Previous Years' Course Catalogues

This course introduces students to practices of care with an emphasis on systems theories (family systems) in relation to self awareness, assessment, therapeutic planning in psycho-spiritual therapy and counselling. The first part of the course focuses on systems theories. Students will explore their own families and cultures of origin and their social identities as a means to learn the related theories and to develop self awareness (safe and effective use of self) for psycho-spiritual/ spiritual care therapy. In this first part of the course we will also examine and engage Internal family systems. The second part of the course will relate systems theories and intercultural approaches to the therapeutic process in the face of grief and loss, death and dying, suicide, trauma and crisis, aging and dementia. Through their understanding and use of systems theories, students' practice will be deepened in terms of the therapeutic relationship, assessment and treatment in spiritual care/ psycho-spiritual therapy. This course is suitable for students preparing for work in spiritual care/ psycho-spiritual therapy and for students preparing for leadership in congregational or social contexts.

This course will examine and compare postmodem counselling theory and practice from an integrative perspective of systemic and spiritual care, with respect to five of the most influential postmodern psychotherapies currently in use, including: Narrative; Brief Solution-Focused; Experiential Family Therapy; Collaborative Language Systems; and Social Constructivism. This course is designed to address requirements from the Entry-to-Practice Competency Profile for Registered Psychotherapists (RP), Ontario, for: "Foundations" (1.1-1.5), "Collegial & lnterprofessional Relationships" (2.1-2.3), and "Therapeutic Process" (4.1-4.7).
While this course is mainly intended for psychotherapists, pastoral counsellors (PCE), institutional spiritual care providers (CPE), and family therapists (AAMFT/OAMFT), it will also be of interest to those who are not counselling professionals, but who may provide multi-cultural and multi-faith care in public and private settings. Theological reflection and pastoral integration of current psychotherapeutic research and practice will be emphasized.

This interdisciplinary course will examine the major postmodern, constructivist psychotherapies and spiritual care issues, with introductory exposure to: Narrative Therapy (White, Epston); Brief Solution-Focused Therapy (de Shazer, Kim Berg); Symbolic-Experiential Family Therapy (Whittaker) and the Human Validation Process Model (Satir); Collaborative Language Systems Therapy (Goolishian, Anderson); Social Constructionist Therapy (Gergen & Lyddon); Integrative Meaning and Strengths-Based Therapies (Seligman, Frankl, Wong).

This interdisciplinary course will examine the major postmodern, constructivist psychotherapies and spiritual care issues, with introductory exposure to: Narrative Therapy (White, Epston); Brief Solution-Focused Therapy (de Shazer, Kim Berg); Symbolic-Experiential Family Therapy (Whittaker) and the Human Validation Process Model (Satir); Collaborative Language Systems Therapy (Goolishian, Anderson); Social Constructionist Therapy (Gergen & Lyddon); Integrative Meaning and Strengths-Based Therapies (Seligman, Frankl, Wong).

This interdisciplinary course will examine the major postmodern, constructivist psychotherapies and spiritual care issues, with introductory exposure to: Narrative Therapy (White, Epston); Brief Solution-Focused Therapy (de Shazer, Kim Berg); Symbolic-Experiential Family Therapy (Whittaker) and the Human Validation Process Model (Satir); Collaborative Language Systems Therapy (Goolishian, Anderson); Social Constructionist Therapy (Gergen & Lyddon); Integrative Meaning and Strengths-Based Therapies (Seligman, Frankl, Wong).

Postmodern-Constructivism continues to exert a powerful beneficial effect in the world of psychotherapy assessment and treatment by challenging traditional, modernist models of care. This intensive survey course is inspired by postmodern philosophical perspectives (J. Derrida, M. Foucault), Personal Construct Psychology (G. Kelly), and Social Constructivism (K. Gergen). We will examine and compare the major postmodern perspectives from the standpoint of integrative psychological and spiritual care, with introductory exposure to Narrative Therapy (M. White, D. Epston); Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (S. de Shazer, I. Kim Berg); Collaborative Language Systems Therapy (H. Goolishian, H. Anderson); Meaning-Based Therapies (V. Frankl, T. Wong); Strengths-Based Therapies (M. Seligman, Y. J. Wong); Constructivist Ethics (J. Guterman, J. Raskin); and Integrative Models (B. Zinnbauer, K. Pargament).

Examining cl1iefly Wesley's "Sermons on Several Occasions" (i.e., tracts), the course delineates Wesley's theological identity. It locates Wesley in his immediate environment: theological, religious, intellectual and social. It honours Wesley's insistence on a "practical divinity" that subserves evangelism and Christian formation rather than speculation--without thereby sacrificing theological substance, academic integrity or ecumenical significance. It probes important aspects of his theological formation; e.g., his grasp of the Magisterial and English Reformation, his expertise in Patristics, his debt to the Puritans, his affinity with aspects of Eastern Orthodoxy, and his appreciation of Counter-Reformation spirituality.

Examining chiefly Wesley's "Sermons on Several Occasions" (i.e., tracts), the course delineates Wesley's theological identity. It locates Wesley in his immediate environment: theological, religious, intellectual and social. It honours Wesley's insistence on a "practical divinity" that subserves evangelism and Christian formation rather than speculation--without thereby sacrificing theological substance, academic integrity or ecumenical significance. It probes important aspects of his theological formation; e.g., his grasp of the Magisterial and English Reformation, his expertise in Patristics, his debt to the Puritans, his affinity with aspects of Eastern Orthodoxy, and his appreciation of Counter-Reformation spirituality.

A comprehensive synthesis of primarily the Byzantine Orthodox doctrinal tradition. Themes include: the sources of Tradition, creation, eschatology, anthropology, soteriology, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, liturgy and sacraments, ecclesiology and East-West ecumenism. Lectures, seminars, short papers, research paper.

This interdisciplinary course will introduce core ethical issues which impact psychotherapists, spiritual care practitioners, and family therapists working in a variety of private and institutional settings. Codes of Ethics and Professional Practice Standards from the major regulating bodies will be examined and compared, including the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC), and the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). Essential components of the course will include theological and scriptural reflection on ethical themes and the application of one model of ethical decision-making to real-life case studies in order to develop students' ability to initiate effective clinical interventions in complex ethical dilemmas.

This interdisciplinary course will introduce core ethical issues which impact psychotherapists, spiritual care practitioners, and family therapists working in a variety of private and institutional settings. Codes of Ethics and Professional Practice Standards from the major regulating bodies will be examined and compared, including the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC), and the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). Essential components of the course will include theological and scriptural reflection on ethical themes and the application of one model of ethical decision-making to real-life case studies in order to develop students' ability to initiate effective clinical interventions in complex ethical dilemmas.

This interdisciplinary course will introduce core ethical issues in counselling which impact psychotherapists, marriage and family therapists and spiritual care providers, working in a variety of private and institutional settings. Codes of Ethics and Professional Practice Standards from the major regulating bodies will be examined, including the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC), the American and Ontario Associations for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT/OAMFT), and the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA).