Pastoral counseling and the concept of malpractice

The discipline of pastoral counseling has developed to the point at which malpractice claims against pastoral counselors are a reality. The need for forensic psychiatrists to participate in such suits is likely to increase. In this article, we review the recent California case of Nally v. Grace Community Church. Kenneth Nally committed suicide while under the care of clergy. His parents claimed that the pastoral counselors negligently counseled their son and that this counseling led to his death. This case will serve as a point of departure for reviewing the developments and evolution of pastoral counseling as a discipline. Then we shall highlight the difficult problem of whether pastoral counseling ought to be classified as a religious or a secular activity, while pointing out that this dichotomous view does not accurately portray the activities and beliefs of pastoral counselors. Nevertheless, we underline the connection made between the definition of pastoral counseling and the assertion that pastors should be shielded from malpractice claims.