Shared Wisdom [Paperback]

Pamela Cooper-White (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2004

Understanding one's personal issues and emotional reactions- one's "countertransference"- has long been recognized as a core competency in ministry. Now new understandings of intersubjectivity, mutual influence, shared wisdom (both conscious and unconscious), and multicultural dynamics in the caring relationship are bringing promising new possibilities and challenges to pastoral practice. Employing these insights, in this groundbreaking book Pamela Cooper-White offers a new relational paradigm for pastoral assessment and theological reflection. She uses the caregiver's own responses and feelings as a primary instrument for deepening discernment and better care. She innovatively combines postmodern, psychoanalytic, and theological perspectives with illuminating case studies to illustrate this new use of the self in pastoral care, counseling, and psychotherapy.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Pamela Cooper-White is Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. She is author also of The Cry of Tamar: Violence against women and the Church’s Response (Fortress Press, 1995).

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: FORTRESS PRESS; 1 edition (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800634543
• ISBN-13: 978-0800634544
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #552,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The Rev. Pamela Cooper-White is the Ben G. and Nancye Clapp Gautier Professor of Pastoral Theology, Care and Counseling at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, GA, and Co-Director of the Atlanta Theological Association's ThD program in Pastoral Counseling. She is recipient of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors' 2005 national award for "Distinguished Achievement in Research and Writing," and the Samaritan Counseling Center of Philadelphia's 2007 "Spirit Award" for community service. She holds Ph.D.s from Harvard University and the Institute for Clinical Social Work, Chicago, and is the author of four books, including 'Braided Selves: Collected Essays on Multiplicity, God, and Persons' (2011), 'Many Voices: Pastoral Psychotherapy and Theology in Relational Perspective' (2006), 'Shared Wisdom: Use of the Self in Pastoral Care and Counseling' (2004), and 'The Cry of Tamar: Violence Against Women and the Church's Response' (1995; 2nd ed. forthcoming 2012) which won the 1995 Top Ten Books award from the Academy of Parish Clergy. She has published numerous scholarly and professional articles in pastoral theology, especially in the areas of postmodern, psychoanalytic and feminist theory in dialogue with both theology and clinical practice. An Episcopal priest and pastoral psychotherapist, Dr. Cooper-White is a certified clinical Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, a National Board Certified Counselor (NBCC), and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the State of Illinois. She currently serves on the Steering Committee of the Psychology, Culture & Religion Group of the American Academy of Religion, and the Editorial Board of of the Journal of Pastoral Theology.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended, May 7, 2004

By 

Andrea Hollingsworth (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shared Wisdom (Paperback)

This work appears to be the most cutting-edge, sophisticated text available on the integration of self-development, counseling technique, and Christian theological reflection. The theoretical and philosophical base is highly relational and contextual, as evidenced by consistent attention to matters of intersubjectivity, multiculturalism, and ethics. The author uses the psychodynamic rubric of transference and countertransference to unearth the hidden power of counselor-client interaction - a power that has the potential for great healing or destruction. The overall theme and thesis of the book is this: In the counseling context, therapists and ministers have the high calling to use their `selves' in ways that are responsible, reflective, respectful and real. This necessitates a commitment to personal and spiritual growth through self-awareness and clinical consultation.

The first two chapters provide a detailed history of countertransference in the psychodynamic and pastoral care fields. These chapters illustrate the general attitudinal shift from fearful shunning to responsive acceptance of countertransference in helping relationships. Chapter three continues to lay theoretical groundwork through a concise examination of relational, postmodern philosophy and it's implications for human communication and theological reflection. Chapters four through six delve into the complexity of "understanding one's personal issues and emotional reactions" in helping relationships. Extremely helpful and well-written case studies are used to illustrate and apply the concepts to highly believable real-life situations. The consistent theme throughout these chapters is that the counselor's emotional responses can function as either healing or harmful therapeutic junctures. The final chapter integrates the concepts into a theological framework that is compelling and relevant.

The intended audience includes persons in the fields of pastoral care and ministry, social work, counseling psychology or therapy. Overall, this book is highly recommended as an essential resource for therapist self-development.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Being Wise in our Time, January 9, 2007

By 

David Weaver (Western Springs,, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shared Wisdom (Paperback)

Pamela Cooper-White's "Shared Wisdom" is worth reading by everyone who engages in all of the helping professions. Considering the process of communication from both the sender and the receiver, the author weaves a convincing paradigm of the intersubjective and relational nature of theraputic communication.
For all those interested in the assessing the effectiveneess of pastoal or clinical conseling this study provides the reader with a concetual road map which guides the reader into a depth of self understanding. Here I found that the "wounded healer" model, often time consider as the core focus of pastoral care and coundeling, is profoundly challenged by Cooper-Whites senstivity to the necessithy of self awareness in "contertransference." This work is a must read for those who are wlling to undertake the challenge of bocomming the "healed wounder healer."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The book is great, beware the Kindle edition!!, November 9, 2011

By 

Jennifer Dondiego - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shared Wisdom (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book, but I bought it for a class for Kindle, and the entire 7th chapter is missing! It just isn't there! So, if you want her theological reflection at the end, DO NOT buy the Kindle edition...so frustrated.