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| Weekly Websaver Deadline Approaching | |
Enrollment Deadline: May 19, 2013 | |
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Dear Colleague: I am so pleased to offer to you one of our best-selling training programs in biblical counseling, Breaking Free—biblical counseling for today's generation. You will love the fresh topics and our top-shelf faculty. Conveniently packaged so you can study at home—at your own pace—this program will take you to the next level of competence, increasing your knowledge and skills in biblical counseling ministry. Each course was carefully conceived and developed to help you effectively deal with the tough issues facing today's generation. The faculty and their presentations are simply outstanding. Earn your Certificate in Biblical Counseling When you successfully finish Breaking Free, you will receive your "Certificate in Biblical Counseling," a special way of acknowledging your dedication to "dare to care" for others. Exclusive Scholarship Savings Best of all, the Executive Committee has made available a $300 scholarship. Now that's a pretty good deal. And it's our way of saying "we love being a part of your life." I look forward to hearing from you. | |
Blessings, Tim Clinton, Ed.D., LPC, LMFT, BCPPC President, American Association of Christian Counselors |
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Enrollment Deadline: May 19, 2013 | |
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BREAKING FREE includes 30 engaging DVD lessons featuring some of the world's best Bible teachers, medical experts, counselors, and educators... complete with course lectures, outlines, study notes and exams. All designed to increase your knowledge and people skills. |
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A SPECIAL PLACE IN GOD'S WORK Imagine the sense of joy and fulfillment you will find learning and being able to more adequately meet the needs of hurting people through biblically-based counsel. You can earn a certificate of completion in Biblical Counseling and up to 30 Continuing Education Credits. A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF ISSUES FACING MEN & WOMEN Imagine the confidence, encouragement, and hope that will be gained through a better knowledge of the issues men & women struggle with in today's complex world. CONVENIENCE In an age when time and efficiency are at a premium, we offer you the convenience and advantage of classroom instruction sent to you on DVD so you can view and review as you need. There is also a comprehensive work text for going deeper at your own pace. FLEXIBILITY Light University offers quality training in a distance learning format that allows you to complete your education on your own time in your home or office. You determine your own class schedule and decide when and how you will study. | |
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Unit I: Foundations of Spiritual Care, Discipleship, and Godly Living |
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COMN 101: Using the Bible and Relying on the Holy Spirit in Counseling Taught by Ed Hindson, D.Phil., D.Min., Th.D. Christian counseling is, by definition, a revelation of the life and love of Jesus Christ in helping someone change for the better. That life, that love, comes alive in the use of the Bible, and in relying upon the Holy Spirit to advance the goals and challenges of counseling. Ed Hindson deftly teaches us these ways in this first and crucial session. COMN 102: Living the Life: Pursuing After God's Heart with All Your Heart Taught by Glenn Wagner, Ph.D. All of the law and the prophets can be summed up, Jesus said, in one indelible rule: Love the Lord your God with your whole being. Glenn Wagner shows us how all of life seems arranged to constantly teach and remind us how important this one truth truly is in 'Living the Good Life.' COMN 103: Breaking Free: Disaffection with God and Life and the Recovery of the Heart Taught by Tim Clinton, Ed.D. It is time to face a difficult truth. There are times in our spiritual walk when we are overcome with disaffection toward God and godly living—when we are tempted to forsake God and all things good. Tim Clinton incisively reveals this process and the way to break free again—the way back to God and spiritual growth. COMN 104: When Life Doesn't Make Sense: Facing Evil, Sin, and Suffering Taught by Diane Langberg, Ph.D. No matter how naïve or childish we may judge it, the wish to avoid suffering and escape evil is buried deep in the soul of everyone. When evil, sin, and suffering are overwhelming, then nothing makes sense and God seems far off. With grace and hope, Diane Langberg shows us how to navigate these treacherous times when nothing goes right and all seems lost. COMN 105: Bondage and Spiritual Warfare: Fighting Wickedness in High Places Taught by Ron Hawkins, D.Min., Ed.D. Sometimes helping others requires us to engage in war—not the blood-spilling kind, but spiritual warfare against wicked powers in high, dark places. Ron Hawkins teaches us the basic principles of discerning and directing godly powers against the destructive forces of our spiritual enemies. COMN 106: Spiritual Disciplines: Taking People Closer to the Heart of God Taught by John Ortberg, Ph.D. & Nancy Ortberg, M.A. Embracing and enlisting in the path of the ancient spiritual disciplines is still the way to godly growth and maturity—and it is not just for 'saints' and monks and such 'spiritual folk.' The Ortberg's show us how ordinary people are called and enabled by God to engage in this blessed path to freedom and maturity. |
