The Advanced course stretches your thinking further. You will study how various areas of theology (such as the doctrines of humanity, God, the church, and sin) impact counseling theory and practice. You also will have the opportunity to "put theology to the test" by studying some complex counseling issues, such as suicide, eating disorders, legalism, and addictions from a theological point of view.

Advanced Course in Biblical Counseling Topics

• Foundations of Theology & Counseling
• Human Nature & Counseling
• Looking at Emotions Biblically
• Counseling Suffering and Grief
• God & Counseling
• Ecclesiology (The Church) & Counseling
• Establishing a Counseling Ministry in the Local Church

• All "truth" is Not God's Truth: Critiquing Integrationism

• Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa: What is Happening in the Body?

• Getting to the Heart of Eating Disorders

• Helping the Legalistic Counselee
• Counseling Women in Crisis Pregnancies
• Victory over Addictions - Part 1
• Victory over Addictions - Part 2

• Soteriology (Salvation) & Counseling
• What is Theophostic Counseling?

For those working toward the Certificate in Biblical Counseling, the following requirements must be completed during the Advanced Course:

1. Completely read: Is All Truth is Not God's Truth (Adams) and Theology of Christian Counseling (Adams). In addition, read one of the following options: Will Medicine Stop the Pain? (Fitzpatrick/Hendrickson); Blame It on the Brain? (Welch); Holding on to Hope (Gutherie); or Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave (Welch). Write a review for each book (no longer than seven pages) highlighting what you think are the strengths and weaknesses of each book. Include the author's reason for writing on the topic and the biblical perspective the reader is to gain from the book. In your summary include whether you support or disagree with the author using Scriptural references.


2. Write a biblical critique of an integrationist counseling book. It should be in a word document and no longer than seven pages. The paper must be completed prior to taking the final exam.


3. Write two papers that demonstrate your ability to accurately explain and apply the following passages of Scripture to a counselee. Criteria for the two papers: choose one of these exhortative passage (Jeremiah 17:5-10; James 1:2-18) and the other from these narrative passages (Genesis 3:1-7; John 15:1-12). Each paper should be a typed, double-spaced and 5-10 pages in length. The papers must be completed prior to taking the final exam.


4. Complete the final examination consisting of case studies based on the lectures and reading material.  It is preferred that your work be in a word document or as a PDF. An administration fee of $50 can be paid by check or credit card for reviewing your course work. All work must be sent to Sherry Allchin.