Graduate Certificate in Addiction Counseling Studies



Graduate Certificate in Addiction Counseling Studies

Memphis Theological Seminary is pleased to announce a new educational opportunity, The Graduate Certificate in Addiction Counseling Studies. This certificate program aspires to prepare Christians to offer competent counseling services to individuals, families, and groups who struggle with the horrendous effects of Substance Use Disorders. The program contains six credit hours, the number of hours that the Tennessee State Board of Alcohol and Other Drugs of Abuse Counselors requires for licensure as an Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor.

MTS completed the rigorous process of obtaining recognition by the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) as an Approved Education Provider, Member #:103556.  Courses offered by NAADAC Approved Education Providers meet the requirements of the National Certification Commission for applicants seeking initial certification as addiction counselors, or those re-certifying. In addition, many states automatically accept training hours from NAADAC Approved Education Providers towards state certification or re-certification requirements. Ms. Shirley Beckett Mikell, Director of Certification and Education for NAADAC, observes that MTS is one of only twenty academic institutions in the United States that “hold the distinction of NAADAC recognition as an Approved Education Provider.”

Rev. William O. Warris Coordinator of and primary instructor in this Addiction Counseling program.   He is a multi-licensed therapist with more than thirty years of experience in the addiction treatment field.  He most recently served as State Director of the  Tennessee Department of Correction responsible for the direct supervision of (8) licensed staff and (6) non-licensed staff at (4) sites in Tennessee, responsible for collecting and reporting specific data to home office and TDOC, tasked to develop and provide training opportunities for all Tennessee staff quarterly, establish linkages with community agencies, prioritize tasks and responsibilities to staff and work closely with TDOC personnel and other venders, and responsible for collecting and compiling data for monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.  Says Rev. Warr, “I hope this program will educate and motivate a group of ministry professionals to follow the mission statement of Christ, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.’”

The Addiction Counseling program began in the fall 2010 semester. Twenty-two students completed the six courses and receive the Graduate Certificate in Addiction Counseling Studies in a ceremony on July 24, 2011.   A second cohort began in the fall 2011 and graduated on September 5, 2012.  A third cohort began in the fall 2012.

Rev. Kelcey Johnson, in the July 24, 2011 graduating class, made this comment recently: “I work at a counseling agency recently highlighted in a Memphis newspaper. It is relevant to MTS because I got this job as a direct result of completing the Graduate Certificate in Addiction Counseling program at MTS.  The writing and research that was required of the program helped my to write a grant application to the city of Memphis so that we could expand a fledgling jobs program for Homeless people.  The city awarded us $25,000, and we are now the most successful agency that focuses on jobs for homeless and disabled adults; in addition to that, about 70% of the people we place are felons.  Earlier this year I was appointed to chair the Committee on Employment of Adult Homeless persons for the Homeless Consortium of Memphis and ShelbyCounty.  This work is effectively helping people to permanently exit homelessness.  This program would NOT be in existence if not for the Addiction Counseling program at MTS.  As usual, I thank you for the opportunities that have been afforded to me during my time at MTS.”

Course descriptions follow:

AC10000

Foundations of Chemical Dependency Counseling

Purpose:  To examine the prevalence and etiology of alcohol and other drugs of abuse on individuals, families, and society.

Course Objectives:

1.   To address the pharmacological properties and physiological, psychosocial, and cultural aspects of psychoactive substances;

2.   To learn about the assessment and classification of alcohol and other drugs of abuse disorders and characteristics of diverse population groups, and;

3.   To gain knowledge of the Twelve Primary Functions of addiction counselors, as well as systems theory and several other theories of helping persons with addictions.

Required Texts:

Rasmussen, Sandra. Addiction Treatment: Theory and Practice. Sage Publications, Inc., 2000.

Smith-Acuna, Shelly. Systems Theory in Action. Wiley, 2010. [Also available as a Kindle Edition.]

Recommended Reading:

Ray, Oakley and Ksir, Charles. Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior. McGraw Hill, 2004. ISBN: 0-07255743-5 [Available used on ]

Ellis, Albert, et. al. Rational-Emotive Therapy with Alcohols and Substance Abusers. Pergamon Press, 1988. [Available used from ]

 

AC20000

Pastoral Care and Addictions

Purpose: To facilitate the development of a theology of pastoral care with addictions (primarily substance abuse) for use in the parish ministry.

Course Objectives:

1.    To educate theological students regarding different types of psychoactive substances and in the concept of addiction;

2.   To show how family (both addicted and non-addicted) dysfunction, shame and substance abuse are often related;

3.   To develop a coherent theology of recovery, utilizing Christian theology and the twelve-step tradition, and;

4.   To address pastoral care concerns regarding the practical application of these theological insights in the practice of parish ministry.

Required Texts:

Kurtz and K. Ketchum, The Spirituality of Imperfection.  New York: Bantam, 1992.

Weaver, Andrew, Hosenfeld, Charlene and Koenig, Harold, Counseling Persons with Addictions and Compulsions: A Handbook for Clergy and Other Helping Professionals.  Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2007.

Recommended Reading:

Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton, Toxic Faith: Experiencing Healing from Spiritual Abuse.  Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2001.

Patrick Carnes, Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction.  Minneapolis: CompCarePublishers, 1983.

