The Counselling Skills Courses (I & II) are designed to help the Christian Counsellor understand the basic therapeutic process and how change occurs. It will practically guide the student-counsellor through all the phases of care giving and equip them with the necessary counselling micro and therapeutic skills for pastoral, lay-counselling, and professional counselling. (B.Th. with a Counselling Concentration students will do practicum-II during the internship in their Honours studies.)
In this Course (CCC2129) the practicum will emphasize basic theoretical assumptions and the helping relationship and will equip the beginning-counsellor with the microskills needed to be a Christian counsellor. The relationship between the caregiver (counsellor) and the counsellee is seen as the foundation of therapeutic change. Attention will be given to the basic communication and microskills needed in establishing an effective helping relationship that would facilitate the client’s personal and spiritual growth and development, change or progress towards wholeness in Christ.

At the completion of this Course, the student-counsellor will be able to:

  1. Integrate counselling microskills into Christian counselling, displaying the understanding that counselling skills can be in service of, and dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit
  2. Demonstrate the importance of communication as a listening skill and accurately interpret verbal and nonverbal communication
  3. Differentiate between the skills, tools and models of counselling theory and praxis
  4. Demonstrate acceptable levels of competency in using micro-counselling skills in simulated counselling sessions (role-plays and triads)
  5. Establish and practice helping relationships by the application of the theory and microskills of counselling
  6. Explore the intra- and inter-relational dynamics of interpersonal, cognitive and affective domains in counselling
  7. Display sensitivity to, and an appreciation, affirmation, and respect for oneself and counsellees, as image bearers of God, and as culturally diverse beings
  8. Develop a core level of proficiency, enabling the beginning counsellor to establish a helping-relationship with
    prospective counsellees within the limitations of their training
  9. Participate in peer and instructor feedback, beginning supervision, and personal counselling