Assistant Professor of Pastoral Counseling

Director of Training, Jewish Spiritual Direction Program

215-576-0800

Barbara E. Breitman, D.Min., received a bachelor of arts from Brandeis University; a master's in social work from the University of Pennsylvania and a doctor of ministry from the Graduate Theological Foundation. She is a licensed clinical social worker. Breitman does innovative work in psychotherapy, pastoral care, spirituality and Judaism. She served as clinical social worker and program director at the Jewish Family and Children's Service from 1979 to 1989 and received the Lewis Kraft Award in Jewish Communal Service in 1983 for her work on Jewish identity formation in clinical practice. For 15 years, Breitman taught advanced practice at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work. She was instrumental in developing RRC's spiritual direction program and continues to supervise the spiritual directors. She is a founding faculty member of Lev Shomea-a program of Elat Chayyim/Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center-that trains spiritual directors in the Jewish tradition. She is a board member of Elat Chayyim and Spiritual Directors International and a partner of the Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Healing of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. She has a private practice in psychotherapy and spiritual direction.

Breitman is co-editor of Jewish Spiritual Direction: An Innovative Guide from Traditional and Contemporary Sources (Jewish Lights, 2006). She has written chapters in several books, as well as many articles and reviews.