Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation

Transcription

1 Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation 1

2 The mission of CCEF is to restore Christ to counseling and counseling to the church by thinking biblically about the issues of living in order to equip the church to meet counseling-related needs. School of Biblical Counseling Staff Wes Tubel, Director Carly Robinson, Student Services Coordinator Lexie Martin, Program Manager Anne Pettit, Student Services Administrative Assistant 1803 E. Willow Grove Avenue Glenside, PA

3 WELCOME LETTER 2 David Powlison, CCEF Executive Director and Faculty Member CCEF FACULTY 4 CCEF CERTIFICATE PROGRAM 6 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS 8 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 12

4 WELCOME I am so pleased that you are considering taking time to study biblical counseling with us at CCEF. As a new Christian whose life had been revolutionized by Jesus Christ, I began studying at CCEF 40 years ago. My educational background had been in psychology; my work history was in mental health services; my approach to my personal problems was to seek psychotherapy. Biblical counseling revolutionized how I understood people, starting with myself. The same wisdom that turned my world upside down also transformed how I sought to care for and help others. So why might you study biblical counseling? Let me ask and offer answers to five questions. First, when Jesus ministers to people, what are the goals he is pursuing? The aim of our instruction is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5). Inward renewal of heart, conscience, and faith changes how you treat people. If counseling is biblically faithful, it aims both to embody, and to help others embody, these goals. Second, how do we grow in such faith and love? Speaking truth in love, let us grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. Let no unwholesome words come out of your mouth, but only what is good for building up, as fits the need, that it may give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:15, 29). Jesus speaks the honest truth about God, about us, about life s most difficult experiences. And his love is hands-on, caring, helpful, relevant. We should do no less. As we do, we patiently help each other grow. Third, what prerequisite prepares us to speak such nutritious, constructive, timely, and gracious words? If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame. Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger (Proverbs 18:13; James 1:19). Wise person-to-person ministry asks, and listens, and notices, and ponders before it speaks up. It is one of the delights and privileges of biblical counseling ministry. Wisdom embodies many interpersonal skills. 2

5 Fourth, what problems impel people to seek counseling help? Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins (Psalm 25:16 18). We suffer, feeling overwhelmed, confused, hopeless, and anxious. Sins of bitterness, unbelief, self-righteousness, and addiction consume our lives. God cares. Christ s mercies enter into and address the personal, interpersonal, and situational troubles for which people need help. The Father of mercies and God of all comfort comforts us in all our affliction. Fifth, what surprising dynamic makes us truly helpful to each other? The Father of mercies and God of all comfort comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:3 4). Biblical wisdom is not a theory that operates at arm s length. Even severe troubles are human troubles. We can connect. Words of life that become personal for you can become personal for others. This is how ministry should be. We give away what we are receiving our firsthand experience of God s daily mercies. If these questions and answers resonate with your faith and your aspirations to grow in wisdom, I invite you to study biblical counseling with us at CCEF. Blessings, David Powlison Executive Director and Faculty Member 3

6 FACULTY One of the hallmarks of the School of Biblical Counseling is the committed faculty. Faculty members at CCEF hold advanced degrees in theology and counseling-related fields, are involved in local church ministry, and maintain an active counseling schedule. The courses reflect the immediacy, challenge, and fruit of their counseling. David Powlison (MDiv, PhD) has served at CCEF for over 35 years. He is the executive director and the senior editor of the Journal of Biblical Counseling. He holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and an MDiv from Westminster Theological Seminary. His writings include Seeing with New Eyes; Speaking Truth in Love; and The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. Edward T. Welch (MDiv, PhD) has served at CCEF for over 35 years. Ed holds a PhD in counseling psychology with a neuro-psychology specialty from the University of Utah and an MDiv from Biblical Theological Seminary. He has written many books including When People Are Big and God Is Small and Shame Interrupted. His most recent book, Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love was published in Winston Smith (MDiv) has served at CCEF for over 20 years. He holds an MDiv from Westminster Theological Seminary. He has extensive experience in marriage counseling and is the author of Marriage Matters: Extraordinary Change through Ordinary Moments. Michael Emlet (MDiv, MD) has served at CCEF since He holds an MD from the University of Pennsylvania and an MDiv from Westminster Theological Seminary. He is the author of CrossTalk: Where Life and Scripture Meet. His area of concentration is the relationship between the heart and the body with a particular focus on physiological issues. Julie Lowe (MA, LPC) has served at CCEF since She holds an MA in counseling from Biblical Theological Seminary and is a licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist. Julie has extensive experience in women s issues, sexual abuse, parenting, and child maltreatment. Cecelia Bernhardt (MDiv) has served at CCEF since She holds an MDiv from Westminster Theological Seminary. Cecelia is the director of counseling ministries. She has extensive experience counseling adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. 4

7 Todd Stryd (MDiv, PsyD) has served at CCEF since He holds a PsyD from Immaculata University and an MDiv from Westminster Theological Seminary. He has experience as a hospital chaplain, crisis worker, and university counselor. Alasdair Groves (MDiv) has served at CCEF since He holds an MDiv in counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary. Alasdair is the director of counseling at CCEF New England. He has a passion to foster genuine relationships in the local church, especially through counseling and counseling training. Aaron Sironi (MS, LCPC) has served at CCEF since He holds an MS in marital and family therapy from Fuller Theological Seminary and is a licensed clinical professional counselor. Aaron is the director of counseling at CCEF Montana. He loves to come alongside pastoral ministers through consultation, training, and counseling services. Monica Kim (MAR) has served at CCEF since She holds an MA in religion from Westminster Theological Seminary. Monica is currently pursuing a PhD in Counseling Psychology from Lehigh University. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTORS Darby Strickland (MDiv) holds an MDiv degree in counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary. Darby is a counselor with a special interest in working with developmentally delayed children and abusive marriages. Laura Andrews (MDiv) holds an MDiv degree in counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary. Laura is a counselor and the counseling intern coordinator. She has experience in a variety of church ministries. Michael Gembola (MAR, MAC) holds an MA in religion and an MA in counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary. Michael is a counselor and also serves as a pastor at a Philadelphia church. 5

8 CERTIFICATE PROGRAM CCEF has developed an in-depth counseling educational program that provides equipping for everyone in all ministry contexts. Students who are working toward a certificate represent diverse backgrounds and ministry goals: they are pastors, youth ministers, counselors, small group leaders, laypeople, missionaries, businessmen and women, retirees, and more. CCEF s certificate program is designed for Christians who have a vision for the church in action. It is for people whose hearts go out to those who suffer, those who grieve, those who are trapped in sin. If you want to help, but do not always know how, we can equip you. Our program is: BIBLICAL Our purpose is to help you to understand and practice principles of living and ministry that are revealed in the Scriptures. We will teach you to think biblically about people and their problems. You will come to understand how lasting change takes place and how the Lord can use you to comfort, encourage, admonish, and walk side by side with others as we seek to live for his glory. PERSONAL Our purpose is to help you to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ. What you learn must be applied first in your own life. Much of what happens in a counseling situation is shaped by who the counselor is and what the counselor brings to that situation. The certificate program is designed to give you an opportunity to know God better, to know yourself better, and to work toward personal goals of biblical change so that you may be conformed to his image. PRACTICAL Our purpose is to equip you to counsel. You will look at real life problems and learn how to apply the Scriptures to those problems. Through case studies, self-counseling projects, lectures, readings, and class discussions you will learn how to bring the good news of the Redeemer, Jesus Christ, to those who are experiencing the effects of living in a fallen world. 6

9 CCEF currently offers three certificates Foundations of Biblical Counseling These courses provide a foundation for biblical counseling, presenting a basic biblical model and essential how-to principles for everyday application. Courses: Dynamics of Biblical Change, Helping Relationships, Counseling in the Local Church, Human Personality, Biblical Interpretation Topics in Biblical Counseling These courses build on the introductory courses by applying the foundational principles to a host of human struggles, both common and uncommon. Courses: Counseling Problems and Procedures, Marriage Counseling, Theology and Secular Psychology, Counseling and Physiology Counseling Skills and Practice These courses give students the opportunity to observe biblical counseling in action, and continue to grow in the skills and qualities that make a loving and wise counselor. Courses: Counseling Children and Adolescents, Counseling Observation, Essential Qualities of a Biblical Counselor Courses in each certificate can be taken independently or concurrently; however, certificates are awarded only after all classes in that certificate are completed. The School of Biblical Counseling at CCEF has been a life-changing portal for my relationship with God, my marriage, family and ministry. Ruth Bauman CCEF student 7

