Competencies in Pastoral Counseling: The Lived Experiences of Filipino Diocesan Parish Priests

Abstract

Pastoral counseling has been a significant part of the priestly ministry in the Philippines. Nonetheless, literature about Filipino priests’ lived experiences and competencies in counseling is almost non-existent. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the researcher explored the lived experiences and competencies of Filipino diocesan parish priests in their role as pastoral counselors. The study was framed in Phenomenology, the Philippines Psychology Act of 2009, and the 2009 competencies of the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC), a division within the American Counseling Association (ACA). Data were collected using a semi-structured interview, and the analysis yielded seven (7) themes under three (3) clusters. The findings revealed that the participants lack the prerequisites to be rightfully called pastoral counselors. As priests continue to attend to people in need of counseling, the researcher calls on church leaders, the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP), and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to address the practice of pastoral counseling in the country.