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Unit II: Helping Process, Skills, and Working with Tough Cases |
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COMN 201: Doing Brief, Solution-focused Counseling for Christ Taught by Gary Oliver, Th.M., Ph.D. Brief therapy-counseling done in three to 10 sessions has become the norm in nearly every field of counseling endeavors. Gary Oliver reveals the process and the key techniques that make up this model as it applies to Christian counseling and pastoral care. COMN 202: Creating a Safe Place: Listening, Empathy, and Winning Trust Taught by Sandra Wilson, Ph.D. If counseling is not a safe place, there will be no true or deep change taking place. Put another way, unless the people you're helping trust you deeply, you will not gain permission to effect change in their lives. Sandra Wilson shows us what it takes to create a place of safety and win this essential trust. COMN 203: New Beginnings: Helping People Make a Fresh Start Taught by Ron Hawkins, D.Min., Ed.D. Often we are stuck in trouble because we obsess about past pains and present sufferings. Ron Hawkins teaches us how to escape those ruts and embrace God's vision of a new future—one that inspires and motivates action toward better goals and more satisfying results in living. COMN 204: Change Skills: Goal-setting, Planning, & Taking Action Taught by Sharon May, Ph.D. Framing a new vision of the future is merely the first step in changing your life. That new vision must be translated into doable goals, a workable plan, and assertive action. Sharon May teaches us how to accomplish these critical change tasks in counseling. COMN 205: Spiritual Freedom: Disarming Strongholds, Changing Habits Taught by Gary Moon, Ph.D. Oftentimes we are defeated by strongholds and habits that are not easily changed—which is a major reason why people see counselors in the first place. So we must learn to build into our change plan a sure action to disarm these patterns and habits. Gary Moon reveals the spiritual and psychological challenge of such work, and the way to true freedom. COMN 206: Mental Illness & Character Disorders: How to Recognize and Refer Serious Problems Taught by Archibald Hart, Ph.D. Sometimes helping others uncovers deeper wells of mental illness and character disorders. Arch Hart helps us understand what these are, how to recognize them, how to find good help and refer such cases, and how to work with other professionals in their interventions. |
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Unit III: Applications in Mood Change, Medicine, and Addictions |
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COMN 301: Depression and Mood Disorders: A Clinical Update Taught by Michael Lyles, M.D. Depression, dysthymia (milder, but chronic depression), and manic-depression (bi-polar disorder) are increasingly common maladies in both adults and children. Michael Lyles describes and differentiates these various disorders, tells us why medication is often required, and shows us how godly counsel and medical intervention almost always help those who are depressed. COMN 302: Stress and Anxiety: Overcoming Fear, Phobias, and Panic Disorders Taught by Archibald Hart, Ph.D. The short history of the 21st century is already pointing toward becoming known as the "age of stress." Anxiety disorders already top the charts as the most common form of psychological disorder we face. Arch Hart takes us on a tour of these problems and shows the way out of fear, phobias, and panic disorders. COMN 303: Freedom in Christ: Hope for the Addict, the Broken-hearted, and the Evil-minded Taught by Neil Anderson, D.Min. In Christ Centered Therapy, Neil Anderson and his colleagues bring his "Freedom in Christ" teachings to a mature application to difficult cases in Christian counseling. Here he reveals how to help addicts, the broken-hearted, and the evil-minded break free and know the fullness of what Christ promises us all. COMN 304: Helping Others with Alcohol, Substance Abuse, and Addiction Problems Taught by David Stoop, Ph.D. Addiction is the process and alcohol and drugs are still the primary means of being addicted. David Stoop reveals the addiction process in clear fashion and shows us how the abuse of alcohol and various drugs is the major highway to that hellish bondage. Then he reveals why the supernatural intervention of God is the way to real freedom—the freedom of contented sobriety. COMN 305: Overcoming Gambling, Spending, & Credit Abuse Taught by Gregg Jantz, Ph.D. If the love of money is the root of all evil, then the abuse of it in the form of gambling, spending, and credit abuse must be an evil consequence of great pain and suffering. Gregg Jantz shows how these problems are on the rise and what to do to regain self-control. COMN 306: Emotional Eating: The Truth About Dieting and Weight Control Taught by Dwight Bain, M.A. Instead of taking drugs or getting drunk when distressed, some people simply eat. Emotional eating defeats not only a good diet and good health, but spiritual and emotional maturity as well. Dwight Bain shows us the way out of this difficult problem. |
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Unit IV: Applications in Crisis Care and Relationships |