10 COURSES Dynamics of Biblical Change Dr. David Powlison Online, on-site, hybrid How you understand God, yourself, other people, life s pressures, and the process of change determine the way that you counsel other people. This course addresses the depth, breadth, and balance of your understanding of these issues. It addresses how Christ s past grace, present grace, and future grace speaks to our hearts and changes how we live, how we face the troubles of life, and how we deal with inner struggles. Through case studies, class lectures, assigned readings, and Scripture you ll explore these practical matters. Self-counseling projects will help you to make first-hand, practical application of the concepts learned in class. Helping Relationships Dr. Ed Welch Online, on-site, hybrid Helping Relationships is a methodology course that teaches you to apply your understanding of biblical counseling to everyday relationships. It is designed to help you grow in wisdom in order to love and care for others well. Case studies, lectures, and group discussions will increase your ability to listen well, know people, interpret another person s story from a biblical perspective, and offer biblically-based truth that will motivate others in their growth in Christ. Counseling in the Local Church Various Faculty Online, on-site This course will broaden students understanding of counseling to include all relationships, as well as build a thoroughly biblical understanding of the local church as a ministering community where everyone plays a part. Students will be encouraged to consider the current ministry opportunities within their church. This course will also demonstrate the importance of both public and private ministry of the Word and how they interrelate. Human Personality Dr. Ed Welch Online, on-site, hybrid Who is God? Who are we? Most everything we do comes from our answers to these questions, so we want to get the answers right. This course will focus especially on the questions Who am I? and Who are we? Since we are made in the image of God, we will also have the pleasure of asking Who is God? This course will pursue answers that will inspire, instruct, guide and provide direction for our face-to-face ministry. 8

11 Dr. Mike Emlet Online, on-site, hybrid Biblical Interpretation All of Scripture is sufficient for counseling, but how do you connect God s Word effectively to the lives and struggles of people around you? How do you use the Bible s redemptive story in counseling so that counselees grow in their knowledge of and love for the sovereign Lord? This course will help you understand both people and the Bible more thoroughly and is designed to strengthen your ability to connect scriptural truth to real-life ministry situations. Students will develop skills in interpreting and applying any passage of Scripture to help people love God and others more fully in the midst of their complex, daily lives. Dr. Mike Emlet Online, on-site Counseling & Physiology A biblical view of human beings begins with an understanding that we are both body and spirit. From this reality flows a nuanced pastoral approach to suffering and sin in a person s life that takes seriously both the physical and spiritual aspects of struggles. In this class students will learn how to wisely help those who struggle with issues such as traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, OCD, bipolar disorder, and other problems that require discernment of physical and spiritual components of the struggle. You will also gain an understanding of the role of psychoactive medications and psychiatry in caring for others. Winston Smith Online, on-site Marriage Counseling Marriage problems can seem especially complicated and disheartening, not only for the couples struggling with them but also for those trying to help. Talking about them with a helper can be difficult, even explosive. In this introductory course on marriage counseling, you will gain a working model that connects the truth of the gospel to everything that you are going to see in marriage problems. You ll understand simple, biblical categories that can navigate the trials and hardship of marriage counseling and marriage problems. You ll also learn methods to help you manage and constructively direct the conflict and volatility that are often part of the process. Dr. Ed Welch Online, on-site Counseling Problems and Procedures This course aims to go deep with the everyday and universal problems of life, such as guilt, shame, fear, anger, and suffering. The course content also considers problems that are not found in a concordance, such as bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, anorexia and bulimia, and addictions. Students will learn to move toward people with any type of struggle in a way that is engaging, helpful, and Christ-centered. 9

12 Theology and Secular Psychology Dr. David Powlison Online, on-site, hybrid Modern secular psychologies provide the lenses through which most people view life s problems. How does biblical counseling differ? The way a person interprets any given problem or struggle leads directly to the solution offered. Secular psychologies often leave God out of the picture so that Christ plays no necessary part in addressing what is going on. Students will develop skills to lovingly and wisely engage the ways others seek to understand and solve personal problems. Students will develop the ability to appreciate observations made by others, while reinterpreting these observations in light of Scripture. Counseling Observation Various Faculty Online, on-site This class affords the opportunity to observe various CCEF counselors and faculty members as they counsel actual cases. You ll experience the unscripted, unpredictable, and often-messy aspects of face-to-face personal ministry, and be introduced to the artfulness, skill, and utter dependency on the Spirit that is needed to counsel wisely. Class discussion will focus on topics that arise out of each counseling session, and you ll learn how to write effective progress notes to document counseling sessions. Essential Qualities of a Biblical Counselor Monica Kim Online, on-site The character and the relational building approaches of a counselor significantly contribute to effective biblical counseling. This class requires counselors to thoughtfully consider and grow in self-awareness of their personal character and skills. The character qualities of love, humility, faithfulness and spiritual maturity, and the skills of loving, knowing, speaking and doing are explored and examined in order to contemplate strengths and weaknesses, and devise a plan for personal development. Counseling Children and Adolescents Julie Lowe Online, on-site Today s children and teens struggle with many counseling issues, such as depression, eating disorders, broken relationships, suicide and peer pressure. By understanding the root(s) of these struggles, we grow in wisdom and understanding of how to apply gospel truths. Through practical, hands-on assignments and creative class exercises you ll learn how to build a relationship with a child or teen and apply Scripture in a way that gives life. You ll also have lectures and assigned readings that help you understand a biblical method of family counseling and learn about childhood learning and development. 10

