Clergy Track
Clergy Track
Established in 1948, CFR’s Postgraduate Certificate Program is among the oldest and most respected clergy training programs in the nation.
Accepting Applications for 2024-2025
CFR is accepting applications on a rolling admissions basis.
Program Design
This training enriches the skills of priests, rabbis, imams, and other clergy who provide spiritual guidance and support within congregations and communities. Combining and integrating salient elements from the behavioral sciences and theology, the clergy training program at CFR provides education and application of current developments in the theory and practice of couple/marital, sex, and family therapy and in pastoral and systemic theology as they relate to family relationships.
This training program leads to licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist and is designed to help clergy:
- Integrate couple and family therapy skills with pastoral skills to be used within the framework of your congregation or community
- Understand the dynamics of marriages and families
- Incorporate therapeutic skills in dealing with complicated family problems
- Gain career options through Membership in AAMFT and partial licensure fulfillment in PA & NJ
The Clergy Track parallels the Clinical Track exactly, with the integration of theological coursework and specialized supervision at the onset of the training program.
Program Details
Level: Post-Graduate
Admission Requirements: MS, MDiv, DMin, or equivalent credential
Courses Required: 14 ten-week courses plus 4 five-week courses
Instructional Delivery: Hybrid (students may choose between virtual and in-person)
Supervision: Live and videotaped
Calendar Type: Quarter
Enrollment: Part-time
Flexible Time Frame: Completion in up to 4 years
Time Commitment: 1-2 days per week
Admission Deadline: May 15, 2024
“As a clergy person, I was looking for a program that appreciated the skills I have for ministry while also exposing me to new and distinct skills related to systems thinking and the clinical practice of therapy. CFR has met and exceeded my expectations. My understanding of relationships has deepened in a way that enriches my congregational ministry, not so much through secret “tricks of the trade” (are there any, really?), but by cultivating my own self-awareness, empathy, and healthy boundaries. I have also connected with another vocational part of myself as a therapist, engaging specific therapeutic models and interventions and experiencing how they come to life when working with clients. There is a sacredness to this work, and I am grateful to be a part of it through my training with CFR.”
The Reverend Sarah E. Hedgis, MDiv
Current Student
“This program has had an immeasurable impact on my life and those around me. It has helped me understand the human experience in a more profound way, and given me tools to help people in a much more significant and deep way. It cannot be understated how valuable this experience has been and how much I see the dividends paying off on a daily basis in my work and my life.”
Rabbi Daniel Bauer
2020 Post Graduate Certificate Program Graduate
Explore the program:
Academic Calendar
Course Requirements
Admission Requirements
Faculty and Staff
Application
Individual Courses
Certification and Membership in AAMFT
Mission, Goals, and Student Learning Outcomes
Clinical Practicum
Program Composition
Course Catalog
Tuition and Tuition Grant
Dolores Littleton, DMin, LMFT
Director, Post Graduate Certificate Program, Clergy Track
Request more information
For more information, please contact Academic Administrator, Michelle Serious, or call 215-382-6680 ext. 3236.
Clergy Training Opportunities
In addition to the Clergy Track in our Post Graduate Certificate Program, we also offer non-credited programs and workshops for clergy.