Spiritual Christian Counseling Courses

Christian counseling training

Bridge the gap between faith and counseling with the Christian counseling courses offered by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals (AIHCP). Taking our Christian counseling certification program requires taking the courses below, which provide detailed and comprehensive overviews of theories and techniques that you can use to better help patients at different stages of their faith-based journey. With ongoing support, in-depth material, and flexible hours, AIHCP’s Christian counseling continuing education courses are a must for those looking to elevate their knowledge in the profession.

Requirements for Christian Counseling Courses

Prerequisite for all Applicants for the Spiritual Christian Counseling Certification. Candidates for certification must meet one of the following prerequisites to enter the program:

A registered nurse currently licensed to practice nursing.
A licensed social worker.
A licensed healthcare professional.
A healthcare provider with at least an associate’s degree.
A licensed counselor or psychologist.
A professional with a bachelor’s degree or higher in psychology, human services, or other health-related fields.
Working in a healthcare chaplain ministry under the direction of a pastoral chaplain or clergy.
A licensed minister or any legal clerical representative of a religion.
A crisis counselor.
A certified addictions counselor.
A professional currently certified in grief counseling, stress management consulting, or pastoral thanatology.

If you do not meet one of the criteria above, you can also fill out our qualification review form to see if you still qualify with your existing experience and educational background.

Christian Counseling Continuing Education Board Approvals

Our Christian counseling courses below are offered by AIHCP, which is an approved provider of continuing education by the following states:

The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is an Approved Provider for Continuing Education by the South Carolina Professional Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists and Psycho-Educational Specialists licensing board, Provider # 4637.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc. is a licensed Continuing Education Provider in the State of California, Board of Registered Nursing, Provider # CEP 15595.
The following CE Courses have provider approvals: The American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc. is an Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Florida State Board of Nursing Provider # 50-11975.

The program also has approval from these states’ boards of nursing:

The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Arkansas Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Georgia Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the South Carolina Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Professional Registered Nurses. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the New Mexico Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.

For the full list of our current state and board approvals, please visit our healthcare continuing education approvals page.

Christian Counseling Course List

To obtain your Christian Counseling Certification, you must participate in the seven classes listed below. These courses cost $1,050 in total. You may enroll into as few or as many course as you wish. All of the CE courses are self paced, independent study. Students buy the textbooks, follow the syllabus and take a comprehensive online exam. Faculty mentoring is provided, as needed. Many of our courses include supplementary videos and course materials. Students have a two-year timeframe to complete all required CE courses in the curriculum. Again, all textbooks and learning materials are separate and not included in the course cost.

SC 570 – Christian Counseling

This course approaches various counseling aspects from a Christian prism. The first segment primarily deals with the ethics, world views, and procedures of a Christian counselor. Since it is biblically based, it emphasizes Christ as the central figure and paradigm for all Christian counselors. The second segment deals with the Christian world view of happiness. It is imperative that one understands the importance of a proper ultimate end when counseling to the downtrodden. This course directs the future Christian counselor to the proper road of a Christ centered happiness. In addition, to cultivating a proper world view for the Christian counselor, the third segment of this course addresses the multiple “isms” and problems Christians face in the modern world. This undoubtedly is the largest component of the course for it covers everything from marital problems and abortion to drug abuse and depression: all under a Christian and biblical perspectives. This course is particularly designed for those who would like to apply for Certification as a Certified Spiritual Counselor in Christian Counseling by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc,. Course Code: SC 570. Contact hours of Education = 50. Course Fee: $ 150.00.

SC 580 – Spiritual Mentoring

Utilizing Christian principles and Christ centered values is imperative to good Christian Counseling. SC 580’s primary goal is to imprint a Christian stamp upon your counseling techniques. This course continues the themes of SC 570 but gives more extensive focus on the Biblical basis and Christian theology that is found in Christian Counseling. In many ways this course could be considered a part II to SC 570. Counseling topics that include Biblical interpretation methods, God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Church are all laid out in correlation with how one counsels as a Christian. This course will continue to help one grow in the spirituality and theological knowledge necessary to successfully guide, help and mentor people via a Christian path. This course is particularly designed for those who would like to apply for Certification as a Certified Spiritual Counselor in Christian Counseling by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc,. Course Code: SC 580. Contact hours of Education = 50. Course Fee: $150.00.

SC 590 – Exploration of the Spirit Realm: A Christian Perspective

Christian metaphysics is an essential element to Christian doctrine. The dualistic nature of a temporal reality and a supernatural reality however is forever interwoven. Hence it is important for a Christian counselor to have a sound practical and theological understanding of the supernatural element of the human person. Within this falls a broad range of topics. This includes the spiritual charisms of the Holy Spirit that range from gifts of discernment to spiritual care of the soul. In addition to this, it involves an exploration of the angelic realm, both good and bad, and an understanding of humanity’s eschatological ends. This course hopes to sharpen “spiritual senses” in counseling with a better understanding of Christian metaphysical concepts and Christian based interaction with the supernatural realm. This course is particularly designed for those who would like to apply for Certification as a Certified Spiritual Counselor in Christian Counseling by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc,. Course Code: SC 590. Contact hours of Education =50. Course Fee: $ 150.00.

