[Is pastoral care psychotherapy?]

Whilst pastoral work is aimed at the consciousness of men, the duty of the psychotherapist is to turn the subconscious into the conscious. After clarifying the situation in his inner world the patient should be able to take free decisions. The psychotherapist is not responsible for the decision made by the person, which means that the conscious area is the responsibility of the individual. The psychotherapist must not manipulate the conscious parts just as the clergy must not manipulate the subconscious. So whilst there is a difference in both areas that must be maintained, that difference is less than the two have in common. The common aim or goal is: 1. The basis of both areas is a 'Socratic optimism' rooted in the fact that pastoral work and psychotherapy want the person to discover his or her own truth which cannot be told to him or her. However, it can be found by the person with assistance. 2. Both are characterised by a pragmatic individualism that says that it is worth listening to a single person for days, weeks, months or years until it is ascertained what the soul suffers from. 3. Both are convinced that the truth of a person cannot be described in moral categories. Social and ethical standards don't help but they may reflect the symptoms and the distress of the person. 4. Taking into consideration the dimension of the subconscious in pastoral duty as well, human decisions and activity can be understood much better.