Readings

• Dreams: God’s Forgotten Language, John A. Sanford, Harper, 1968, 1989. ISBN-0-06-067055-x
• Three handouts available from the Counseling department.

Purpose and Goals of Class

The purpose of this class is to introduce students to the "Counseling in Religious Settings" Track of the MA in Counseling Degree at MUGC, and to provide a foundational experience for further growth and development as a professional counselor. This track is unique in its focus on the development of the self and person of the individual counselor, and in its focus on the experiential learning of the student. This is a demanding track that may require the unexpected from the student in the way non-defensive openness to self exploration and to feedback from others. The rewards of pursuing this track may also be great, as well as unexpected.

The goals of this class are to help the student develop an introductory awareness of, and appreciation for, the following areas:

• the varieties of religious experience
• the importance of self awareness and use of self in counseling
• the importance of acceptance and non-defensiveness in conversation
• the interplay of faith and culture
• the use of faith background as a resource for healing and growth
• the importance of process in the course of growth and healing

Methodology and Course Requirements

A great deal of preparation is expected to be accomplished prior to the meeting of the class. Students who do not complete the required preparation will not be able to participate in the class and will not receive a passing grade for the class. This is especially important for weekend format classes.

Due at the start of class

• Completion of 10 Learning Experiences with a short Reflection Paper for each.
• Evidence of completion and basic understanding of all Readings.

Due two weeks after class

• Five to ten page Integration Paper.

Details of these are specified below.

Ten Pre- Class Learning Experiences (20 % of Final Grade) (required by all learners)

1. Labyrinth Experience -- Walk the labyrinth found at Magic Island in Charleston.

2. Candle Experience -- Go to a Catholic Church and light a candle.

3. Worship Experience -- Attend a worship service that is foreign to you.

4. 12 Step Experience -- Go to an AA or other 12 Step meeting.

5. Dream Experience -- after reading Sanford, write up a recent dream.

6. Confidentiality - write up a personal experience involving a dilemma of                             confidentiality.

7. Awe -- Write up a recent experience of awe or wonder.

8. Boundaries -- Write up a recent experience of a boundary dilemma.

9. Questions -- Two questions based on specific texts from the readings below.

10. Definitions -- define “religion”, “spirituality”, “faith”, “God”, and “prayer”

Each experience is expected to be written up in a typed Reflection Paper of no more than two pages per experience.

Pre- Class Readings (20 % of Final Grade) (required for all learners)

Reading Sanford’s book "Dreams: God’s Forgotten Language" as well as the three handouts is required before the first class meeting. Concrete evidence of the completion of the readings is required at the beginning of class. This evidence can to the form of personal underlining or margin notes, outlines of major points of the readings, journal reflections on the readings, short reflection papers, or some other pre- approved form of concrete demonstration. Forty percent of the final grade is based on pre- class preparation.

In Class Participation (40 % of Final Grade) (required for all learners)

Competency here will be based on the student’s:

• ability to learn and use the language of negotiation, non-defensiveness, and respect for what is different or other
• evidence of appreciation for the wide range of religious and spiritual experience in both one’s self and in others
• willingness and ability to try to articulate the subtle and sometimes ineffable movements of spirit in one’s life
• candor, honesty and spontaneity of reactions and responses to the material presented
• appreciation for the possibility of unconscious influences in one’s life and in one’s personal reactions to the class

Integration Paper (19 % of Final Grade) (graduate credit learners only)

Due two weeks after the last class, this paper is designed to integrate thoughts, feelings, experiences of the class. It is expected that the paper will include at least three quotes from any of the readings. Inclusive, non- discriminatory language is expected. Five to ten pages in length.

Grading (graduate credit learners only)

• Completion of Pre-Class Requirements 40 %
• Class Participation                                 40 %
• Integration Paper                                  19 %
• Grace                                                    1 %

Availability