Merle Jordan, Taking on the Gods: The Task of the Pastoral Counselor Nashville: Parthenon Press, 1986.

Gerald May, Addiction and Grace.  New York: Harper & Row, 1988.

Linda Mercadante, Victims and Sinners: Spiritual Roots of Addiction and Recovery.  Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996.

“The Big Book”.  Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, 1976.

AC30000

Counseling Theories for Addiction Counseling

Purpose: To introduce students to major theories of counseling and psychotherapy with special emphasis placed on the use of these theories in addiction counseling.

Course Objectives:

1.   To evaluate various helping theories on their own merit as well as from a faith perspective;

2.   To identify the specific techniques associated with the theories;

3.   To demonstrate the ability to research information about the theories and draw conclusions, and;

4.   To demonstrate a tentative personal approach to addiction counseling based on the theories.

Required Texts:

(select one from the following choices)

Burl E. Gilliland, et. al., Theories and Strategies in Counseling and Psychotherapy. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, NJ [May need to buy this edition used since it has been updated, however it is adequate for our purposes.]

Richard James and Burl Gilliland, Theories and Strategies in Counseling and Psychotherapy, 5th ed. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 2003 [This is an updated version of the text above.]

Recommended Reading:

Gerald Corey, Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. 9th ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, 2013, 2009.  [Available from Amazon in a Kindle edition as well as print book.]

Stanton L. Jones and Richard Butman.  Modern Psychotherapies: A comprehensive Christian appraisal. InterVarsity Press, 2011

U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services. Addressing Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Substance Abuse Treatment.   [This book can be downloaded free of charge from .]

 

AC40000

Counseling Techniques and the Helping Relationship for Addiction Counselors

Purpose:  To introduce the student to a myriad of counseling techniques that will allow the student to become more effective when providing addiction counseling, use counseling techniques that will build confidence in the client where life experiences become building blocks instead of limitations, develop an aptitude that is theologically sound for creating a safe and wholesome milieu where growth can occur, and learn the ethical principles that protect the substance abuse client and the clinician.

Course Objectives:

1.   To define professional ethics and how it relates to substance abuse counseling;

2.   To describe and demonstrate (4) advanced counseling techniques;

3.   To utilize counseling techniques that promote common attributes that are most effective in positive change from addiction behaviors;

4.   To establish trust between the counselor and client, which is the foundation of any process of counseling technique that affords the relationship to move forward;

5.   To teach the client how to break the addictive cycle and establish total abstinence from all mood-altering drugs, and;

6.   To support and guide the client through trouble spots and setbacks that might otherwise lead to relapse.

Required Texts:

Thompson, Rosemary A., Counseling Techniques: Improving Relationships with Others, Ourselves, Our Families, and Our Environment, 2nd Edition. Routledge Publishing, 2007.

Corey, Gerald and Corey, Marianne Schneider. Becoming a Helper 6th edition. Cengage Learning, 2010.

Corey, Gerald and Corey, Marianne Schneider. Theory and Practice of Group Counseling, 8th Edition, Cengage Learning, 2011.

Recommended Reading:

O’Hanlon, William. Do One Thing Different: Ten Simple Ways to Change Your Life.

Small, Jacqueline. Becoming Naturally Therapeutic: A Return to the True Essence of Helping.

 

AC50000

Special Topics in Addiction Counseling: Ethics, HIV/AIDS, Screening, and Orientation

Purpose: To introduce students to programs and leadership involvement in HIV prevention.

Course Objectives:

1.   To identify religious and theological principles that support HIV prevention;

2.  To understand the potential roles and activities that faith leaders may undertake in HIV prevention, and;

3.   To identify strategies to facilitate partnerships between public health and faith communities in support of HIV prevention.

 

AC60000

ADVANCED FORMATION FOR ADDICTION COUNSELORS

Purpose:  To guide the student on how to develop a case study for a potential client, to discuss the importance of a case study and how it relates to the ongoing treatment for the client and the significance to the agency, and to craft a philosophy of treatment by utilizing the addiction theories and techniques, in terms of efficacy within each circumstance.

Course Objectives:

1.   To develop a realistic client case study;

2.   To analyze the best philosophy of treatment approach for a newly established treatment program;

3.   To complete a convincing mission and vision statement, a set of written bylaws, and the creation of a board of directors, including an advisory board, and;

4.  To present a newly-established treatment program.

 

The current schedule of classes follows:

Sept 7-Nov 9, 2013

Sept 6 – Nov. 9, 2014

AC 10000 Foundations of Chemical Dependency Counseling (taught by Dr. Jerry Harber)

AC 20000 Pastoral Care and Addictions (taught by Dr. Don F. Thomas)

Jan 11-March 15, 2013

Jan 10-March 15, 2014

AC 30000 Counseling Theories for Addiction Counseling (taught by Dr. Jerry Harber)

AC 40000 Counseling Techniques and the Helping Relationship for Addiction Counselors (taught by Rev. William Warr)

May 17-July 26, 2013

May 16-July 26, 2014

AC 50000 Special Topics in Addiction Counseling: Ethics, HIV/AIDS, Screening, and Orientation (taught by Rev. William Warr)

AC 60000 Advanced Formation for Addiction Counselors (taught by Rev. William Warr)

For more information about this new educational opportunity at Memphis Theological Seminary, please contact Dr. Barry Anderson, Director of Admissions at (901) 334-5806.

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