Courses

2022 Spring Courses

BTI 507O Biblical Survey

3 credits
(MACP students only)
This course is a survey of biblical literature that focuses on its genres, literary forms, cultural contexts, and history of reception. Students will confront the risks and rewards of reading ancient texts, the role the reader’s social location plays in the act of reading, and wrestle with how these texts can remain in living conversation with contemporary questions and crises. Special attention will be paid throughout to the voices and experiences of marginal figures in the text.
*This course will have pre-reading that will need to be done before the course starts. Please see course syllabus for full details.*

BTI 507S Biblical Survey

3 credits
(MACP students only)
This course is a survey of biblical literature that focuses on its genres, literary forms, cultural contexts, and history of reception. Students will confront the risks and rewards of reading ancient texts, the role the reader’s social location plays in the act of reading, and wrestle with how these texts can remain in living conversation with contemporary questions and crises. Special attention will be paid throughout to the voices and experiences of marginal figures in the text.

BTI 521O Love in Public: Using the Bible in Social Justice & Transformation

2 credits
This course will explore the use of the Bible in relation to contemporary social issues. Participants will examine issues such as racism, poverty, sexism, gender violence, sexual orientation in light of a Christocentric Theological Anthropology. Students will identify how a Biblical story of Abundance, embodiment and peacemaking, can do justice in the world.

CSL 503-O Professional Ethics: Honoring the Other

3 credits
Prerequisites: CSL 551, CSL 552 and CSL 542
Corequisite: CSL 543-R
The student receives an overview of professional ethics and Washington State law as applied to counseling. Students are encouraged to examine their ethical decision-making processes in light of the difficult decisions facing the professional counselor. The course provides instruction regarding widely accepted ethical norms as well as common legal regulations. Additional topics will include professionalism, licensure, moral responsibility and issues of power.

Please Note:
Both sections of Ethics class will meet for the length of spring term. Each week, there will be a reading response group and a case study group as part of the learning activities for the course. The online version will schedule those 2 hours outside of class time. The on campus section will do the reading small group in the morning and the case study group in the afternoon during class hours. So, "seat time" or "learning activity time" is the same for both the in person and online sections of this course. Students in the campus section are free to schedule their case study group outside of class time if they choose, ending their on-campus time each week by 2:00 pm.

CSL 503-S Professional Ethics: Honoring the Other

3 credits
Prerequisites: CSL 551, CSL 552 and CSL 542
Corequisite: CSL 543-S
The student receives an overview of professional ethics and Washington State law as applied to counseling. Students are encouraged to examine their ethical decision-making processes in light of the difficult decisions facing the professional counselor. The course provides instruction regarding widely accepted ethical norms as well as common legal regulations. Additional topics will include professionalism, licensure, moral responsibility and issues of power.

Please Note:
Both sections of Ethics class will meet for the length of spring term. Each week, there will be a reading response group and a case study group as part of the learning activities for the course. The online version will schedule those 2 hours outside of class time. The on campus section will do the reading small group in the morning and the case study group in the afternoon during class hours. So, "seat time" or "learning activity time" is the same for both the in person and online sections of this course. Students in the campus section are free to schedule their case study group outside of class time if they choose, ending their on-campus time each week by 2:00 pm.

CSL 512O Substance Abuse: The Nature of Addiction

3 credits
Prerequisites: IDS 521
This course is designed to provide foundational concepts to understand addictive processes and provide appropriate therapy. The course explores existential, theological, and biological foundations and provides instruction in assessment and treatment of those who are drug or alcohol addicted. Individual, family, and community issues surrounding addictions and abuse are covered.

CSL 516O Research & Statistics

3 credits
This course provides a conceptual framework for understanding common psychological research methodologies, including various types of both quantitative and qualitative methods. Students will be equipped to formulate research questions and interpret and apply psychological research to their counseling practice.

CSL 516S Research & Statistics

3 credits
This course provides a conceptual framework for understanding common psychological research methodologies, including various types of both quantitative and qualitative methods. Students will be equipped to formulate research questions and interpret and apply psychological research to their counseling practice.

CSL 517R Family Systems

3 credits
Prerequisites: CSL 502; IDS 501

This course utilizes a didactic and experiential format in which to explore therapeutic work with family and other systems. Theoretical foundations and developments of systems theory will be explored to introduce the student to the field of couples and family therapy. Clinical work with couples and families will be considered from an ecological/systemic perspective with specific emphasis on the following family factors and dynamics: life cycle, development, attachment, and systemic issues as relevant to contemporary family cultures.

This course is associated with the Spring Term Residency.

