DESCRIPTION: The individual-in-family-within-community is the focus of study
in the pastoral care and counseling of biological families within the spiritual
family. Family theory, theology, and therapy will be integrated as the student
explores his/her own multigenerational family system and applies learnings to
one's own role in family of origin and to all family ministry.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: At completion of this course, the student will know
new ways of connecting with family of origin with clear self-definition, clean
boundaries, and firm personal differentiation; will be expressing trust
and risking clarity with self, others, and God; and will be able to do
clear thought and application of systems theory in relationships that balance
integrity and genuine intimacy.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Pastoral counseling ministry is multi-level: to the
spiritual family, to the biological families within it, to the persons within
these human contexts. This course equips the counselor to think, relate, act,
and intervene on all three levels in any ministry experience.
COURSE FORMAT: Class will meet weekly for three-and-a-half-hour sessions. The
course focuses on assisting participants in understanding, differentiating,
deepening relationships in their family of origin in personal development as a
basis for work in family intervention. Lectures, experiential process,
sociodrama, case studies, audiovisuals will be utilized to assist the pastoral
counselor in growth toward effective preventative and creative change in family
systems.
REQUIRED READING: