Gerontology and Pastoral Care and Counselling

This advanced third-year course, Gerontology - Pastoral Care and Counselling, is designed to provide the professional Christian counsellor with a bio-psycho-social-spiritual understanding of gerontology.  Emphasis will be given to the theoretical aspects of gerontology from a multi-systems perspective and the implications this has for the pastoral counselling professional will be explored from an integrative theology/psychology perspective.  The course examines the psychological theory and practice of the care and counselling of ageing individuals and the terminally ill. Attention will be given to the ethical considerations in the care of ageing individuals, societal attitudes, ageism, care facilities, and end of life issues. Special attention will be given to end of life issues, death and dying, grief, and the grieving process. This course will equip the professional Christian counsellors with the theory and praxis to care for and provide pastoral care and counselling for seniors in the local church and/or a community, and to come alongside people dealing with end-of-life issues.  By the end of this course you should be able to:

• Describe the scientific field of gerontology from an integrated bio-psycho-social-spiritual perspective.
• Evaluate the biological, psychological, spiritual, and interpersonal aspects of ageing from a pastoral professional counselling perspective.
• Come alongside and support the elderly and their families compassionately.
• Conceptualise death and dying from a Christ centred, biblically based, Spirit led, and psychologically sound perspective, and provide counselling to the terminally ill and dying.
• Provide grief and bereavement pastoral care.

You will be required to purchase the following textbooks in order to complete all counselling courses:

• Collins, G. 2007. Christian Counseling - a Comprehensive Guide (Third Edition). Thomas Nelson.
• Meier, Minirth, Wichern & Ratcliff. 1999. Introduction to Psychology and Counseling: Christian Perspectives and Applications. 2nd Baker Books.
• Tan, S. & Scalise, E.T. 2016. Lay Counseling: Equipping Christians for a Helping Ministry (Revised and Updated).
• Tan, Siang-Yang, 2011. Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Christian Perspective. Baker Publishing