Empathic Care Pastoral Solutions offers the following courses in a standard format. In addition, more in-depth or setting specific courses can be tailored to the organization or the individual. To discuss your specific course requirements and needs please email Denice Foose at dfoose@epcsonline.com.

Available Courses

An Empathic Connection

EPCS’s foundational course is designed for all persons interested in enhancing their relational skills through improved listening. This introductory material is comprised of essential theoretical concepts and practical skill-based exercises. Through this training, one can enhance the capacity to be a helpful presence to a friend, colleague and family member. It also serves as an excellent foundation to more advanced courses. Participants can expect to:

Gain a basic understanding of empathy and empathic listening
Learn the essential skills required for empathic listening
Enhance listening skills through basic exercises
Understand several distinctions between social and empathic conversations
Become familiar with basic grief theory and the losses and changes which evoke grief
Learn effective and flawed responses to grieving persons

Email Denice at dfoose@epcsonline.com for more details.

Reentry to Hospital Ministry

Though concerns about the pandemic still linger, there are many hopeful signs across the country. Restrictions are being lifted, including in-person visitation within hospitals. This “opening up” process extends to faith-based community representatives, including Catholic laypersons. While this development is exciting news, caution must be exercised, because hospitals are quite different now than in the pre-COVID days.

To address this new reality, EPCS is offering a Reentry to Hospital Ministry webinar. This 60-minute educational event is specifically designed for Catholic laypersons providing pastoral care ministry and Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion.

Effective reentry requires sensitivity to several major factors, each of which has multiple elements:

Intense challenges experienced by hospital staff in the past 12 months — and many continue!
Unique concerns facing current hospital patients and their families.
Anticipatory uneasiness felt by EMHC and Lay Ministers upon reentry.

This webinar thoroughly addresses these dynamics, plus offers specific suggestions on “getting started” with staff and patient conversations.

Be prepared. Reentry is welcomed news, but hospitals are a different environment now than in Spring 2020. This opportunity will enhance your effectiveness in presenting Christ and the Church.

Email Denice at dfoose@epcsonline.com for more details. Pricing starts at $99 – custom solutions are available.

Catholic Lay Pastoral Care Ministry

Designed for persons involved in ecumenical pastoral care ministry, including Catholic laypersons. This course examines six essential components of Catholic lay ministry, including authorization of ministry, ERDs, and spiritual communion. To get the most out of this material, completion of An Empathic Connection course is highly encouraged.

Ecumenical Lay Pastoral Care Ministry

Crafted for laypersons serving in ecumenical pastoral care ministry, including Protestant laypersons. This course examines core elements of Protestant lay ministry. In addition, essential motifs in serving African American, Hispanic and Evangelical populations are addressed. Proficiency in empathic listening is assumed. To maximize the benefit of this material, completion of An Empathic Connection is strongly recommended.

Medical Ethics and the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs)

Here’s a practical application of medical ethics in lay ministry based upon the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. This material, designed by a doctoral-level Catholic ethicist, is drawn from extensive clinical experience, particularly concerning end-of-life care and decisions.

Lay Ministry Development

This advanced course emphasizes growth in several areas, including personal awareness (grief history, spiritual journey, etc.), assessment of gifts and limits for ministry, skill enhancement for in-depth ministry, and solidification of identity as authorized care giver. Proficiency in empathic listening is required; therefore, completion of An Empathic Connection is a prerequisite.

My effectiveness in ministry has increased. The combination of the class discussions (and subsequent Enrichment seminars) with more time doing pastoral visits, has helped a lot with being more at ease and the ability to be present with people…..even those dealing with very difficult health situations (both patients and families).

"Ted and Denice, I applaud you for the quality of your instruction, using knowledge you have obtained over many years of reading and study. The theoretical material was beyond what I anticipated. Ted, your summaries of resources, was amazing. In my opinion, your manor of presentation was exciting and relevant to all pastoral visitors, who represent the 'spiritual care department, our parish, the church, and God.'”

"I was enlightened so much by the educational theory and practical advice that was offered during the classroom instruction. The classes took me from proper entry to relaxing and engaging with the patient without an agenda. I needed to learn to track with the patient, and gained so much confidence from your practical examples and shared experiences. I also gained insight from your theories, especially the sacred space that we all have, and to be gifted with that experience of being present with the patient. One of the most profound things I heard was that when we walk into the room, we are simply joining the conversation that the patient is having with God."