Pastoral Counseling Courses
PA 375 Career Counseling
This course will be a study of the
theories and skills needed to be an effective counselor for career-related
concerns. Topics studied will include: theories of career
development and decision-making; understanding and use of assessment
tools, including computerized career guidance systems; presentation and
practice of basic career counseling skills; development of student's own
perspective of career development in the Christian context. Emphasis
will be placed on sub-populations with special career concerns, such as
women, ethnic minorities and mid-life adults. (3 credits)
PA 380 Research and
Evaluation
This course focuses on the
integration of the components of the research process with application to
the field of pastoral counseling. Content areas include the scientific
method, utilization of research findings, research study designs,
collection and analysis of data, and evaluation of research. Throughout
the course, emphasis is placed on critical thinking and use of research
findings. (3 Credits)
PA 385 Social and Cultural
Foundations
The course will provide a full appreciation of the complex role that
culture plays in the natural growth and psychosocial development of human
behavior. Participants will be assisted in defining and operationalizing a
definition of culture and in developing capacity and skills for assessing
their individual level of cultural competence. Additionally, participants
will be able to broaden their understandings and appreciations of cultural
differences and similarities within and among groups. (3 Credits)
PA 401 Pastoral
Counseling I: Basic Counseling Techniques
This course equips students with
the fundamental techniques and skills that form the foundation for all
models of counseling. Students will learn and demonstrate competence
in attending and listening skills, goal setting, and implementation of
behavioral change plans. Students will acquire fundamental crisis
intervention skills with situations such as suicide, domestic violence,
divorce and sexual abuse. This course also introduces students to
the specifically pastoral dimensions of counseling and explores
appropriate ways to address values, religion and spirituality with
clients. (3 Credits)
PA 402 Pastoral
Counseling II: Theories of Counseling
This course surveys the major
schools of counseling: dynamic, existential, cognitive-behavioral, and
systemic. Students will acquire a cognitive understanding of these
theories, demonstrate the ability to apply basic techniques from each
model, and be able to articulate the pastoral and faith dimensions of each
counseling approach. Prerequisite: PA 401. (3
Credits)
PA 404 Human
Development and Spiritual Experience
Students will learn the major
theories of human development, covering a variety of perspectives -
biological, psychological, social, cognitive, moral, and spiritual. The
pastoral implications of each developmental model will be explored and
students will learn to integrate scientific understandings of human
development with insights from the Christian Tradition. (3 Credits)
PA 406 Group Process
A study of the basic dynamics and processes operative in groups and the
various strategies for facilitating group interaction. Attention will be
given both to theory and types of groups as well as to facilitative
skills, particularly as they apply to pastoral setting. (3
Credits)
PA 407 Professional, Legal
and Ethical Issues in Pastoral Counseling
This course will address the professional responsibilities, legal
considerations and codes of ethics that pertain to the practice of
pastoral counseling. In addition, the course will review methods of
approaching moral and ethical issues in pastoral counseling situations.
Consequently the interface between pastoral psychology and religious
ethics or moral theology will be addressed. (3 Credits)
PA 408 Pastoral
Counseling Practicum I
This course represents the first
half of the Practicum, which gives students actual experience with bona
fide clients, under the supervision of a licensed counselor. The
total Practicum (including PA 409) requires 100 hours of training &
experience, 40 hours of which must be in face-to-face contact with
clients. Students learn further skills of assessment, diagnosis, referral,
treatment planning, application of pastoral perspectives, and clinical
record management. Practicum sites include the Athenaeum & community
counseling settings. Students receive Individual & group
supervision. Prerequisites: PA 401, PA 402, 404, 407, 553, and
550. (3 Credits)
PA 409 Pastoral
Counseling Practicum II
This course is the continuation and
completion of the Practicum experience started in PA 408.
Prerequisite: PA 408. (3
Credits)
PA 410 Appraisal of the
Individual I
A survey of psychological tests including tests of attitude, interest,
vocational, intelligence and personality. Designed to give an
understanding of basic principles and their application to counseling
assessment and report writing. (3 Credits)
PA 500 Pastoral Counseling
Internship
The internship provides students an extended supervised experience of
professional counseling in a designated pastoral counseling placement. The
internship consists of at least 600 hours, of which 240 hours are direct
services, including diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional
disorders and conditions. Placements are arranged according to
preferences, skills and needs of the students. Prerequisites: PA 408 and
PA 409. (20 Credits)
PA 503 Theological
Reflection for Pastoral Counselors
This course will help students
integrate theological themes and the counseling experience. Students
will enhance their skills of applying counseling theories to actual cases,
developing treatment plans and interventions, and integrating an
appropriate pastoral perspective with good counseling practice. This
course assumes that students have had experience with actual clients and
have a fundamental grasp of assessment, diagnosis, and case formulation.
Students will develop a solid model for theological reflection which
incorporates the insights of the Christian Tradition while respecting the
diversity of human spiritual experience. Prerequisite: PA 408
or permission of instructor. (3 Credits)
Clinical Content Courses
PA 352 Chemical Dependency
This course will provide pastoral
ministers and counselors current information on the disease of chemical
dependency. It will examine personality issues in chemically
dependent persons and their families and adult children. Special
focus will be given to the pastoral counselor as intercessor, intervener
and therapist. (3 credits)
PA 403 Theories of
Personality
A study of the major theories of
personality currently operative in the fields of counseling and
psychology. The course will attempt to provide an overview of current
research, evaluations and applications of personality theory as it applies
particularly to pastoral counseling. (3 Credits)
PA 412 Couple and
Family Counseling
This course offers an
introduction to the practice of counseling with couples and
families. It places primary emphasis upon skill building and the
practical aspects of working with family systems and subsystems.
Students will receive an overview of the history of family therapy, family
systems concepts/techniques and three approaches to family therapy
(Structural, Strategic and Reflecting Processes). Emphasis will be
given to practicing the theory in class to enhance clinical competence and
personal/professional growth. Prerequisite: PA 402 or permission of
the instructor. (3 Credits)
PA 415 Introduction to
Clinical Hypnosis
This beginning-level course combines the nature and theory of hypnosis
together with the integration of this therapeutic technique into clinical
practice. Hypnotic methods for stress management, psychotherapy, pain
management, habit control, and unconscious exploration will be among the
topics discussed in this course. Open only to MAPC candidates and licensed
professionals, e.g., counselors, social workers, etc. (3 Credits)
PA 416 The Psychology of
Human Sexuality
This course has been designed to give the therapist/counselor an overview
of the field of human sexuality with special emphasis on sex therapy. In
addition to current education on sexuality, a variety of treatment
approaches will be presented and evaluated. The class format will include
lecture, video cases and treatment examples, class discussion, special
guest speakers, and role playing. (3 Credits)
PA 417 Counseling
Children and Adolescents
Students will learn to apply
current DSM diagnostic criteria to the problems of children and
adolescents and will explore treatment strategies and interventions based
on dynamic, existential, cognitive-behavioral and systemic models.
Prerequisites: PA 401, 402, 404, 553 and 550 or permission of
instructor. (3 Credits)
PA 417 Childhood
Psychopathology
Students will learn to apply DSM-IV diagnostic criteria to problems of
young people and will explore dynamic, behavioral, existential, and
systemic theories of etiology and treatment. (3
Credits)
PA 418 Alternative
Therapies
This course offers a specialized, in-depth treatment of shorter term
cognitive behavioral approaches to pastoral counseling, specifically,
reality therapy, rational-emotive therapy, and short term cognitive
therapy with couples. Since this is an advanced clinical course for
practicing professionals, the emphasis will be upon practice under live
supervision with feedback from the instructor and the student's
colleagues. Prerequisites: masters degree or PA 401 & 402 with
permission of instructor. (3 Credits)
PA 550 Diagnosis of Mental
and Emotional Disorders
A comprehensive study of the major psychiatric/psychological disorders
with emphasis upon: 1) the mental status examination and recognition of
symptoms indicating the need for professional treatment and/or referral;
2) an initial understanding of diagnostic procedures and therapeutic
approaches; 3) a working knowledge of the current Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders. (4 Credits)
PA 551 Professional
Interaction and Treatment Planning
This course deals with the development and implementation of treatment
plans, reporting procedures including clinical updates, and
appropriateness of referral and/or psychotropic medications. Procedures
for interacting with managed care and other mental health personnel will
also be reviewed. Prerequisites: PA 408 and PA 409 or equivalent. (4 Credits)
PA 552 Counselor
Supervision
This course deals with the three areas of counselor supervision: clinical,
administrative and educational. The developmental stages in counselor
education are explored and the similarities and differences between
supervision and therapy are clearly delineated. (3 Credits)
PA 553 Clinical
Psychopathology
This course studies clinical psychopathology and the development of
personality disorders throughout the life span. An emphasis on the
implication of these developmental patterns to the counseling process. An
in-depth study of abnormal behavior with little emphasis on diagnostic
procedures. (3 Credits)
PA 554 Methods of
Intervention and Prevention
This course is designed to study methods of intervention and prevention of
mental and emotional disorders. A variety of therapeutic approaches will
be emphasized including client-centered, psychoanalytic, rational emotive,
reality therapy, and other current methods of treatment. Specialized
techniques used with diverse populations will also be considered.
Prerequisites: PA 408 and PA 409 or equivalent. (3 Credits)
PA 555 Appraisal of the
Individual II
This advanced assessment course focuses on administering and interpreting
individual and group standardized tests used in the diagnostic and
treatment planning process. Prerequisite: PA 410. (4 Credits)
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