Intro to Pastoral Counseling

This asynchronous online course introduces students to culturally responsive counseling practices and multicultural awareness.  Students examine societal and institutional structures of power and privilege, and become more aware of biases, prejudices, and micro aggressions detrimental to the growth of the human spirit.  Students study major counseling theories and practice basic helping skills centered on Person-Centered (Rogerian) counseling and Bowen Family Systems Theory.  Pastoral elements will include individual, family, and congregational contexts.  Asynchronous course with written lectures, readings, videos and links to online resources.  Weekly personal Moodle reflections and one synchronous component: a weekly self-scheduled practice sessions with a classmate.  There are two assigned textbooks.  Intermediate/advanced course intended for MDiv students but also available to MASC ones.  It relates to Thresholds #2 and #5.  MFC Competency #2 and #4. [Faculty Consent required; 24 max enrollment; Auditors excluded]