Continuing Education at Biblical Seminary

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Every summer we offer special topic courses that help counseling students and professionals maintain their continuing education requirements. Past course topics have included dealing with abuse in the church, healing trauma in international settings, Christian counseling in the postmodern context, and one session coaching techniques.

NBCC Approved Courses

On February 1, 2013 Biblical Seminary was approved to offer Online Continuing Education by the National Board for Certified Counselors (#4562). This is in addition to our approval to offer live on-site continuing education, which was granted on June 1, 2011. Watch for more opportunities to obtain CE contact hours from Biblical in the near future!

Who Should Attend?

Those with counseling and/or healthcare training at the graduate level who are:

Christian Counselors
Psychologists
Social Workers
Family Therapists
Healthcare Professionals
Pastors and Church Leaders
Mercy Ministry Providers

Why Choose Biblical Seminary?

We are a nationally accredited evangelical seminary training men and women in our Masters of Arts in Counseling program from a Christian worldview. Graduating students are eligible to pursue the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential. Biblical seeks to train graduates to take their faith and their profession seriously as they serve others in diverse settings.

What Will the Courses Cost?

Graduate Credit - One Credit Courses: $465.00 (or current cohort rate)
(Each course includes pre-course and post-course work that
must be completed to earn one credit)
Continuing Education - 9 hours NBCC approved CE’s (each course): $179.00 for 9 CE's
(Please check the requirements for your discipline)
Audit Rate: $152.00

Forms for Our Summer Courses:

Upcoming 2013 Classes

Beyond Suffering Course No. MAC714 / 1 credit or 9 CE’s Friday, July 12, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Saturday, July 13, 9 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Biblical Seminary’s Chapel
Instructor:	Jerry Borton, MS - Jerry serves as the Director for Joni and Friends Greater Philadelphia, the disability ministry outreach of Joni Eareckson Tada. Jerry was born with cerebral palsy. He got his start at being a “bridge person” as a poster child for Easter Seals in Williams County, OH. Jerry along with his wife Joan has presented many seminars on disability ministry, organizational development and leadership at regional and national conferences. Jerry holds a Bachelor’s degree from Cincinnati Christian University and a Master’s of Science degree from Philadelphia Biblical University (now Cairn University) and is also an ordained minister.
Description:	People with disabilities are one of the largest unreachedpeople groups. The World Bank and the World Health Organization estimate that there are one billion people with disabilities in the world, ten percent of the world’s population. Yet, people with disabilities are among the most marginalized. According to a Lausanne Committee on World Evangelism report (2005) they suffer the highest rates of homelessness, joblessness, divorce, abuse, and suicide. The purpose of this course is to explore the different ways in which people affected by disability provide the Christian community in general with a model of dynamic spiritual transformation. The student will take away from this course not only a deeper understanding of the disability community and the Church’s obligation to reach out to the most vulnerable, but he/she will also learn to embrace their own brokenness in a whole new way. This course will benefit any student who takes its content seriously; it will be especially relevant to those who are interested in further study of the Bible, Counseling, Education, and Missions.
Objectives:	Students will... Develop an integrated biblical worldview on suffering, disability and the sovereignty of God. Understand some cultural and personal perceptions about disabilities and how those perceptions effect our interactions with persons with disabilities in community and ministry environments. Develop an appropriate counseling and ministry response to issues faced by people affected by disabilities.

Addictions, Idolatry, and Breaking Free Course No. MAC715 / 1 credit or 9 CE’s Friday, July 26, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Saturday, July 27, 9 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Biblical Seminary’s Chapel
Instructor:	Jessica Hansford, MA, NCC, LPC, CAADC - Jessica is a graduate of Biblical Seminary with a Master of Arts in Counseling and a Master of Arts in Ministry. She is currently the Director of Clinical Quality and Research for a Substance Abuse Treatment Center and a volunteer hotline counselor for the Women’s Center of Montgomery County as well as a trained intervention specialist in the state of Pennsylvania. She has worked to help clients address their addictions as well as work through a number of supporting issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, abuse, and generally difficult life problems. Her desire is to walk alongside individuals seeking freedom from whatever is entangling them in order to point them toward Christ.
Description:	This course is designed to build a foundation of knowledge about addictions and effective helping techniques for those trapped in an addiction. This course is ideal for those in lay counseling, ministry, and leadership positions, discipleship or mentoring relationships, pastors, elders, or anyone who is involved with helping others. This course will help increase participant knowledge of addictions and common treatment approaches.
Objectives:	Students will... Increase knowledge and insights into the disease of addiction. Develop a theology for coming alongside those struggling with an addiction. Identify personal areas of idolatry and sensitivity to areas of needed change.

