The textbook introduces the breadth of the field of pastoral care, the variety of its justifications, concepts, goals, methods and fields of work. The very different situations, which are all referred to by the term pastoral care, require a multidimensional concept: different approaches (everyday pastoral care, kerygmatic, therapeutic, ritual, political and ethical concepts) complement each other (instead of contradicting each other) and characterize pastoral care sufficiently only in the synopsis of the different perspectives. A pastoral-psychological perspective that seeks dialogue with the related human sciences is the guiding principle. "Accompaniment" and "encounter" are developed from communication-theoretical and psychotherapeutic approaches. When working out the focus on the interpretation of life, hermeneutic-theological reflections on important life themes are in the foreground; In this way, the demand to understand and develop pastoral care more strongly as religious communication is met. Proceeding from the central theological concepts of justification and freedom, possibilities of a Christian interpretation of life are developed; Life conflicts such as fear and belief, guilt and forgiveness, shame and acceptance, success and failure, but also dying, grief, dealing with illness and health, etc. are taken into account from there. With the help of many examples, the textbook is very practical. At the same time, the didactic design of the book helps to get a quick overview.