Stages in the role cycle of pastoral counseling

Contends that there is a role of pastoral counseling which moves through a cycle with discernable stages. These role cycle stages are independent of any particular life stage the individual pastoral counselor may be passing through and may be traversed at any age of adulthood. The stages identified are: pastoral counselor role acquisition; pastoral counseling role performance; pastoral counselor's role assessment; and pastoral counseling role restructuring or rejection. Concludes with a brief statement of implications of a role stage theory.