Introduction to Pastoral Counseling

This asynchronous online course introduces students to culturally responsive counseling practices and multicultural awareness. Students examine societal and institutional structures of power and privilege, and become more aware of biases, prejudices, and microaggressions detrimental to the growth of the human spirit. Students study major counseling theories and practice basic helping skills centered on Person-Centered (Rogerian) counseling and Bowen Family Systems Theory. Pastoral elements will include individual, family, and congregational contexts. Asynchronous course with written lectures, readings, videos, and links to online resources. Weekly personal reflections and one synchronous component, a weekly self-scheduled dyad-skills practice session with a classmate. There are two assigned textbooks. Intermediate/advanced course intended for MDiv students, and with doctoral upgrade possible. It relates to Thresholds #2 and #5. MFC Competences #2 and #4.

[Faculty Consent required, please email instructor for permission to enroll; 16 max enrollment; Auditors excluded]