Course Catalogue 2026-2027

This course will examine professional ethics in the helping professions (esp. spiritual care, psycho-spiritual therapy and social service) in order to further equip students for competence in their chosen field. We will consider the philosophical/theological moorings for professional ethics and the need for congruence in belief, thought, word and deed. Students will examine their own belief systems in relation to ethical practice and construct means by which to embed ethical practice within theses systems. They will deepen their understanding of the intrinsic link between ethical practice and self awareness and assess areas of growth in this regard. Professional codes of ethics (Professional Practice Standards CRPO, CASC Code of Ethics, etc.) will be assessed as the minimum standard for the profession. These codes as well as best practices in the field will be practiced in class. Attention to ethical practice in contexts of diversity is central to course.

This course will examine professional ethics in the helping professions (esp. spiritual care, psycho-spiritual therapy and social service) in order to further equip students for competence in their chosen field. We will consider the philosophical/theological moorings for professional ethics and the need for congruence in belief, thought, word and deed. Students will examine their own belief systems in relation to ethical practice and construct means by which to embed ethical practice within theses systems. They will deepen their understanding of the intrinsic link between ethical practice and self awareness and assess areas of growth in this regard. Professional codes of ethics (Professional Practice Standards CRPO, CASC Code of Ethics, etc.) will be assessed as the minimum standard for the profession. These codes as well as best practices in the field will be practiced in class. Attention to ethical practice in contexts of diversity is central to course.

This course will examine professional ethics in the helping professions (esp. spiritual care, psycho-spiritual therapy and social service) in order to further equip students for competence in their chosen field. We will consider the philosophical/theological moorings for professional ethics and the need for congruence in belief, thought, word and deed. Students will examine their own belief systems in relation to ethical practice and construct means by which to embed ethical practice within theses systems. They will deepen their understanding of the intrinsic link between ethical practice and self awareness and assess areas of growth in this regard. Professional codes of ethics (Professional Practice Standards CRPO, CASC Code of Ethics, etc.) will be assessed as the minimum standard for the profession. These codes as well as best practices in the field will be practiced in class. Attention to ethical practice in contexts of diversity is central to course.

This integrative BD course applies best practice in professional ethics to pastoral ministry/spiritual care, especially for students in the clinical (CPE), counselling (PCE) and social service streams.
The course has three objectives: The first notes the "basic elements" of ethical reasoning which shape contemporary understandings of professional ethics in the healing professions. Special focus is placed on the distinctive opportunities and challenges theological (Christian and other) ethics offers to this discourse in terms of vocation & profession. This will include how faith narratives (especially the student's own) and a theological concept like discipleship can influence professional ethos. The second objective addresses how these "basic elements" are codified in terms of professional conduct and competencies within the specific practices of pastoral/spiritual care. Here the course comparatively explores several concrete professional codes of ethics, with a specific focus on the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC) code of ethics. Finally, the course facilitates sharpening the focus of the two previous objectives by contextually integrating theoretical ethics in three ways: (1) by raising questions of practical concern through the use of cases from institutional (healthcare, church, mosque and otherwise) and private practice; · (2) by having the student grapple with her/his own experience and understanding of professional ethics/values, and (3) by having students write their own "statement of commitment to ministry," a paper which is critically reflective -and resourced in the literature- in regards to their professional responsibilities for their future ministry. This course meets the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC) ethics requirement for certification programs in Supervised Pastoral Education (CPE & PCE).

This course will examine professional ethics in the helping professions (esp. spiritual care, psycho-spiritual therapy and social service) in order to further equip students for competence in their chosen field. We will consider the philosophical/theological moorings for professional ethics and the need for congruence in belief, thought, word and deed. Students will examine their own belief systems in relation to ethical practice and construct means by which to embed ethical practice within theses systems. They will deepen their understanding of the intrinsic link between ethical practice and self awareness and assess areas of growth in this regard. Professional codes of ethics (Professional Practice Standards CRPO, CASC Code of Ethics, etc.) will be assessed as the minimum standard for the profession. These codes as well as best practices in the field will be practiced in class. Attention to ethical practice in contexts of diversity is central to course.