Counseling Toolbox: Practical Ways to Help your Clients Course No. MAC716 / 1 credit or 9 CE’s Friday, August 9, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Saturday, August 10, 9 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Biblical Seminary’s Chapel
Instructors:	Bonnie Steich MA, NCC, LPC & Jenn Zuck MA - Both Bonnie Steich and Jenn Zuck are graduates of and adjunct professors at Biblical Seminary. Both counsel privately and at the Counseling Center at Biblical Seminary. Bonnie is an EAP Counselor with Penn Foundation and has also done Wrap Around and Multisystemic Therapy. Her clients have included a wide range of ages from children to adults who presented with a variety of life counseling issues including singleness, divorce, anxiety, depression, panic, OCD, phobias, grief and career and life transitions. Jenn’s background is in working with victims of trauma and abuse. Her client experience covers a variety of ages including teens, adults, and seniors. Her client issues include diverse matters such as depression, anxiety, general life difficulties, and working with clients to establish their authentic identity.
Description:	This course is for those in the helping profession who want to go beyond the knowledge and skills they have and learn to utilize tools to enhance sessions with clients and their progress outside of the counseling room. This course aims to make counseling more practical.
Objectives:	Students will... Understand theories and background of various tools and techniques utilized in counseling. Be able to assess what the tool is trying to do and not to do, why & where to use it and its effectiveness. Observe tools being utilized and how to approach clients with them. Have practice implementing and utilizing tools well in Triads. Develop their own toolbox of techniques for various counseling issues.

Essential Psychopharmacology for Counselors Course No. MAC719 / 1 credit or 9 CE’s Friday, August 23, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Saturday, August 24, 9 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Biblical Seminary’s Chapel
Instructor:	Jim Owen, PsyD - Jim Owen, Psy.D., FPPR is a psychologist licensed to practice in NJ and PA, and is board certified in psychopharmacology by the Prescribing Psychologist Registry. He maintains a clinical psychology practice in Union and Hunterdon Counties, NJ and regularly consults with his clients’ physicians, and with employee assistance counselors and medical staff. He is a former minister of youth and a frequent teacher, speaker and consultant to churches in NJ.
Description:	Many well done studies, including brain imaging studies, have shown significant involvement of neuro-biological/chemical factors in mental and emotional functioning. The ever growing use of medications, both traditional and complementary, to treat mental health problems, has both helped and harmed many people. Approximately 80% of all psychoactive medicines are prescribed or recommended by non-specialists, who frequently have little time, training or experience to accurately diagnose the person’s condition. Therefore, trained counselors and psychotherapists are in a crucial position to aid their clients in getting appropriate treatment. This involves knowing some basics regarding which available talk therapies as well as medications are most likely to be helpful for those struggling with certain problems. It is also important to know how to interact with your clients’ physician(s) and other health care providers. This course is designed to help you become more knowledgeable and comfortable in these aspects of your counseling role.
Objectives:	Students will... Expand their knowledge of the types of psychoactive medications, herbs and supplements used by a large and growing number of people. Identify appropriate and inappropriate uses of psychoactive substances, as well as helpful or adverse reactions to their use. Be helped to think through views on how Scripture addresses the interaction of body, soul and spirit, especially as this relates to medication use.

Purchase the Video of the Abuse in the Church Conference

In 2012 we offered a two day conference for the Summer Counseling Institute entitled: Abuse in the Church: Biblical, Legal & Counseling Perspectives with guest speakers Dr. Phil Monroe and Dr. Boz Tchividjian. The goal was to equip you to personally respond to this issue and to help your organizations prepare and implement procedures to both prevent abuse and take appropriate action when the issue presents itself.

Click here to order the video

If you are a mental health practitioner, pastor, lay leader, para-church ministry leader and you are wrestling with these questions in your church, ministry, or place of employment . . . this video series is for you.