Towards a Theology of

Christian Counselling 1
 

This unit promotes the integration of Christian faith with one's calling in life in those areas where counselling skills and understanding are required. The counsellor will become more critically aware and discriminative within the field, through a biblical understanding of humanity and persons.

MCSI is concerned to promote the integration of Christian faith with one's calling in life.  This unit has been designed to bring to bear the rich resources of Biblical Anthropology upon the theory and practice of counselling.  The expectation is that the counsellor will become more critically aware and discriminative within the field, through a biblical understanding of humanity and persons

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When & Where Offered

This subject is offered in semester 2 2008, 13 weeks of classes commencing week beginning 4 August and concluding week beginning 10 November, Tuesdays 6-9pm.  Classes will be held in conjunction with undergraduate classes at Macquarie University campus.

Standard format of 3 hours class contact per week over 13 weeks.  Lectures comprise 70% of the class contact.  The remaining 30% of class contact involves student participation in seminars, presentations, student-led case studies, tutorials, reading and reflection exercises, and audio/video components.

Lecturers/Tutors

Ms Rose Weir, B.Min.,  M.A. in Theology, Australian College of Theology, M. Ed. (Adult) University of Technology, Sydney,  M. Couns., University of New England.    Full Member: Association of Personal Counsellors,  Full Member: Society of Counselling and Psychotherapy Educators (SCAPE) PACFA Reg. No. 20298.


Dr Neil Holm, Dip. Teach (CSU), B.A. (Hons)(UNE), Ph.D., MACE.  Dean and Senior Lecturer in Education Studies and Christian Formation, Macquarie Christian Studies Institute)

Unit Code and Details

IN670: Towards a Theology of Christian Counselling 1
This unit is worth 4 credit points at 600 level towards a Graduate Diploma in Christian Studies.
Prerequisites for students at Graduate Diploma Level:
Completion of undergraduate degree, including some prior studies in Psychology.
Students not meeting the above requirements may seek approval from the Dean.
Students interesting in completing this subject at Masters or 700 level should contact the Dean.

Exclusions: IN 428; PC405

Unit Content /Lecture Topics

1. Overview of analytical framework based on Biblical and theological principles that will be further developed as each major approach to counselling is examined from a Christian perspective.
2. Classic Psychoanalysis: pansexualism, psychological determinism, transference, the unconscious.
3. Jungian Therapy: collective unconscious; complexes; wholism and religion.
4. Neo-Freudian Ego-psychology; Object relations therapy; the place of relationships.
5. Behaviour Therapy: behaviour modification and personal totality.
6. Rational Emotive Therapy: links with stoicism; the centrality of thought within personality.
7. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy:  Beck's direct and focussed treatment; Bandura's person-environment interaction.
8. Person-Centred Therapy:  creative listening; optimism; self-emphasis.
9. Existential Therapy:  Kierkegaard's emphasis on anxiety, choice, becoming;  Frankl's "will to meaning".
10. Gestalt Therapy:  "unfinished business"; presentism; relative lack of theory, emphasis on techniques.
11. Family Systems Therapy: family solidarity and relationships; family determinism and individual differentiation.
12. Evaluation of counselling models in terms of their conceptual adequacy, ethical emphasis and pastoral effectiveness from a Christian perspective

 Assessment:

1. One 4,000-word position paper addressing a major evaluative issue as outlined under unit objectives (worth 60% of the final grade and due at the conclusion of the unit).

2. One 2,000-word essay dealing with issues raised in the unit and presented in class in seminar format (worth 40% of the final grade).

In these essays it is expected that: (i) the candidate will give a brief accurate description of the approach to be dealt with; (ii) the conceptual, ethical or pastoral problem will be defined succinctly;  (iii) a Christian perspective be outlined which is relevant and appropriate; and (iv) the emergent evaluation be clearly argued and justified.    

All essays and reports must be fully referenced. As a rule of thumb undergraduate students should use a minimum of 4 different references (excluding the Bible and internet resources) per 1,000 words. IN670 students must have a wider range of references and must include some references that are theological rather than educational or general.

Texts and Readings

Required Texts:
1. Jones, S.L. & Butman, R.T. Modern Psychotherapies. Downer's Grove: IVP, 1991.

2. Anderson, R.S. Christians who Counsel: the Vocation of Wholistic Therapy. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990).

Additional Reading:

1. Anderson, Neil T., Zuehlke, Terry E., Zuehlke, Julianne S., Christ Centred Therapy - The Practical Integration of Theology and Psychology, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.

2. Barker, P. Basic Family Therapy. London: Blackwell Science, 1998.

3. Barton, S. The Family in Theological Perspective. London: T & T Clark, 1996.

4. Benner, D. & P. Hill. Baker Encyclopedia of Psychology and Counselling, 2^nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999.

5. Blazer, D. Freud v God. Downer's Grove: IVP, 1998.

6. Chapman, G. C., "Jung and Christology" in Journal of Psychology and Theology, 25:4, 1997, 414 - 426.

7. Coledge, Ray. Mastering Counselling Theory, Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002

8. Collins, Gary R. The Biblical Basis of Christian Counselling for People Helpers, Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1993/2001

9. Corey, G. Theory and Practice of Counselling & Psychotherapy. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole, 1996.

10. Duek, Alvin C., Between Jerusalem & Athens - Ethical Perspectives on Culture, Religion, and Psychotherapy, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1995.

11. Entwistle, David N., Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock Publishers 2004

12. Evans, C. Stephen, Wisdom and Humanness in Psychology - Prospects for a Christian Approach Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989

13. George, R. "Rogers and the Wonderful Counsellor" in Carer and Counsellor, 8:2, Spring 1998, 31-35.

14. Graham, L.C. Care of Persons, Care of Worlds: A Psychosystems Approach to Pastoral Care and Counselling. Nashville: Abingdon, 1992.

15. Grenz, S.J., The Social God and the Relational Self: a Trinitarian Theology of the Imago Dei Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.

16. Hawkins, R.S., H. Siang & A.A. Turk. "Secular versus Christian Inpatient Cognitive - Behavioural Therapy Programs: Impact on Depression and Spiritual Well-Being" in Journal of Psychology and Theology, 27:4 (Winter 1999) 309-318.

17. Hurding, Roger F., Roots and Shoots - a guide to counselling and psychotherapy London: Hodder & Stoughton 1985

18. Johnson, Eric L., & Jones, Stanton L., (Eds) Psychology & Christianity, Downers Grove, IVP, 2000.

19. McMinn, Mark R., Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counselling. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1996.

20. Meissner, W., Psychoanalysis and Religious Experience Yale University Press, 1986

21. Olson, R. Paul. The Reconciled Life: A Critical Theory of Counselling, Peabody, Mass: Hendriksen, 1997/2001

22. Shafranske, Edward P., Religion and the Clinical Practice of Psychology, Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 1997.

23. Sperry, Len, 2001 Spirituality in Clinical Practice Philadelphia PA: Brunner-Routledge

24. Van Leeuwen, M. The Person in Psychology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985.