Raymond J. Lawrence, General Secretary CPSP

REPORT TO PLENARY COLLEGE OF PASTORAL SUPERVISION AND PSYCHOTHERAPYLITTLE ROCK, ARKANSASMARCH 30, 2008

RAYMOND J. LAWRENCE, GENERAL SECRETARY

Introduction:

I report to you that our professional community is prospering. We are seeing steady growth. In numbers of certified members, we are now the third largest organization in our field in this hemisphere. We have problems too. Some of our Chapters need more attention than they are receiving. We need not be embarrassed about our failure to be a perfect community. But we need to be more assertive in approaching under functioning Chapters, because those with problems tend not to ask for consultation as we expect them to do. And we need to do more in the public relations arena, informing persons and institutions about our uniqueness and what we have to offer.

The Changing Character of CPSP

18 years ago this month 15 persons met in Virginia and decided unanimously that we should create a new certifying community, that the then functioning organizations were not serving the professional community adequately. In the intervening years we have now grown to a community of more than 600 persons. Our progress has involved very little exchange of money, and no paid leadership. It has relied on grass roots motivation and the initiative of emerging leadership. We attract persons who want responsibly to shape their own professional destiny. Persons who like to rely on direction from corporate offices tend not to be interested in us.

Read Futher: Pastoral Report the online Journal of the College of Pastoral And Psychotherapy

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