Previous Years' Course Catalogues

This course examines diverse models for assessing the acute and chronic distress that stems from the psychological, emotional, social, and/or spiritual dimensions of life. In this program, students are equipped to assess various forms of distress and to develop plans for providing therapy that are based on evidenced-based research and best practices. Students will explore theories in the field of assessment (spiritual assessment, psychological assessment, DSM-V, MMSE, and so forth) and they will engage in experiential learning opportunities (case studies, role plays, and so forth) that develop their assessment and care planning skills. This course has been designed for professionals who practice in institutional contexts (hospital, hospice, schools, prison, and so forth) and in congregational or social ministry contexts.

How do we assess the needs of those seeking spiritual care and counselling? How do we respond appropriately and develop plans for care that attend to the psycho-spiritual dimensions of life? This course equips students for the practice of spiritual assessment and developing plans for care. Students will learn the history and primary theories in the field of spiritual care assessment and will engage in experiential learning opportunities to develop their skills in creating a care plan. This course is well suited to people interested In developing their spiritual care practice in institutional contexts (hospital, hospice, prison, etc.) and for those interested in building their skills for spiritual care in congregational or social ministry contexts.

How do we assess the needs of those seeking spiritual care and counselling? How do we respond appropriately and develop plans for care that attend to the psycho-spiritual dimensions of life? This course equips students for the practice of spiritual assessment and developing plans for care. Students will learn the history and primary theories in the field of spiritual care assessment and will engage in experiential learning opportunities to develop their skills in creating a care plan. This course is well suited to people interested In developing their spiritual care practice in institutional contexts (hospital, hospice, prison, etc.) and for those interested in building their skills for spiritual care in congregational or social ministry contexts.

The course will help students reflect deeply on pastoral practice through interdisciplinary engagement with emerging issues that challenge the practice of pastoral ministry in today’s world. Issues addressed would include the pervasive impact of climate change on physical and mental health, changing family structures, sexuality, and gender, economic privation, racism and other systemic injustices that undermine the sense of hope in a better future posing immense challenges for the effective practice of pastoral ministry.

The cross-disciplinary (pastoral and theological) course will help students reflect deeply on pastoral practice through interdisciplinary engagement with emerging issues that challenge the practice of pastoral ministry in today’s world. Issues addressed would include the pervasive impact of climate change on physical and mental health, changing family structures, sexuality, and gender, economic privation, racism, and other systemic injustices that undermine the sense of hope in a better future posing immense challenges for the effective practice of pastoral ministry.

This course provides participants with an introduction to spiritually integrated cognitive-behavioural therapy. At the conclusion of this course, through lectures, discussions, in-vivo exercises, and graded submissions, students will have learned how to assess and treat various mental health pathologies by eliciting and changing clientsˇ automatic thoughts and negative schemas using evidence-based CBT interventions such as case conceptualizations, structuring and psychoeducation, thought records, core belief records, Socratic questioning, behavioural experiments, depression and anxiety inventories, activity scheduling, fear ladders, and graded exposures. Unlike a purely secular CBT approach that leaves no room for clientsˇ spiritual beliefs, this course will emphasize how CBT can be enhanced when understood through the lens of contemporary spiritual care best practices. Participants in this course will first become acquainted with how to understand spirituality and religion through a CBT lens, then learn and practice how to enhance the effectiveness of CBT by integrating a working knowledge of spiritual care issues with established CBT interventions to treat anxiety, depression, grief and loss, panic disorder, social phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Special attention will also be paid to employing established CBT interventions to treat the significant rise and proliferation of viral pandemic-related anxiety and depression.

This course provides participants with an introduction to spiritually integrated cognitive-behavioural therapy. At the conclusion of this course, through lectures, discussions, in-vivo exercises, and graded submissions, students will have learned how to assess and treat various mental health pathologies by eliciting and changing automatic thoughts and negative schemas using evidence-based CBT interventions such as case conceptualizations, structuring and psychoeducation, thought records, core belief records, Socratic questioning, behavioural experiments, depression and anxiety inventories, activity scheduling, fear ladders, and graded exposures. Unlike a purely secular CBT approach that leaves no room for clients spiritual beliefs, this course will emphasize how CBT can be enhanced when understood through the lens of contemporary spiritual care best practices. Participants in this course will first become acquainted with how to understand spirituality and religion through a CBT lens, then learn and practice how to enhance the effectiveness of CBT by integrating a working knowledge of spiritual care issues with established CBT interventions to treat anxiety, depression, grief and loss, panic disorder, social phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Special attention will also be paid to employing established CBT interventions to treat the significant rise and proliferation of viral pandemic-related anxiety and depression.

