Boundaries and Ethics) and PCA 600 (Pagan Personal Spiritual Development).

In 'Pagans and the Law' you will receive an overview of our legal structure and learn how find the law you need online. You will learn how the First Amended protects us from government assault and interference. You will understand what freedom of speech and assembly means. You will know how to confront discrimination in housing, employment and in child custody conflicts. Students will be trained to counsel Conscientious Objectors. Our free 'public access' right to television will be explored. With this knowledge, you can become a sword and a shield for our community.

This course is designed to be practical, thought-provoking, and a chance to develop several skills. One of the biggest challenges to a Pagan Minister is following legal guidelines when necessary, bridging any gap between the Pagans involved and their non-Pagan friends and family and still help create ritual that is deep and abiding. Ritual design, counseling specific to each type of Rite and field work will also be included.

One of the ways we can help our counselees uncover more of their own sacred stories is to provide a different, or more inclusive, perspective.  Using a Systems Theory model, this course will consider how our formal, or informal, chosen, or given, families and relationships cast both light and shadow to make a whole icon of being.  We will experiment with a series of lenses and structures to expand our perceptions in societal, social and personal contexts.  Students will be invited to examine the ethics, thea/ology, theory and practice of interactions with individuals, groups and systems.

A basic introduction into the history, beliefs, and practices of modern Paganism including an overview of the major branches within Paganism and varieties of form, belief and practice.

This course will examine some of the typical situations in which people seek counsel from respected others, such as their clergy, and some approaches to helping with these situations. Students will explore the ways in which their own Pagan beliefs and values guide their approaches to helping people work through normal life issues. Each student is expected to write a paper reflecting on a topic related to this class.

This course will explore twelve current theories of therapy and focus on their application to pastoral counseling in the context of alternative religions.

An examination of the theologies and practices of the major world religions from a Pagan perspective. Broadly speaking, the fundamental spiritual options are Abrahamic, Dharmic, secular and Pagan. We want to ask: How do they differ from one another, what is a pagan perspective and what does paganism offer to the world's theological/spiritual forum that the other positions do not?