Judith Schwanz
Emeritus Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling
Judith Schwanz
Emeritus Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling
[email protected]
816.268.5491
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I understand my calling to be to bring the gifts and insights of psychology and counseling to bear on our understanding of the Church and Christian Ministry. I seek to invest my life in helping pastors and churches become more spiritually and emotionally healthy. I have served as a professional counselor in both inpatient and outpatient settings, a professor in a graduate counselor education program and in graduate theological education.
I love the opportunity to connect with students. My classes are interactive, with lecture, discussion and small group application of the course content. I design course assignments to help the student apply course learning to their own lives and their ministry contexts.
In addition to my role in the classroom, I share life with my husband and ministry partner, Keith. We have developed our skills as quilters, with a goal of donating 100 or more quilts per year to a variety of charities. We have two children and six grandchildren, so our outdoor life involves watching a lot of kids’ soccer and baseball.
Conflict Resolution, Illustrated Bible Life. Kansas City: WordAction Publishing (forthcoming)
Women in the Bible (5 lessons), Word Action, March/April /May 2018
A King for Israel: Confession: Good for the Soul? Word Action, November 13, 2016
Active Listening In Ministry, Grace and Peace, Fall 2017
Prayer and Forgiveness: The Essential Connection, June 24, 2017
Reflecting God: Devotions for Holy Living (14 days), Spring 2014.
“The Church of the Nazarene” chapter in The Essential Guide to Religious Traditions and Spirituality for Health Care Providers, Eds. Steven L. Jeffers, Michael E. Nelson, Vern Barnet & Michael C. Brannigan. London: Radcliffe Publishing Ltd. 2013
Matthew (5 lessons), Word Action, September/October/November 2013
“Do This In Remembrance,” NTS Faculty Blog, March 6, 2013.
Blessed Connections: Relationships That Sustain Vital Ministry. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2008
Recent Presentations:
“Imposter Syndrome,” Workshop at Revive, Wesleyan-Holiness Women Clergy Conference, Estes Park, CO, April 14, 2018.
“The Emotions of Transition” presentation for NTS Placement Workshop, November 9, 2017.
“Staff Relationships,” webinar with Dr. Jesse Middendorf for the Center for Pastoral Leadership, August 14, 2017.
“Living a Pure Life,” session with Global Mission candidates, February 23, 2017 (also April 13, 2016).
“Clergy Well-Being,” Kansas City District Inquiry Weekend, January 28. 2017 (also January 30, 2016).
“Creating Safe Places in Community,” workshop for NTS Student Leadership Team, August 12, 2016.
“Wesleyan Spiritual Practices as a Resource for Missional Ministry,” workshop at PALCON on MNU region, June 21, 2016.
“Ambiguous Loss,” video for the Center for Pastoral Leadership, January 13, 2016
Education
PhD, Portland State University, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, 1996
MS, Portland State University, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, 1994
MA, Western Evangelical Seminary, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, 1987
BA, Northwestern University, Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, 1976
Academic Affiliations
Member: Wesleyan Theological Society/ Society for the Study of Psychology and Wesleyan Theology
Member: Wesleyan-Holiness Women Clergy
Teaching/Research Interests
Pastoral care, clergy self-care, personality type and ministry, grief and loss, chaplaincy ministries; family systems
Classes Taught
Core Relationships for Christian Ministry
Pastoral Care and Counseling
Marriage and Family Counseling
Personal and Spiritual Development of the Minister
Contemporary Issues in Pastoral Care
Family Systems and the Church
Counseling for Grief and Loss
Human Sexuality
Pastoral Care and Trauma Response
Personality Type and Team Building
Introduction to Chaplaincy Ministries
Wesleyan Spiritual Practices for Ministry
Women Clergy in Leadership
Ordination
Deacon, Church of the Nazarene
Local Church Involvement
Children’s Department worker
