RTS Theology & Secular Psychology Intensive Winter 2016
Theology and Secular Psychology— RTS Intensive, Winter 2016
(215) 884-7676, ext. 159
Email: (please include PTC 243 in the subject line)
Lecturing Professor 2: / David Powlison, Ph.D., CCEF Faculty
Administration: / To receive the most immediate response, contact Carly Robinson, , with any questions regarding class administration.
Class Schedule: / Monday, January 18, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Tuesday, January 19, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Wednesday, January 20, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Thursday, January 21, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Recording Class Lectures: / You are welcome to record class lectures on a personal recording device, but these are for your personal use only. They may not be distributed or shared with anyone who is not enrolled in the class, or posted on a public website.
Course Objectives
In this course, students will develop their skills in both critical thinking and constructive communication regarding contemporary psychologies and psychotherapies, by learning:
• How to understand psychologists’ observations, theories, and practices; and how to engage them critically, humbly and lovingly.
• How to reinterpret through a redemptive gaze the things that psychologists see most clearly and care about most deeply
Students will develop an understanding of where biblical counseling fits in our cultural context, both within the evangelical church and within the surrounding mental health system.
Required Readings & Course Materials
All students will read:
Adams, Jay. “Change Them? Into What?” Journal of Biblical Counseling, Vol. 13, No. 2, (1995): 13-17
Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 2. Ada, MI: Baker Academic, 2008, 554-576.
Bavinck, Herman. “The origin, Essence, and Purpose of Man.” http://www.the-highway.com/origin_Bavinck.html.
Crabb, Larry. Inside Out, rev. and updated ed. NavPress, 2013.
Emlet, Michael R. “Understanding the Influences of the Human Heart.” Journal of Biblical Counseling.
Frame, John. “Is Natural Revelation Sufficient to Govern Culture” (May 21, 2012) http://www.frame-poythress.org/is-natural-revelation-sufficient-to-govern-culture/
Frame, John. “Unregenerate Knowledge of God.” (May 30, 2012. http://www.frame-poythress.org/unregenerate-knowledge-of-god/
Powlison, David. “Idols of the Heart and Vanity Fair.” Journal of Biblical Counseling.
Previdi, Bianca. (2014). The Lonely Freshman: A Case of Depression. In R. Summers & J. Barber (Eds.), Practicing Psychodynamic Therapy: A Casebook. (pp. 68-82). New York: The Guilford Press.
Ross, I. (2012). Client presenting with dysthymia (chronic depression). In M. Thomas, & M. Drake (Eds.),Cognitive behaviour therapy case studies.(pp. 49-61). London: SAGE Publications
Welch, Edward T. “Who are We? Needs, Longings and the Image of God in Man,” Journal of Biblical Counseling, Vol. 13 No. 1, (1994).
You will read only one article out of each group below (your article will be assigned by me in class.) to discuss in a small group.
Group 1: Research Psychology Articles
Erskine, James, and Georgiou, George. “Thoughts on suppression,” The Psychologist, vol. 24, 11. (2011): 824-827. https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-24/edition-11/thoughts-suppression
Dahlgren, Kate. “Don’t Go Wasting Your Emotion: The Process Model of Emotion Regulation” Emotion on the Brain, October 10 (2014). https://sites.tufts.edu/emotiononthebrain/2014/10/10/dont-go-wasting-your-emotion-the-process-model-of-emotion-regulation/
Gardner, Howard. “Frequently asked questions – multiple intelligences and related educational topics.” https://howardgardner01.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/faq_march2013.pdf
Group 2: Psychodynamic Articles
Messer, Stanley B. “Three Mechanisms of Change in Psychodynamic Therapy: Insight, Affect, and Alliance.” Psychotherapy, Vol. 50, No. 3, (Sep 2013): 408-412.