This course will examine professional ethics in the helping professions (esp. spiritual care, psycho-spiritual therapy and social service) in order to further equip students for competence in their chosen field. We will consider the philosophical/theological moorings for professional ethics and the need for congruence in belief, thought, word and deed. Students will examine their own belief systems in relation to ethical practice and construct means by which to embed ethical practice within theses systems. They will deepen their understanding of the intrinsic link between ethical practice and self awareness and assess areas of growth in this regard. Professional codes of ethics (Professional Practice Standards CRPO, CASC Code of Ethics, etc.) will be assessed as the minimum standard for the profession. These codes as well as best practices in the field will be practiced in class. Attention to ethical practice in contexts of diversity is central to course.

This course will examine professional ethics in the helping professions (esp. spiritual care, psycho-spiritual therapy and social service) in order to further equip students for competence in their chosen field. We will consider the philosophical/theological moorings for professional ethics and the need for congruence in belief, thought, word and deed. Students will examine their own belief systems in relation to ethical practice and construct means by which to embed ethical practice within theses systems. They will deepen their understanding of the intrinsic link between ethical practice and self awareness and assess areas of growth in this regard. Professional codes of ethics (Professional Practice Standards CRPO, CASC Code of Ethics, etc.) will be assessed as the minimum standard for the profession. These codes as well as best practices in the field will be practiced in class. Attention to ethical practice in contexts of diversity is central to course.

This course will examine professional ethics in the helping professions (esp. spiritual care, psycho-spiritual therapy and social service) in order to further equip students for competence in their chosen field. We will consider the philosophical/theological moorings for professional ethics and the need for congruence in belief, thought, word and deed. Students will examine their own belief systems in relation to ethical practice and construct means by which to embed ethical practice within theses systems. They will deepen their understanding of the intrinsic link between ethical practice and self awareness and assess areas of growth in this regard. Professional codes of ethics (Professional Practice Standards CRPO, CASC Code of Ethics, etc.) will be assessed as the minimum standard for the profession. These codes as well as best practices in the field will be practiced in class. Attention to ethical practice in contexts of diversity is central to course.

This course will examine professional ethics in the helping professions (esp. spiritual care, psycho-spiritual therapy and social service) in order to further equip students for competence in their chosen field. We will consider the philosophical/theological moorings for professional ethics and the need for congruence in belief, thought, word and deed. Students will examine their own belief systems in relation to ethical practice and construct means by which to embed ethical practice within theses systems. They will deepen their understanding of the intrinsic link between ethical practice and self awareness and assess areas of growth in this regard. Professional codes of ethics (Professional Practice Standards CRPO, CASC Code of Ethics, etc.) will be assessed as the minimum standard for the profession. These codes as well as best practices in the field will be practiced in class. Attention to ethical practice in contexts of diversity is central to course.

This course provides spiritual caregivers with an overview of essential models of psychotherapy using Peter VanKatwyk's (2003) Therapeutic Strategies Map as an orienting framework. Insights from psychotherapeutic theory, sensitively and responsibly applied, enhance the practice of spiritual care. The overview provides a foundation for students who wish to study a particular model in depth and who wish to integrate these concepts into their practice through a supervised learning process. Knowledge of psychotherapeutic theories will also assist spiritual and pastoral providers in making necessary referrals when client needs are outside their scope of practice.

This course provides spiritual caregivers with an overview of essential models of psychotherapy using Peter VanKatwyk's (2003) Therapeutic Strategies Map as an orienting framework. Insights from psychotherapeutic theory, sensitively and responsibly applied, enhance the practice of spiritual care. The overview provides a foundation for students who wish to study a particular model in depth and who wish to integrate these concepts into their practice through a supervised learning process. Knowledge of psychotherapeutic theories will also assist spiritual and pastoral providers in making necessary referrals when client needs are outside their scope of practice.

This course provides spiritual caregivers with an overview of essential models of psychotherapy using Peter VanKatwyk's (2003) Therapeutic Strategies Map as an orienting framework. Insights from psychotherapeutic theory, sensitively and responsibly applied, enhance the practice of spiritual care. The overview provides a foundation for students who wish to study a particular model in depth and who wish to integrate these concepts into their practice through a supervised learning process. Knowledge of psychotherapeutic theories will also assist spiritual and pastoral providers in making necessary referrals when client needs are outside their scope of practice.