SC 600 – Contemplative Prayer & Meditation

The Christian Counselor is a source of spirituality for his or her clients. He does not only advise, heal, and guide, but enriches the soul he counsels. SC 600 covers the supplying source for this spiritual spring which is prayer. In particular, the course delves into contemplative prayer. The classic, “Christian Meditation.” By Hans Ur von Balthasar guides you through the various stages of prayer life and how to center oneself via Christian techniques to reach a state of contemplation. In addition to experiencing and practicing these spiritual exercises, the course gives an academic background in Christian mysticism and prayer by reviewing some of the most notable Christian mystics throughout history. This course is particularly designed for those who would like to apply for Certification as a Certified Spiritual Counselor in Christian Counseling by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc,. Course Code: SC 600. Contact hours of Education =50. Course Fee: $ 150.00.

Note: Students have the option of substituting SC 605 – Christian Meditation: Eastern Applications, for SC 600. To review information on SC 605 click here.

PT 490 – Pastoral Care of Families of the Dying

This continuing education course provides an overview of studies, research, and dynamics related to pastoral care of families of the dying. Adult learners will study theories on the role of faith in contexts of dying and grieving, family systems, perspectives of pastoral care over family issues, and other related content. Progression in the course then focuses on processes of faith development, pastoral care for dying persons, pastoral care for mourning and grieving family units and members, ideas on the administration of religious resources in grief-related contexts, and the importance of self-care for the pastoral care practitioner.

This course provides a theoretical and functional presentation of issues regarding the influence of faith in circumstances of dying in the midst of grieving family systems and methods of approach for the pastoral care practitioner. Upon successful completion of this course, students are awarded 40 contact hours of continuing education credits. Course Code: PT 490. Course Cost: $150.00

GC 630 – Counseling Ministry to the Bereaved

Christianity has always viewed grief as a true human reality that is not to be escaped but accepted and transformed into something new and redeeming. GC 630 continues this Christian theology and attempts to apply it to ministry. The text for the course “The Unwanted Gift of Grief” exemplifies this notion of grief as a gift. The text is not intended for one to escape the pain but hopes to invite one into it and through that pain create a “transformation and new life”. The course Christianizes the behavioral sciences not only within the text but also looks at the “Unwanted Gift of Grief” through the story of Job. This second text and commentary on Job nourishes the spirituality of the counselor and equips the counselor with greater understanding of one of the greater Old Testament works on grief. Course Code: GC 630. Contact hours of continuing education = 50. Course Fee: $150.00

CI 500 – Crisis Intervention Theory

This online continuing education course is designed to provide mental health professionals with a solid and comprehensive foundation of the study of crisis intervention theory and therapeutic practices. This CE online course utilizes three textbooks allowing for an in-depth exploration of various theories and models of crisis, intervention techniques and therapeutic modalities used in clinical practices and in community and social care settings today. Mental health professionals and other health care professionals will examine many types of crises including community crises, disasters, substance abuse, crisis of loss, PTSD, rape, trauma, child abuse, sexual abuse, unemployment, HIV/AIDS, spousal abuse, developmental crisis, and more. Mental health and other health care professionals will learn assessment criteria for crisis situations, as well as many effective counseling strategies to put into crisis counseling practice. Behavioral Cognitive Therapies and their use in Crisis Counseling are examined as well. Issues of multiple types of abuses are examined and crisis intervention plans and strategies for dealing effectively with such abuses are presented. Legal and ethical issues in crisis counseling are examined. Mental health and other health professionals will also examine and learn how cultural diversity impacts crisis responses and how to deal effectively with diverse populations. The structure and function of crisis intervention programs in the United States, as well as the history of crisis intervention is also examined. This course is particularly designed for those seeking to attain Certification as a Certified Crisis Intervention Consultant as offered by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc. Level of complexity: Intermediate to Advanced.

Course Code: CI 500. Contact hours of education = 40. Course Fee: $150.00

The Benefits of Christian Counseling Continuing Education

With each course above, your knowledge and expertise of the Christian counseling field grow, allowing you to provide even better guidance and insight for every patient and client. AIHCP’s combination of theory and practice within each course provides valuable context for the techniques used in the real world. Each course from AIHCP allows you to provide top-notch care with confidence and ease, resulting in renewed faith for your patients.

You have two years from the initial date of enrollment to start the first course and finish the program, and you must pass each course’s exam with at least a 70% grade to apply for certification. If successful, you can use the initials “SCC-C” after your name which stands for “Spiritual Christian Counselor, Certified.” title in your professional name. The certification is also valid for four years, and AIHCP offers recertification courses for those who wish to continue using the initials or full certification title in their professional title.

Spiritual Christian Counseling Continuing Education Program