13 Darby Strickland Online (beginning 2016), on-site Counseling Abusive Marriages Abuse occurs in one quarter of all marriages. The distorted and dangerous beliefs that fuel abuse require a distinctive counseling approach. In this course you will learn a working biblical counseling model that will develop your conceptualization of abuse, as well as provide guidance for how to wisely minister in these difficult and overwhelming situations. You will learn about physical, spiritual, sexual and emotional abuse and how Scripture provides wisdom for both the sufferer and perpetrator. You will walk away with tools for assessing the extent and severity of abuse, plans for providing protection, and strategies for church engagement. We live in a day and age where information comes at us in waves, oftentimes faster than we can comprehend it. The classroom (face-to-face and even digital) gives you time to slow down, think deeply about weighty matters, talk about the material with friends and family, and be changed in such a way that the course never leaves you, always leaving its imprint on your work and relationships. Ed Welch CCEF faculty member 11

14 FAQ s How do I begin taking classes with CCEF? Students can register for classes at and should begin by taking Dynamics of Biblical Change. Online students will receive access to their course approximately two weeks prior to the course start date. What is the difference between on-site, online, and hybrid courses? Students in on-site courses attend class in person in the Philadelphia area. On-site courses are taught live weekly in a classroom with the professor lecturing. Students participate in online courses through a virtual campus using a computer and internet connection. Students will watch or listen to lectures, interact with others through a community board, and complete weekly readings and assignments. Though weekly assignments are due by a certain date and time, students are free to watch or listen to the lecture at any time during the week that is conducive to their schedule. Hybrid courses are a combination of our online and on-site courses. Hybrid courses utilize videos from the online virtual campus, but students also meet live for a portion of the class (i.e., you must be present in the Philadelphia area to participate in the live class portion). What is the difference between taking a course for credit and audit? Taking a course for credit means that students complete weekly assignments and receive graded feedback from a Recitation Instructor. They are also eligible to earn certificates. Taking a class as an auditor means that students have the freedom to watch lectures and complete reading and writing assignments at their own pace for up to six months. However, auditors do not submit any work for grading or have access to a Recitation Instructor. Audited courses do not count toward a CCEF certificate. How much do classes cost? ONLINE/HYBRID COURSES ON-SITE COURSES 3-credit $599 3-credit $560 2-credit $415 2-credit $375 *Classes taken for audit are 50% of the credit price Essential Qualities of a Biblical Counselor has an additional fee for a test that is required for the course. For more information on the cost of each certificate, please visit 12

15 Do you have any discounts available? CCEF provides special pricing for families and church groups of four or more. Family members living in the same household and taking the same class for credit within a year may receive a family discount of 50% off of one registration. For more information on group and family discounts, contact Student Services ([email protected]). At this time, CCEF is not able to offer any scholarships or grants. When do your semesters begin? Online course semesters begin three times per year: Spring (mid-january) Summer (mid-may) Fall (mid-september) On-site and hybrid course semesters begin four times per year: Winter (early January) Spring (early February) Summer (early June) Fall (early September) The complete list of when courses are offered is available at Is CCEF accredited? CCEF is not accredited. However, some academic institutions do accept our coursework toward accredited degree programs. I would like to take a class on campus but I don t live near Philadelphia. What are my options? CCEF hosts a summer intensive for two weeks in early June. Students travel from around the world to attend the summer intensive. Some hybrid courses only require two weekends of travel per semester, and may also be an option for students wishing to attend live classes. For more information, visit 13

16 Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation Student Services