Our class meets for eleven weeks, but holidays are observed. Therefore, the length of the class will range from eleven to thirteen weeks depending on the holiday schedule. The training course begins at 9:00 AM and concludes by 9:00 PM.

From 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM the counseling staff presents lectures on the most common counseling problems. Topics include:

- Understanding the reasons for biblical counseling and the basic methods for doing biblical counseling. Included are lectures on why counsel, the goal of counseling, the need for counseling, and the 6 key elements in the counseling process.

- Comparing biblical counseling with other counseling methods and approaches. This not only includes an evaluation of Freud and Rogers, but also includes the doctrine of spiritual growth and a biblical view of self.

- Marriage and the Family dealing specifically with communication, husband/wife roles, parent/child relationships, priorities, and biblical principles of sex.

- Introduction to counseling and common medical issues. Included in this section is a discussion of illness, counseling those with an illness, and how to counsel those on psychotropic drugs.

- Getting to the heart of the problem

- Dealing with the common sins of worry, guilt, anger, fear, and depression.

- Implications to pastoral ministry including how counseling applies to evangelism, growth, and pastoral responsibilties.

- Discussion of written case studies with our staff

Our staff counsels from 1:00 PM until 9:00 PM in 5 different counseling hours. You will have an opportunity to observe about 20 hours of actual counseling sessions during the course.

Those who have taken the course before consider the observation time as a crucial part of helping them prepare for their own ministries.

In addition to the lectures and observations, we have a number of reading assignments that need to be completed as part of course in order to reinforce the lectures and expose you to important counseling material that can be used in your own ministry.

This is a certified training Center for those wishing to pursue NANC Certification. For more information on NANC Certification please visit www.nanc.org.