Counseling 504: Practical Applications of Christian Counseling
Course Description:
This course will allow students to learn and practice counseling techniques, which would make of them better helpers.
Course Objective:
Upon completion of this course, students will be more comfortable with counseling others in both, a personal and a social capacity. Students will learn and practice the purpose of using empathy, silence, questioning, reflecting and paraphrasing to help with their counseling work. Other techniques will also be taught and modeled.
Required Text:
- The Helping Relationship (Process and Skills) Lawrence M. Brammer
- The Art of Helping (Lauren Littauer Briggs)
- Additional Reading Material: The Bible; Verses related to Christian counseling will be assigned and practiced. Additional articles assigned by Instructor. Case scenario’s related to all forms of addiction and mental health.
- Reading Assignments: Students to read 1 chapter each week as assigned.
- An important part of counseling and attaining these skills accurately is through a face to face and in person process. It is difficult to pick up on some cues over a phone conference when there are multiple people on the phone. It is also difficult to pick up on body language cues. My suggestion would be to cover this in the on-site portion of the class.
- Explain how empathy should be accurate and genuine
- Explain the limits of self-disclosure
- Explain why this is helpful and when it would not be helpful
- In my experience people are the most uncomfortable with this one because of the nature of how we interact in our lives outside of counseling
- Explain the crucial benefits of this and what to do if the silence gets too long. For example, I once saw a teen who wanted to be silent the entire session because she was forced to see me by her mother. This was her protest! What do you do in this case? Explain…
- Explain the difference between this and reflective statements and how the benefit is also different.
- Explain how this helps to clarify and to join with the client
- -Instructor will grade video session and give feedback to students.
- -Helper will describe their session experience and identify their strong skills while also addressing skills they need to work more on. (Written Assessment)
- Weekly Practice Sessions: 40% of Grade
- Final Exam/Written Assessment: 60%
- Students must be present for all practice sessions, on site teaching and Have Final Exam on due date.