Clinical Pastoral Education

Bethesda North’s Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program is provisionally accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. Our CPE program is an interfaith professional training program, where CPE students interact with patients and peers of varying faiths. CPE equips theological students and spiritual care providers to offer effective spiritual care in times of change and crisis in the medical setting. Through supervised interactions with patients and staff, students gain personal insight, enhance their caregiving abilities, and grow in their understanding of spiritual care. The program emphasizes theological reflection, peer feedback, and collaboration within interdisciplinary care teams to build strong interpersonal and professional skills. At times, members of the allied health professions (including physicians, nurses, social workers and others) may take CPE to understand how spirituality is expressed and attended to in the medical setting.

Some people take CPE as part of becoming a professional chaplain. Others are required to take CPE by their ordaining body. And there are other reasons to take CPE:

• You are already a religious professional and want to improve your skills: in spiritual care, leadership, or self-awareness in your ministry (or all three!).
• You are interested in exploring what chaplaincy is like, as a supplement to your current role or as a new direction in your career.
• You are seeking a way to deepen your spiritual life and your ability to care for others as a spiritual care provider.
• You are preparing for a career in professional ministry and want to be well-equipped to care spiritually for congregants with medical or end-of-life issues.

CPE has two main components: classroom time and visiting patients. The spiritual caregiving (visitation) provided by CPE students requires sensitivity, openness, and respect for each person's spiritual journey. The goal is to meet people where they are without intent to evangelize or convert, focusing instead on providing support and understanding and helping patients to use their own spiritual resources. CPE is graduate-level education. The manager of the CPE program can help determine if you meet the educational requirements for the program.

Course Information & Schedules

Each unit of CPE is 400 hours (300 clinical/visitation and 100 classroom). The various units below offer the 400 hours with differing schedules to accommodate student needs:

2025 - 2026

• Super-extended Unit: October 14, 2025 – April 7, 2026 (26 weeks 15.5 hours per week) (applications accepted until September 1, 2025)

2026

• Spring Unit: February 2 – May 22, 2026 (16 weeks, 25 hours per week)
• Fall Unit: September 1 – December 18, 2026 (16 weeks, 25 hours per week

2026-2027

• Super-extended Unit: August 3, 2026 through January 29, 2027 (27 weeks, 15 hours per week)

In these units we offer education for the four basic levels of CPE, beginning from unit 1A through unit 2B. This is not a residency. TriHealth Bethesda North currently only offers individual units of CPE.

Each unit tuition is $750 for internal (TriHealth) student placements and $1000 for external student placements. An application fee of $35 is due upon submission of the application. Prospective students can mail a check or call the number below to pay by credit card.

Application Process

1. Complete a CPE application at least five weeks before the program begins using the blue "Download Application" button (on the left side of the screen). Your application should include responses to questions 2-6 on page 1 and be at least four pages long.
2. Submit your application via mail or email to the CPE Manager address below. A $35 application fee is required, which can be paid by check or by calling 513-865-4198 with your credit card information.
3. The CPE Manager will review your application to determine if CPE is suitable for you, and if so, she will contact you to schedule an interview.
4. The interview will be held at a TriHealth facility, lasting approximately two hours. It includes discussing your submitted materials, a tour of the site, and a chance to speak with chaplains.
5. You will be notified by the CPE Manager about your acceptance (or denial) into the program and additional steps if applicable.

* Note that students placed at TriHealth sites and enrolled during flu season are required to receive the flu vaccine.

About the Instructor

Rev. Dr. Kristin Langstraat is Manager of the TriHealth Bethesda North CPE program. She has been in professional ministry for 30 years and has served as a parish pastor, international Volunteer in Mission, hospital chaplain, and Pastoral Care Director. Kristin is ordained in the United Methodist Church, earning her Master of Divinity at Claremont School of Theology in California (1995) and her Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Care Leadership and Education from Union Theological Seminary in New York City (2022). Kristin’s doctoral work focused on the development of emotional intelligence for ministers, which she weaves into her CPE curriculum.

Contact Us

Bethesda North Hospital Pastoral Care
CPE Manager, Kristin Langstraat
10500 Montgomery Road
Cincinnati, OH 45242
513 865 4198
Kristin_Langstraat@TriHealth.com

The TriHealth CPE Program at Bethesda North is provisionally accredited by:

The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education
1 Concourse Parkway, Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30028
P: 404.320.1472
acpe@acpe.edu

*More detailed information regarding Clinical Pastoral Education can be found at www.acpe.edu.