Principles and process of integrating spiritual care giving in marriage and family therapy. This course is a mid-level overview and practice of the principles and practice of Marriage Counseling with an emphasis upon the distinction of Christian values and perspective. Along with reading and written assignments
the last four weeks will include a practicum in marriage counseling. The practicum may take place in a counseling center or in the student’s own setting.
The student will experience the ministry of marriage counseling.
There are three pitfalls that Marriage and Family Therapists most easily learn through supervision. They are: not allowing the couple to focus on the negative; confronting the belief that the counseling can be used as a leverage to change the other person and confronting the myth that an improved relationship with Christ will immediately change the relationship. Providing spiritual care in any form of counseling is based upon Biblical knowledge and practice. Part of spiritual care is opening the wound in order to drain the infection. This includes helping the couple to understand that the way that they respond to problems goes back to old childhood learning patterns. Second having the mind of Christ is not a gift. The capacity for the mind of Christ is a gift, but the mind of Christ develops through worship, fellowship, study and service. Only as the individual develops the mind of Christ will old patterns of behavior be removed and replaced. Spiritual Care is provided as the therapist teaches each individual to refrain from those action that close the other person’s spirit. Spiritual care is also supplied when both parties learn to scrape away the barnacles of resentment and understand that trust is only gained by consistency over time.
Ephesians 5:22-33,” Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body,[a] of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”[b] 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband
The key verse of MU is "I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power." The factor that a marriage needs is grace.
The students will be learn these skills in their own or a similar environment
Students will have the skills to listen, analyze, synthesize and evaluate marriage counseling skills as to their effectiveness in others cultures and ministries.
The course will include the study of the theoretical as well as the practical application.
