1. Sign up securely online.
2. Read the articles via online links.
3. Submit online evaluation & post-test.
4. Print your certificate.
Part of the course material is in pdf format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have it click here for free download.
GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION
In a world besieged by daily crises, many people turn to their local faith communities for nourishment and guidance. Pastors, priests, rabbis, and religiously-sanctioned mental health professionals are meeting their needs through various types of pastoral counseling. This introductory level course introduces the field of pastoral counseling and shows how to integrate therapeutic principles with religious experience to foster a high standard of care for pastoral counseling.
The course defines the functions of a pastoral counselor, presents the historical development of pastoral counseling, discusses the different types of pastoral counseling, and explains issues involved in combining a faith tradition with therapeutic psychology. A significant portion of the course is comprises of the description of the central working model of the author's Self Compass® and Compass Therapy approach to pastoral counseling, which is combined with ten counseling techniques to show pastoral counseling in action. A Code of Ethics in pastoral counseling is provided, as well as a bibliography and online resources.
Educational Objectives:
This course will teach psychotherapists to
Identify the history, types and basic issues in pastoral counseling.
Explain practical psychological techniques pertinent to pastoral counseling.
Describe the complexity of integrating a faith tradition with therapeutic psychology.
Summarize ethical issues pertinent to pastoral counseling.
Course Syllabus:
DEFINITION OF PASTORAL COUNSELING AND RELATED TERMS
Pastoral Counseling
Pastoral Ministry
Applied Theology
Psychology of Religion
Spiritual Direction
Pastoral Psychotherapy
HISTORY OF PASTORAL COUNSELING
Contributors to Pastoral Counseling
Pastoral Counseling Contrasted With Secular Counseling
Influence of Therapeutic Psychology
The Burgeoning Field of Pastoral Counseling
TYPES OF PASTORAL COUNSELING
Introduction
Brief Situational Support
Short-term Counseling
Long-term Pastoral Psychotherapy
ISSUES, TENSIONS, AND DEBATES IN PASTORAL COUNSELING
The Place of Sacred Scripture
How To Handle Denominational Loyalty
Counseling in a Goldfish Bowl
The Paradox of Pastoral Counseling
THE COMPASS THERAPY APPROACH TO PASTORAL COUNSELING
The Compass Model
A Compass for Redemptive Hope
Transforming the Dependent Trend
Disarming an Aggressive Counselee
Thawing Out the Frozen Person
Liberation from the Curse of Perfection
The Actualizing Ascent
The Anatomy of a Counseling Session
ETHICS IN PASTORAL COUNSELING
Introduction
American Association of Pastoral Counselors Code of Ethics
