The International Association of Pastoral Counselors is a professional association of clergy dedicated to the support and development of pastoral counseling. IAPC Mission Statement: "To encourage and promote excellence in the use of pastoral counseling by qualified clergy; to advance scientific research, education and standards of practice in pastoral counseling, and to advise others about the value, application and ethical use of pastoral counseling."

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Pastoral counseling is a branch of counseling in which ordained ministers, rabbis, priests and others provide therapy services. The therapists integrate modern psychological thought and method with traditional religious training.

Only six American states license the title "Pastoral Counselor": Arkansas, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Tennessee. In many other states pastoral counselors may qualify for licensure as marriage and family therapists or as professional counselors.

In the United States, due to the Constitution and its principle of the separation of church and state, religious activities are not subject to regulation by the government to the extent secular businesses are regulated. Therefore, pastoral counseling is essentially a non-licensure track in the US. Most pastoral counselors will seek certification from an authorizing body and the covering of an established church to insure their religious nature is acknowledged and to prevent undue regulation from the state. Most pastoral counselors will readily engage their subject in prayer. Most pastoral counselors do not accept assignment of their fees to insurance companies and instead encourage their clients submit requests for reimbursement. Pastoral counselors usually maintain the position that insurance belongs to the insured and that it is the responsibility of the insured to seek reimbursement of expenses. Insurance companies often will not pay for pastoral counseling by counselors without state licensing in addition to their pastoral licensing.

IAPC membership includes Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and those of many other faith communities. Legitimate pastoral counseling affirms the client's own spiritual journey and faith community even those that may be different from the counselors. Thus it precludes proselytizing and "evangelical" efforts to induce the client to change faith communities. (Clients may, of course, make such decisions themselves based on their new growth.) In the United States pastoral counselors typically have one or more of the following degrees or credentials: D.Min., Th.D., D.D., M.Div., S.T.D., C.P.C., Th.M., M.S.W., M.A., M.S., Ph.D., L.P.C., L.M.F.T., L.C.S.W.