CSL 517S Family Systems

3 credits
Prerequisites: CSL 502; IDS 501

This course utilizes a didactic and experiential format in which to explore therapeutic work with family and other systems. Theoretical foundations and developments of systems theory will be explored to introduce the student to the field of couples and family therapy. Clinical work with couples and families will be considered from an ecological/systemic perspective with specific emphasis on the following family factors and dynamics: life cycle, development, attachment, and systemic issues as relevant to contemporary family cultures.

CSL 532A Internship III

1 credit
Prerequisites: CSL 530, CSL 531
Students who have not completed their required hours of internship may register for internship until the hours are completed. Note that internship credits beyond the required Internship I and II do not count toward the total credits required within the degree.

This course will meet every other week. See the syllabus for full details.

CSL 543-R Therapy II: Psychotherapy in Clinical Practice

2 credits
Prerequisites: CSL 542
Corequisite: CSL 503-O
This advanced course follows Therapy I and continues to explore the use of the self in the interpersonal aspect of therapeutic work. Focus is given to the clinical process by learning to develop treatment strategies and interventions.

This course is associated with the Spring Term Residency.

CSL 543-S Therapy II: Psychotherapy in Clinical Practice

2 credits
Prerequisites: CSL 542
Corequisite: CSL 503-S
This advanced course follows Therapy I and continues to explore the use of the self in the interpersonal aspect of therapeutic work. Focus is given to the clinical process by learning to develop treatment strategies and interventions.

CSL 560O Psychopharmacology

1 Credit
Prerequisite: CSL 544
This overview course in psychopharmacology includes the biological, psychological (intrapsychic and interpersonal conflicts and anxieties), and the social model. This course covers the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacology of medications of abuse, pharmacology for special populations (child, adolescent, geriatric patients as well as suicidal, and violent patients), and a synthesis of psychopharmacology and psychological therapies in the care of the patient. From a biopsychosocial model, there is an emphasis on understanding of how the ethnic and cultural background of patients influence development, disease expression, the patient-therapist relationship, diagnosis and treatment variations across the globe. Each class of medication will be explored, specifically: the history, mechanism of action, pharmacology, indications with specific clinical syndromes, effects on symptoms, adverse effects, drug interactions, medication compliance and future directions of the particular classes of medications. Through a representative selection of clinical scenarios, cases will be used to illustrate how to apply the concepts in clinical practice settings.

CSL 564S Assessment and Treatment of Trauma and Abuse

2 credits
Prerequisite: CSL 544
The purpose of this class is to discuss topics related to the treatment of victims/survivors of interpersonal violence (e.g., childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, intimate partner/domestic violence). This class provides a foundation for understanding complex trauma, and trauma recovery, with a focus on trauma-informed treatment with various populations. Also included in this class, is the exploration of the professional’s response to trauma, vicarious traumatiza on, grief, and crisis intervention. Finally, students have the chance to review evidence-based practices in the trauma field.

CSL 566 CTA Practicum A: Story Workshop

This course meets as an intensive April 28-May 1.

CSL 572S Infant Observation III

TBD

CSL 580A Individualized Research: Character Creation as Personality Development

This course will investigate the use of character creation activities as a potential pedagogical model for training mental health counselors in human growth and development. The student will engage with a wide range of disciplines and authors within the psychological and educational field, as well as draw from creative models such as creative writing and table-top-roleplaying games in order to develop a pedagogical model for use in an upcoming course curriculum. The course will consider how the use of reflective practice in conjunction with imaginative activities can provide a playful space for the development and training of mentalization abilities—and aid in education of aspiring mental health counselor (both in individual and communal realms). The student will deliver a potential framework to be used in future courses at the Seattle School (in this case, the Human Growth and Development course slotted for Winter 2023, to be taught by Dr. Paul Hoard).

IDS 503O Intersections: Textual Integrations

1 credit
Prerequisites: IDS 501, IDS 502
This third Intersections course guides students in the synthesis of the first two Intersections courses. With faculty advising, students will develop a working draft of a theological and psychological anthropology (spanning issues such as economics, politics, culture, etc.) that will serve as an important contribution to the portfolio particular to the student’s program of study and as a basis for their vocation.

IDS 503S Intersections: Textual Integrations

1 credit
Prerequisites: IDS 501, IDS 502
This third Intersections course guides students in the synthesis of the first two Intersections courses. With faculty advising, students will develop a working draft of a theological and psychological anthropology (spanning issues such as economics, politics, culture, etc.) that will serve as an important contribution to the portfolio particular to the student’s program of study and as a basis for their vocation.

RES Spring 2022 Residency

This course will house materials related to the residency for the current term.

RLM 510O Leadership in Organizations I: Personal Influence in the Service of Transformation

3 credits
This course will examine the importance of Christian Leadership with regard to personal leadership in multiple contexts—primarily the church, parachurch and non-profit settings. It will explore the importance of character, discover different leadership styles, explore gender issues and give a theological framework for leadership. Recognizing that leadership while anchored in some principles exists in context, the student will learn to discern their place in leadership within specific environments.

