'I would recommend this text as a basic reading resource for those with an interest in the field as well as those who practice pastoral care and counselling' - Youth & Policy 'This is a useful book that discusses the differences and similarities if pastoral care and counselling' - Quaker Retreat Group Newsletter 'I think Gordon Lynch has produced an admirable introduction to this subject. I believe it should become a 'must' for those undertaking theological training and would also highly commend it to those engaged in the supervisory process' - Gary Haire, Accord 'This book, focusing as it does on the ethics underpinning any pastoral care or counselling relationship, as a real joy to read being well-written, engaging and thought-provoking. Drawing on a rich variety of ethical dilemmas and presenting some complex ethical thinking in a disarmingly simple way, Gordon Lynch invites us to engage more deeply with our own ethical nature. We are encouraged to discover what the good life means to us and how this impacts on pastoral encounters.
This book does not give us any easy ethical answers instead it invites us to reflect more deeply on our own ethical viewpoint and how this can inform our pastoral work with clients. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone involved in pastoral care and counselling' - William West, Senior Lecturer in Counselling, University of Manchester 'Beautifully clearly written. This is a text for those who are not experts in ethics or moral reflection. It provides a lucid introduction to the field' - Stephen Pattison, Cardiff University 'This is a very user-friendly book. The writing is lucid, the reader knows at every stage just where he is in understanding the development of the writer's thought, and the material is frequently summarised. It is clear that Gordon Lynch is an expert in this field.! This is a good read' - Alan Mace, Dynamics Newsletter 'This book must be considered a considerable success. The writing is clear and informed and could be used in any course dealing with the training of counsellors or pastoral carers.
The line taken is original and demonstrates how pastoral care and counselling should not simply be seen as a series of techniques professionally applied and contractually enforced' - William K Kay, Reviews in Religion and Theology Pastoral Care & Counselling provides an accessible framework for understanding the role of the pastoral care worker and the ethical dimensions of practice. Central to the book is the argument that all pastoral practice is inevitably shaped by the pastoral worker's own vision of what it means to live a good life. A thoughtful approach to pastoral work therefore requires pastoral carers to reflect critically about the values that shape their practice and about how the good life can be encouraged or hindered by different aspects of their pastoral encounters. The book tackles practical concerns such as: boundary issues and the place of friendship in caring relationships; the social and institutional factors which form the context of pastoral care; and what it means to act in an ethical and competent manner.
Accessibly written and illustrated with case examples, Pastoral Care & Counselling will be of interest to those already working in pastoral care and those training in theology and pastoral work.