TWO WEEKEND COUNSELING SEMINARS SET FOR FALL

Baptist Bible Graduate School's Counseling Ministries program will offer two weekend seminars this fall - one focusing on psychology and biblical counseling and a second detailing a biblical approach to cognitive therapy.

Both presentations touch on topics of current significance for counselors.

The first seminar is "Psychology, Biblical Counseling, and Psychoropic Medications" by Dr. Laura Hendrickson. It will be September 18-19 in Jackson Hall on the Baptist Bible College & Seminary campus in Clarks Summit, PA.

The second seminar is "A Biblical Approach to Cognitive Therapy" by Dr. Paul Brownback. It will be October 30-31.

Sessions run from 6 - 10 p.m. on Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

BBGS offers a master's degree in Counseling Ministries. The 48-credit-hour program incorporates both classroom learning and practical experience. Students can complete the classroom portion of the program in as little as two years. For details, go to www.bbc.edu/graduate, call 800.451.7664, or email gradadmissions@bbc.edu.

Each seminar costs $99. Spouses may attend at no charge.

Students can earn credit hours toward a degree through the seminars. Students pay tuition rates, with those taking their first courses at BBGS eligible for a discount. Contact Graduate Admissions to learn more.

To register, contact Sharon Wilson at 570.585.9219 or swilson@bbc.edu, or Karen Kirby at 570.585.9217 or kkirby@bbc.edu.

September 17-18 seminar
Dr. Hendrickson is a psychiatrist who now ministers as a biblical counselor with the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship in southern California. She has a powerful personal testimony which includes her story about how the principles of biblical counseling brought her victory over depression and how her son diagnosed with autism is now considered recovered and is excelling academically.

The storms of her life have been used by God to make her a credible witness to the power of His Word to heal. A popular retreat and conference speaker, Dr. Hendrickson loves sharing principles and encouragement from God's Word.

She also finds time in her busy schedule to write and is the author of "Finding Your Child's Way on the Autism Spectrum: Discovering Unique Strengths", "Mastering Behavior Challenges," and co-author of "Will Medicine Stop the Pain?: Finding God's Healing for Anxiety, Depression, and Other Challenging Emotions," with Elyse Fitzpatrick and "When Good Kids Make Bad Choices: Help and Hope for Hurting Parents," with Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jim Newheiser.

Dr. Hendrickson will present her critique of the myriad systems of psychotherapy and how biblical counseling offers a more thorough answer to our deepest needs. Her presentation will culminate in a discussion of the current state of psychotropic medications, categories of drugs, indications for their use, and their limitations. Because so many in society use these drugs, many people encounter persons affected by them, whether in roles as friends, family members, counselors, pastors, or church workers. The seminar will better equip counselors and others through a basic, balanced understanding of psychotropic medications and their effects.

October 30-31 seminar
Dr. Paul Brownback speaks from a depth of professional experiences. In addition to his counseling work, he has served as Dean of Word of Life Bible Institute, President of Citadel Bible College, and in roles as a pastor, director of a biblical counseling center, and faculty member. He is currently chaplain for a hospice organization and author of "The Danger of Self-Love."

Cognitive therapy is the most popular therapeutic approach of our day and has been adopted by the majority of Christian counseling professionals as their preferred model. Those who practice from this perspective consider it to be supported by Romans 12:2, "...be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Though these counselors are well-intentioned, Dr. Brownback challenges this application to counseling while offering a perspective he considers to be more biblically consistent. The mind is certainly a focus of biblically grounded transformation, but how cognitive change is approached is a critical decision faced by all Christians, including those who counsel others.

Dr. Brownback will provide his thoughtful analysis of this most significant contemporary counseling approach. Those planning to counsel biblically would most benefit in learning how Christians ought to approach working with the thought life. Dr. Brownback is on the cutting edge of biblical analysis of secular developments in the world of psychotherapy.

Registration
To register for either or both of these seminars, contact Sharon Wilson at 570.585.9219 or
swilson@bbc.edu, or Karen Kirby at 570.585.9217 or kkirby@bbc.edu.

Baptist Bible College & Seminary offers 38 academic programs, from a one-year Bible Certificate to PhDs. Programs are available through the Clarks Summit campus, online, and several distance learning options. To learn more, go to www.bbc.edu or call 570.586.2400.