Clinical Mental Health Counseling

PCN 122 – Group Experience & Self-Evaluation

The course provides students with an in depth self-evaluation for both personal development and professional development for the human services field. Student learning occurs through in-class instruction and group participation during class. The teaching method is experiential in nature. The course consists of an off campus weekend seminar during the first semester of the freshman year. Students will be required to read a textbook on spiritual formation and complete a reflection journal post seminar.

PCN 201 – Systems of Counseling I: Christian

This course examines the history of Christian counseling as it relates to the integration of theology and psychology. Consideration is given for the broad range of approaches including: biblical counseling, levels-of-explanation, integration, and Christian psychology. Course content includes study and application of the principles and methods for effective biblical change.

SOC 228 – Principles & Techniques of Counseling

This introductory course aims to apprise students of the basic tools necessary for effective counseling. As might be expected, the course covers a broad range of topics ranging from professional ethics to specific techniques used in therapy. Although most of the current theories and techniques are not necessarily derived from specific scriptural texts, a biblical worldview is foundational to the views advanced in this class. To that end, students are encouraged to interact with several sources outside the classroom setting in order to provide rich illustrations for the benefit of their classmates.

PCN 212 – Systems of Counseling II: Psychology

This course surveys the various psychological systems of counseling beginning with the early pioneers extending to the most recent therapeutic methodologies. Consideration is given for an eclectic approach that utilizes a foundational methodology with intervention strategies from various schools of thought.

CPS 541 – Group Counseling Leadership Skills

This is a clinical course designed to give students their first training in the theory and practice of group psychotherapy. Emphasis will be given to identifying and developing group leadership skills. Practical group experience outside of class will be required.

CPS 520 – Applied Counseling and Psychological Methodologies

This course will introduce the student to a variety of traditional counseling methodologies along with our appraisal from an evangelical biblical perspective. Students will also have opportunities to develop a breadth of concrete and functional skills to facilitate helping of the “whole” person. Consideration will also be given to contemporary issues facing the practitioner.

CPS 525 – Counseling and Psychological Assessment Techniques I

This course is designed to be a primer in psychological testing and assessment. Students will be familiarized to the salient clinical and ethical concerns surrounding the assessment process and not only to the content areas of specific testing techniques. The “hands on” nature of this class will furnish students with resources that will strengthen their diagnostic skills and ultimately their clinical effectiveness.

CPS 520 – Applied Counseling and Psychological Methodologies

This course will introduce the student to a variety of traditional counseling methodologies along with our appraisal from an evangelical biblical perspective. Students will also have opportunities to develop a breadth of concrete and functional skills to facilitate helping of the “whole” person. Consideration will also be given to contemporary issues facing the practitioner.

CPS 505 – Research Design and Statistics for Counselors

This course provides an introduction to research issues and methodology in the field of professional counseling. Emphasis is placed on gaining the knowledge necessary to evaluate the conclusions of published research. Students will be introduced to a variety of professional counseling research strategies in order to assist in evaluating and incorporating relevant findings in professional counseling practice. To that end, basic knowledge of research methodology, research design, sampling, measurement, statistics, and ethical issues for conducting research will be addressed.

CPS 551 – Counseling and Pschological Assessment Techniques II

An in-depth examination of the usefulness of formal mental and personality measures will guide the student to develop a useful description of a particular counselee. Students will conduct an extensive and intensive case study analysis using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, the Million Multiaxial Clinical Inventory, various Wechsler intelligence scales, and some of the neurological tests. A special focus of the case study analysis will involve the use of rapid assessment protocols as a less formal means of developing a useful description of the counselee. This course has a required Test Material fee.