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COMN 401: Eating Disorders: Diagnosis, Treatment and Referral with Anorexia & Bulimia Taught by Kari Wolfe, M.A. Next to suicide, eating disorders are the most life-threatening of the psychiatric disorders. Remuda Ranch therapist, Kari Wolfe, reveals how to assess, intervene, refer, and work effectively with a professional treatment team in helping (mostly) young women overcome this very difficult problem. COMN 402: Complicated Grief and Mourning & Crisis and Trauma Taught by Freda Crews, Ph.D. & Jennifer Cisney Ellers, M.A. With nearly 100 significant natural disasters and 200 terror incidents worldwide in 2002, it is little wonder that crisis, terror and trauma care are becoming core counseling practices in the 21st century. Learn the best ways to address these all-too-common issues and how to "be there" in times of need in the stormy years ahead. COMN 403: Helping Distressed Couples: Anger, Conflict, and Disaffection in Marriage Taught by Tim Clinton, Ed.D. Conflictual marriages—couples who fight, bite, and devour one another—are the staple of most counseling ministries. Let's face it, marriage is hard work, and lifelong marriage is nearly impossible to sustain without godly and human help at critical times. Tim Clinton reveals how distress, drift, and disaffection in marriage are halted and turned around—even among hateful and hopeless couples. COMN 404: Families in Crisis: Hopeless Parents and Angry/Defiant Children Taught by Tim Clinton, Ed.D. & Gary Sibcy, Ph.D. Angry, defiant, and highly energized children, and burned-out, hopeless, and seething parents—the very definition of a family in crisis. Attachment experts, Tim Clinton and Gary Sibcy, give real hope and reveal the strong (and subtle) ways of helping such families restore genuine stability and sanity. COMN 405: Aging and Elderly Parents: Health Problems, Dementias & Disabilities Taught by Kathie Erwin, Ph.D. Now the 76-million strong boomer bulge travels its final path—the aging, elderly, and dying circuit—through the national demography of America. With grace and humor, Kathie Erwin navigates through the pain, diseases, and eventual dying that we and our children will inevitably face. COMN 406: Blended Families: Helping Yours, Mine, and Ours Become a Family Taught by Ron Deal, M.MFT. Blended families are now common in society and in the Church. Helping step-parents, step-children, new in-laws, and two different family systems mesh together and become one harmonious family is a great big challenge. Ron Deal gives us essential ideas, principles, and ways on how to do this well. |
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Unit V: The Ethics of Care and Helping Ministry in the Church |
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COMN 501: Chronically Troubled Relationships: Everybody Has At Least One Taught by Linda Mintle, Ph.D. Whether a cranky in-law, an angry adult child, an aloof, abandoning parent, or a controlling boss, everyone lives with at least one difficult—and ongoing, highly annoying—relationship. Linda Mintle reveals how to 'get along,' resolve conflicts, and even live well with these unavoidable relations. COMN 502: Developing an Effective Lay Helping and Supervision Ministry Taught by Siang-Yang Tan, Ph.D. A truly effective Christian counseling ministry must include a strong leg of lay helping in the Church. Ministry without it is like trying to sit on a two-legged stool! Siang-Yang Tan reveals how lay helping ministry works, how it honors and relies on God, and why it is vital to the three-legged stool of pastor, lay helper, and professional counselor in church-based counseling. COMN 503: Dynamic Small Groups and Spiritual Care Teams in Church-based Counseling Taught by Stephen Greggo, Psy.D. The best helping ministries, in our opinion, emphasize and rely on small groups and caregiving teams over one-on-one counseling. Strength and safety truly are functions of more people. Stephen Greggo reveals why this is true and how to maximize groups and teams in your church-based helping ministry. COMN 504: Preventing Compassion Fatigue: Self-care for Caregivers Taught by Eric Scalise, Ph.D. The messiah complex is another common ethical problem in the helping ministry—the attitude that I can (or must be able to) help everyone who needs it. Get over it! Not only is that a lie, but it is a sure prescription for fast burn-out. Eric Scalise discusses the problems of compassion fatigue and what helpers must do to renounce and avoid it—and be cured when it happens. COMN 505: Boundaries and Violations I: Confidentiality, Consultation, & Referral Taught by David Carder, M.A. If your physician is wise (and humble) enough to refer you to a specialist when needed, can't you do the same? Trouble in helping ministry is too often a function of helpers who fail (or refuse) to respect their limits and maintain confidences or consult and refer. David Carder explains why this is so crucial and how it should be done in care-giving ministry. COMN 506: Boundaries and Violations II: Dealing with Seductive, Suicidal, and Dangerous People Taught by George Ohlschlager, J.D. When ethical boundaries are crossed or violated—whether by intention or ignorance—counseling stops and harm begins. And, though still fairly infrequent (in most general settings), dealing with dangerous people is frightening and very demanding when it does happen. George Ohlschlager guides us step-by-step through the life-saving management of seductive, suicidal, homicidal, and assaultive persons. |
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AACC is committed to assisting Christian counselors, the entire 'community of care,' licensed professionals, pastors, and lay church members. Our goal is to equip clinical, pastoral, and lay caregivers with biblical truth and psychosocial insights that minister to hurting persons and helps them move to personal wholeness, interpersonal competence, mental stability, and spiritual maturity. |