This course provides participants with an introduction to spiritually integrated cognitive-behavioural therapy. At the conclusion of this course, through lectures, discussions, in-vivo exercises, and graded submissions, students will have learned how to assess and treat various mental health pathologies by eliciting and changing clientsˇ automatic thoughts and negative schemas using evidence-based CBT interventions such as case conceptualizations, structuring and psychoeducation, thought records, core belief records, Socratic questioning, behavioural experiments, depression and anxiety inventories, activity scheduling, fear ladders, and graded exposures. Unlike a purely secular CBT approach that leaves no room for clientsˇ spiritual beliefs, this course will emphasize how CBT can be enhanced when understood through the lens of contemporary spiritual care best practices. Participants in this course will first become acquainted with how to understand spirituality and religion through a CBT lens, then learn and practice how to enhance the effectiveness of CBT by integrating a working knowledge of spiritual care issues with established CBT interventions to treat anxiety, depression, grief and loss, panic disorder, social phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Special attention will also be paid to employing established CBT interventions to treat the significant rise and proliferation of viral pandemic-related anxiety and depression.

This course provides participants with an introduction to spiritually integrated cognitive-behavioural therapy. At the conclusion of this course, through lectures, discussions, in-vivo exercises, and graded submissions, students will have learned how to assess and treat various mental health pathologies by eliciting and changing clientsˇ automatic thoughts and negative schemas using evidence-based CBT interventions such as case conceptualizations, structuring and psychoeducation, thought records, core belief records, Socratic questioning, behavioural experiments, depression and anxiety inventories, activity scheduling, fear ladders, and graded exposures. Unlike a purely secular CBT approach that leaves no room for clientsˇ spiritual beliefs, this course will emphasize how CBT can be enhanced when understood through the lens of contemporary spiritual care best practices. Participants in this course will first become acquainted with how to understand spirituality and religion through a CBT lens, then learn and practice how to enhance the effectiveness of CBT by integrating a working knowledge of spiritual care issues with established CBT interventions to treat anxiety, depression, grief and loss, panic disorder, social phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Special attention will also be paid to employing established CBT interventions to treat the significant rise and proliferation of viral pandemic-related anxiety and depression.

This course provides participants with an introduction to spiritually integrated cognitive-behavioural therapy. At the conclusion of this course, through lectures, discussions, in-vivo exercises, and graded submissions, students will have learned how to assess and treat various mental health pathologies by eliciting and changing clientsˇ automatic thoughts and negative schemas using evidence-based CBT interventions such as case conceptualizations, structuring and psychoeducation, thought records, core belief records, Socratic questioning, behavioural experiments, depression and anxiety inventories, activity scheduling, fear ladders, and graded exposures. Unlike a purely secular CBT approach that leaves no room for clientsˇ spiritual beliefs, this course will emphasize how CBT can be enhanced when understood through the lens of contemporary spiritual care best practices. Participants in this course will first become acquainted with how to understand spirituality and religion through a CBT lens, then learn and practice how to enhance the effectiveness of CBT by integrating a working knowledge of spiritual care issues with established CBT interventions to treat anxiety, depression, grief and loss, panic disorder, social phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Special attention will also be paid to employing established CBT interventions to treat the significant rise and proliferation of viral pandemic-related anxiety and depression.

This course will explore the Doctrine of Providence with readings across three genres: scriptural primary texts, commentaries on those from the tradition, treatises by ancient and modem authors. The goal is to arrive at an understanding of the explanatory power of Providence in terms of how it runs like an implicit element in and through the biblical canon, as well as the limits of its discourse. There will be eight 3-hour sessions: the scripture texts are those where the emphasis is as much on ' this life ' under God as it is on the glorious goal of the people of God: Genesis 37-50; Numbers 11-14; Job 38-42; Eccles 11-12; Ps 104; Wisdom 2-5; John 9; Acts 5:33-42; 17:16-32.

This course will explore the theory and practice of working with couples in pastoral counselling and marriage and family therapy, and will focus on family systems theory, Imago therapy and emotionally focused couple therapy. Attention will be given to premarital counselling, developmental issues and relationship breakdown, as well as interventions and strategies related to conflict and intimacy. Spiritual themes will be examined that enhance and deepen work with couples.