This course will meet from 9:30am-12:30pm on the following dates: 5/5, 5/12, 5/19, 5/26, 6/2, 6/9, 6/16 and 6/23. See the syllabus for full details.

RLM 582O Theology & Culture Apprenticeship I

1 credit each for RLM 582 & RLM 583
The MATC Apprenticeship is a faculty approved and supervised self-selected community-based two (2) credit learning opportunity. Students will self-select a human service or artistic organization that can help them fine tune their creative, entrepreneurial and service skills. Based on the mission of the selected community service organizations students will establish an applicable learning contract with an on-site supervisor. The apprenticeship agreement will name an agreed upon beginning and end date as well as the hours to be completed.

SFD 520T Engaging Local Partnerships: Creating Conversations with Grassroots Leaders in their Context

2 credit
This course is part of the Engaging Global Partnership series (Engaging Global Partnerships: Creating Conversations with Grassroots’ Leaders in their Context). It will focus on the spiritual formation and leadership development of Mending Wings, a Native American Youth Organization in Toppenish Washington. Students will participate in pre-trip readings focused on Native American, spirituality, theology, history and culture and a one weekend intensive hosted by Corey Greaves and the Mending Wings staff on the Yakima Reservation.

This course will meet April 20-21 in Seattle and April 22-23 in Yakima.

SFD 521T The Artist's Way

2 credits
This course is about discovering and recovering your creative self. It is for anyone interested in practicing the art of creative living. It is about both being creative and putting that creativity into practice. We will explore what it means to BE an artist and a Christian and how the arts can inspire and transform humanity's relationship to God, community and scripture. We will also discover how creativity can enliven our understanding and communication of Counseling, Theology and Scripture.

This course will meet April 21-24 at the Grunewald Guild in Leavenworth. There will be one additional meeting on Friday, June 17 from 3-5 pm PT on zoom.

SFD 524O From the Heart: A Contemplative Approach to Ministry

2 credits
This course is an exploration of contemplative ministry. Through reading, lecture, discussion and contemplative exercises we will examine ways of structuring, practicing and being in ministry that places prayer, discernment, relationship, compassion, and authentic action as the primary elements of the life of ministry.

TCE 520O Philosophy & Theological Thought

2 credits
This course builds philosophical foundations for graduate students in the interdisciplinary study of theology, philosophy, and culture. The course attends to relationships between philosophy and theology by looking at philosophers who have dealt with the theological tradition of the West and whose influence has affected the subsequent development of theology and of philosophy. While attending to western cultural and historical influences on philosophy that have in turn structured dominant Christian thinking, the course strives to remember that philosophy is a cultural product. Accordingly, this course seeks to understand western philosophy’s influence, its sources, its strengths, and its limitations even as students begin to think globally about Christian thought.

TCE 542O Christ & Hospitality

2 credits
This course looks at the relationship between the Christian Church (ecclesiology) and Jesus Christ (Christology). At stake in this conversation is how our doctrines about the person and the work of Christ impacts how persons are formed in the practice of the Church and its liturgy. Doctrine, in this context, is not just an abstract exploration of proper belief about sin, atonement, soteriology, or ecclesiology, but, instead, the location of questioning, and sometimes reforming, how theory (theoria) and practice (praxis) are related to one another in the daily life of the body of Christ. The aim of this class is to show that all study of theology should lead to doxology (worship) and all doxology should lead to the fullness of life in Jesus Christ.

TCE 575BO Special Topics: Lost at Sea

2 credits
This course will meet as an online intensive May 27-28. There will be one additional 2-hour synchronous meeting on May 12 from 4:30-6:30 pm PT.

A full course description is available on individual course syllabi and is particular to each course.

Here is a tentative summary in the meantime:

The seas of this world bring abundant life and they also bring horrific death. The goal of this class is to explore the theme of “Lost at Sea” psychologically (through the lens of trauma) and theologically (through the lens of a sacramental theology of baptism). The theme of “Lost at Sea” situates one in the swirl of life and death; how life and death exist simultaneously within human experience. This class will explore both the literal meaning of being lost at sea (shipwrecked/ encounter with death/ communal lament/ trauma) and the metaphorical sense of lostness (spiritual/ relational/ familial/ vocational/ etc.) in our contemporary age. We will employ stories, poems, novels, music, etc. inspired by loss at sea to develop an integrative theology and psychology that make sense of how lostness at sea haunts us as human beings. Throughout, we hope to expand our collective imaginations for how we can nurture and cultivate a capacity for resilience amid our traumatic experiences of loss and death without being consumed by the pull of nihilism and despair.

2022 Fall Courses

2023 Winter Courses