Psychopathology in Lay Christian Counselling

Lay Christian counselling is a sub-category of Christian counselling that invites a counsellor to journey alongside hurting and broken people towards Christlikeness. Within this scope of practice, the lay counsellor refers people with mental illness to professionals within the field of psychology and psychiatry. Having referred mental health patients to psychologist/psychiatrists, the lay Christian counsellor is equipped to offer counselling for less severe categories and types of problems. Understanding and insight are needed to apply safe Christian counselling techniques. This course is designed to equip lay Christian counsellors to come alongside people suffering with mild depression, anxiety, anger, guilt, and loneliness.  

By the end of this course you should be able to:

• Define define depression, and describe common signs of depression.
• Describe anxiety, and explain the causes of anxiety.
• Apply God's perspective on anger in the student-counsellor's life, such that they are better equipped to journey alongside client's experiencing anger.
• Apply Godly principles of repentance and forgiveness to the problem of guilt and shame in the lay Christian counselling journey.
• Explain loneliness and evaluate Biblical narratives to assist in the application of safe lay counselling options.

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

• Collins, G. 2007. Christian Counseling - a Comprehensive Guide (Third Edition). Thomas Nelson.