Shedler, Jonathan. “Getting to Know Me.” Scientific American Mind, 2010. http://www.jonathanshedler.com/PDFs/Shedler Scientific American.pdf
Shedler, Jonathan. “That Was Then, This is Now: An Introduction to Contemporary Psychodynamic Therapy” Pages 1-21 http://www.jonathanshedler.com/PDFs/Shedler (2006) That was then, this is now R9.pdf
Group 3: Humanistic/Existential Articles
Edelstein, Bob. “A Baker’s Dozen: Proposed Therapeutic Interventions of an Existential-Humanistic Psychotherapist” AHP Perspective (Spring 2011). http://www.ehinstitute.org/pdf/Edelstein_TherapeuticInterventions.pdf
Krug, Orah T. “James Bugental and Irvin Yalom: Two Masters of Existential Therapy Cultivate Presence in the Therapeutic Encounter” Journal of Humanistic Psychology, March 27 (2009). http://www.ehinstitute.org/pdf/Bugental and Yalom article.pdf
Person-centered Therapy: A guide to Counseling Therapies http://www.counsellingconnection.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Person-Centred-Therapy.pdf
Spinelli, Ernesto. “Existential psychotherapy: An introductory overview” Psicológica Análise, Vol. 3, No. 24, (2006): 311-321. http://publicacoes.ispa.pt/index.php/ap/article/viewFile/170/pdf
Group 4: CBT Articles
Knapp, Paulo & Beck, Aaron T. “Cognitive Therapy: Foundations, Conceptual Models, Applications and Research.” Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria,Vol. 30, No. 2, (2008): 54-64.
Meichenbaum, Donald. “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.” Psychotherapy with the Experts – Instructor’s Manual (2009): pp 36-58. http://www.psychotherapy.net/data/uploads/5110394f10a74.pdf
Beck, Judith S. (2011). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond. Guilford Press; Second edition. Pages 1-14. http://file.zums.ac.ir/ebook/082-Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Second Edition - Basics and Beyond-Judith S. Beck Phd Aaron T. Be.pdf
Group 5: Third Wave Therapy Articles
Harris, R. “Embracing your demons: an overview of acceptance and commitment therapy” [online].Psychotherapy in Australia, Vol. 12, No. 4 (Aug. 2006): 70-6. http://www.psychotherapy.net/article/Acceptance-and-Commitment-Therapy-ACT
Herbert, J. D. and Forman, E. M. The Evolution of Cognitive Behavior Therapy: The Rise of Psychological Acceptance and Mindfulness, in Acceptance and Mindfulness in Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Understanding and Applying the New Therapies (eds J. D. Herbert and E. M. Forman), Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2011.
https://www.drexel.edu/~/media/Files/psychology/labs/formanherbert/publications/Herbert Forman in press Chapter 1.ashx
Van Der Kolk, Bessel. "The Limits of Talk: Bessel Van Der Kolk Wants to Transform the Treatment of Trauma."Psychotherapy Networker, Janauray/February (2004). http://www.traumacenter.org/products/pdf_files/networker.pdf
Group 6: Articles TBD
Narrative Therapy Article
Psychological First Aid Article
Transtheoretical Theory Article
Assignments and Grading:
Grading
Assignment / Grading Scale· Class Participation (40%)
· Reinterpretative Final Paper (60%) / A 95 and above
A- 92-94.9
B+ 88-91.9
B 85-87.9
B- 82-84.9
C+ 78-81.9
C 75-77.9
C- 72-74.9
D+ 70-71.9
D 68-69.9
D- 66-67.9
F < 66
Expectations for Attendance, Participation, and Assignments
1. Class Attendance: You are required to attend class
2. Participation (40%): You are required to prepare for, and participate in, the individual and group activities assigned during class. Pass/Fail
3. Paper (60%): You will write one Final paper for this intensive class. See Reinterprative Final Paper document and TSP Final Paper Worksheet document for detailed instructions on this paper.
