The Child and Adolescent Christian Counselling course is a level-6, twelve-credit course that provides Christian counsellors with an overview of Child and Adolescence Counselling Psychotherapy. It will provide student- counsellors with the theoretical knowledge and clinical skills necessary in the assessment and treatment of
children and adolescents. Focus will be on pastoral and Christian counselling practice, assessment skills, applicable psychotherapy theories, and interventions from an integrative theology and psychology perspective.
Issues unique to children and adolescents will be examined from an integrated bio-psycho-social-spiritual perspective. Christian counsellors will be equipped with effective, evidence based, clinical interventions for children and adolescents.

Once you have completed this course you should be able to:

  1. Gain a working knowledge of the major approaches to counselling with children and adolescents.
  2. Examine various theoretical, behavioral, and play therapy techniques for counseling children and adolescents.
  3. Recognize the impact of trauma & violence; the legacy of dysfunctional families of origin; the lack of social
    connectedness; and the related biological, social, emotional, and psychological distress, in the counseling of
    children and adolescents
  4. Demonstrate competence in the assessment and clinical treatment of commonly encountered childhood and
    adolescent mental health issues within the limitation of your training
  5. Assess behavior and incorporate developmentally, ethnically, legally, and gender appropriate strategies and
    techniques to meet the needs of counseling children and adolescents
  6. Demonstrate an understanding of the bio-psycho-social-spiritual bases of childhood and adolescent disorders
    and clinical issues, and utilize validated pastoral and Christian counselling interventions that are effective in
    treatment
  7. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of commonly encountered mental health issues in children and
    adolescents, including relevant childhood psychopathologies (DSM-V)
  8. Gain knowledge of ethical standards and guidelines involved in working clinically with minors
  9. Present a therapeutic model of counseling children and adolescents that critically and congruently integrates
    biblical and psychological paradigms in the process of assessment and treatment
  10. Minister to and support families effected by child and adolescent problem issues from an integrated Christian
    counselling perspective