NSW College of Clinical Pastoral Education
NSW College of Clinical Pastoral Education
Welcome to the Hunter Centre for Clinical Pastoral Education. This Centre celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018 and is recognised as the main provider of pastoral/spiritual care training in the Hunter and Mid-North Coast regions.
The Hunter Centre offers pastoral/spiritual care training at the John Hunter and Calvary Mater Hospitals in Newcastle and, from time to time, in other suitable locations in the Hunter and Mid-North Coast regions. Introductory courses are conducted regularly in Newcastle and in other locations as requested.
Roger is the Anglican Chaplain and Pastoral Care Coordinator at John Hunter Hospital. A priest with many years’ experience in parish and chaplaincy ministry, Roger has counselling training and experience in spiritual direction. He is a Provisional Clinical Pastoral Educator.
Gwen is a former music teacher with considerable experience of pastoral ministry in both the church and hospital context. A Provisional CPE Educational Consultant, she has been supervising CPE students since 2008.
Judy has been studying with the Hunter Centre since 2016 and became a Provisional CPE Supervisor in 2023. Her interest in pastoral care developed from involvements in palliative care - as a primary carer, a volunteer, an advocate for improved services in her regional community and former board member of Palliative Care Australia. She has also worked as a pastoral care practitioner in aged care and hospitals.
Kimbalee is an Anglican Priest with experience in rural and suburban ministry contexts. Kimbalee spent 10 years as a secondary teacher before discerning a call to full time ministry. She enjoys working within a wide variety of spiritual and psychodynamic perspectives.
Kate is a Provisional CPE Supervisor and experienced pastoral carer. She taught in a variety of contexts over twenty years, before embarking on a journey through pastoral care and into supervision. Kate has experience in aged and palliative care.
Barbara was the first Centre Director and has supervised courses and units for the past 25 years. While no longer actively engaged in supervising courses and units of CPE, Barbara continues to provide education in her role as a consultant with the centre and the wider CPE community.
This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of pastoral/spiritual care. It is a qualification required by NSW Health for those wishing to become hospital visitors. It covers such topics as listening skills, empathy, grief and loss, self-awareness and hospital procedures. It is conducted over six days from 9am to 4pm. A certificate is awarded on completion.
These courses are aimed at providing intensive training in pastoral/spiritual care by means of supervised group and individual reflection on pastoral conversations. Using an action/reflection method, they require students to complete 200 hours of clinical work (pastoral visiting) in assigned hospital wards or other approved locations, together with 90 hours of group work, 10 hours of individual supervision and 100 hours of reflection/reading/seminar preparation and verbatim writing. Applicants are interviewed prior to acceptance into the course.
This course is aimed at providing further intensive training in pastoral/spiritual care by means of supervised group and individual reflection on pastoral conversations. Using an action/reflection method, students complete 200 hours of clinical work (pastoral visiting) in assigned hospital wards or other approved locations, together with 90 hours of group work, 10 hours of individual supervision and 100 hours of reflection/reading/seminar preparation and verbatim writing. Applicants are interviewed prior to acceptance into the course.
CPE 1, 2, 3 units are offered in four possible modes. Not every mode is offered each year. See course dates and details.
Full-time: 11 weeks between mid-November and mid-February with a three week break over Christmas/New Year. Students attend Monday to Friday for 40 hours per week.
Part-time: 22 weeks- February to July or July to November- 20 hours per week- group work is held on one day per week- eight hours of clinical work are required each week
Extended: 9 months (38 weeks)- the group work is conducted as intensives on Friday afternoon and Saturday once a month. Four hours of clinical work are required each week.
Intensive: 6 months- this mode is offered at Port Macquarie- the group work is conducted as 6 x 15 hour sessions (Wednesday afternoon to Friday afternoon) each month for six months. It involves eight hours of clinical work each week.
The group work is conducted at John Hunter Hospital or at another facility by agreement with the student and the facility in question. The maximum number accepted into a Basic CPE group is six students.
Who can apply?
Course Dates
2026
Introductory Courses
Introductory course in Newcastle February 2, 9, 16, March 2 and 9
It is planned that introductory courses will be offered in Newcastle and Maitland.
400 hour CPE Units
The Hunter Centre will offer 400 hour Foundational and Specialist Units (CPE 1, 2, 3) commencing in January 2026. Applications are now open for consideration by the Centre. Acceptance in a Unit is after interview.
Fridays from February are 1pm-6pm, Saturdays 9am-5pm.
Students should be prepared to spend at least 5 hours a week in placement to attain the 160 hours required for the Unit. Placements will be negotiated with the Centre by the student on acceptance.
All enquiries and applications to The Reverend Canon Roger Zohrab
Chaplains’ Department
John Hunter Hospital
Locked Bag No 1
Hunter Region Mail Centre 2310
Separate forms for enrolment in Hunter Centre CPE 1, 2, 3 courses and enrolment in the MA (Chaplaincy)
Introductory enrolment forms will be forwarded to enquirers on request
Introductory Course
$500.00
Foundational CPE 1 and 2
$2750.00
CPE Unit
For students enrolled in the MA (Chaplaincy) degree program
$4100.00
Advanced CPE
$3000.00
As a Member Institute of the Sydney College of Divinity, the NSW College of Clinical Pastoral Education provides Master of Arts degrees specialising in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Supervision, and gives credit for Basic and Advanced Units of CPE.
Students with a Bachelor degree or other relevant qualification may enrol in a Master of Arts (leading to a Specialisation in Chaplaincy) which is offered by the NSW College of CPE through the Sydney College of Divinity. Students undertake three core units of CPE (CPE 1, 2, 3) and receive 54 credit points, half the course work.
The remaining 54 credit points may be gained by enrolment in related courses (such as theology, Biblical studies, pastoral counselling) offered through the other member institutes of the Sydney College of Divinity.