Grading Rubrics:
The chief purpose of a grade is accountability. Taking a course for credit challenges you to put in the time and concentrated effort needed to do your very best quality thinking and work. Your life and ministry depend upon your growing wisdom. We want to handle truth well; we want to walk well. Put off the competitiveness or fear of failure that lurks within and competes with our Father’s goals for our education. Jesus’ disciples are learners by definition, unashamed of our continual need to grow in knowledge, wisdom, and love (James 1:5; Matt. 5:3). The grading is only a tool to help hold you accountable to those goals and desires that led you to register in the first place.
Assignment Format:
1. All submitted papers/projects should be typed, 12-point font, Times New Roman, one-inch margins, and double-spaced unless indicated otherwise in the specific assignment directions.
2. Assignments will be printed and submitted to the RTS Registrar on the assigned due date.
3. Pay careful attention to word count limits – both minimum and maximum limits!
4. Please type your name at the top of the first page of any assignments that you submit.
Please note that you may be downgraded for not adhering to these guidelines.
Schedule of Lectures and Assigned Readings
Monday, January 18 —Course Introduction & Constructing a Biblical AnthropologyReading Due:
· Who are We? Needs, Longings and the Image of God in Man - Ed Welch
· Idols of the Heart and Vanity Fair – David Powlison
· Influences of the Human Heart – Mike Emlet
· Reformed Dogmatics Vol. II (pages 554-576) – Herman Bavinck
· The origin, Essence, and Purpose of Man - Herman Bavinck
Tuesday, January 19 –Biblical Change Developing an Apologetic Reinterpretive Gaze
Reading Due:
· Change them?... Into What? - Jay Adams
· Unregenerate Knowledge of God - John Frame
· Is Natural Revelation Sufficient to Govern Culture - John Frame
Wednesday, January 20 – Research Psychology, Psychoanalysis & Behaviorism
Reading Due:
1. One of the following 3 Research Psychology articles will be assigned to you:
· Don’t go wasting your emotion: The process model of emotion regulation - Kate Dahlgren
· Thoughts on suppression - James Erskine and George Georgiou
· FAQ - Howard Gardner
2. One of the following 3 psychodynamic articles will be assigned to you:
· That was Then, This is Now - Jonathan Shedler
· Getting to Know Me - Jonathan Shedler
· Three Mechanisms of Change in Psychodynamic Therapy: Insight, Affect, and Alliance - Stanley B. Messer
3. One of the following 3 Humanistic/Existential articles will be assigned to you:
· Existential psychotherapy: An introductory overview - Ernesto Spinelli
· James Bugental and Irvin Yalom Two Masters of Existential Therapy Cultivate Presence in the Therapeutic Encounter - Orah T. Krug
· A Bakers Dozen: Proposed therapeutic Interventions of an Existential –Humanistic Psychotherapist – Bob Edelstein and Person-centered Thearpy: A guide to Counseling Therapies
4. To be discussed in Class:
· The Lonely Freshman - Bianca Previdi
Thursday, January 21 – CBT, Third Wave Therapies, Christian Integrationism
Reading Due:
1. One of the following 3 CBT articles will be assigned to you:
· Cognitive Therapy: Foundations, Conceptual Models, Applications and Research - Paulo Knapp & Aaron T. Beck
· Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Transcript -Donald Meichenbaum
· Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond - Judith S. Beck
2. One of the following 3 Third Wave Therapy articles will be assigned to you:
· The Evolution of Cognitive Behavior Therapy - James Herbert and Evan Forman.
· Embracing your Demons: an Overview of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - Russell Harris
· The Limits of Talk - Bessel van der Kolk
3. One of the following 3 articles will be assigned to you:
· Narrative Therapy
· Psychological First Aid
· Transtheoretical Theory
4. To be discussed in Class:
· Client Presenting with Dysthymia - Ian Ross
· Inside-Out - Larry Crabb
Thursday, February 18—Final Paper
Assignment Due:
Submit a hard copy of your final paper to RTS Registrar by noon on February 18.
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