Provides an introduction to counseling theories and principles used by professional counselors; basic counseling skills used by professional and non-professional counselors; and theories and approaches used by Christian counselors. Compares and contrasts traditional “talk” counseling with creative arts approaches. Students implement techniques learned in class in their place of work or ministry, critique these approaches, and report back to classmates for feedback.
The courses acquaints students with counseling theories and approaches from professional, nonprofessional, Christian, and creative arts perspectives. It addresses how the Creative Arts approaches are different from traditional talk counseling and aids the student in counseling people through the use of various art modalities of interest to the student. Students implement and critique counseling techniques using the arts at their place of work or ministry and report back to their classmates for feedback.
This course will acquaint the student with various theories and approaches toward counseling in both a professional and non-professional context. Regardless of the student’s intended career path, this course will equip the student with the skills to be a good listener and to provide wise Christian counsel to others. This course will also look at the ways in which Creative Arts Therapies can be used in counseling.
This course will rest on the Proverbs that encourage Christians to seek wise counsel. This course will examine what it means to serve as a person of wise counsel for others, namely, by resting on God and the Bible as our greatest source of counsel.
This course encourages missional Christians to utilize basic counseling skills not just to help others who are experiencing difficulty, but also to help point others to Christ in a way that is non-offensive.
This course will consider counseling skills and techniques in the context of creative arts therapies and help students to assess which counseling methods and approaches would be appropriate in certain contexts.
The arts transcend language barriers. This course will help students to use skills that speak to all cultures by improving their ability to show, not tell. This course will also help students to encourage others to show, not tell, in an effort to communicate their needs.
This course is practical in the sense that counseling skills are used by counselors, creative arts therapists, pastors, and the average Christian. As Christians, we are all called to counsel others, therefore, this course will be practical for any Christian servant.
Creative arts, by nature and definition, is an experiential medium. Students will be equipped to take the lessons learned from the course and apply them directly in their church or missionary assignments.
