RTS Theology & Secular Psychology Intensive
Winter 2016
Theology and Secular Psychology— RTS Intensive, Winter
2016
Lecturing Professor 1:
Todd Stryd, Psy.D.
(215) 884-7676, ext. 159
Email: tstryd@ccef.org (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,
crobinson@ccef.org, 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.
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RTS Theology & Secular Psychology Intensive
Winter 2016
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.framepoythress.org/is-natural-revelation-sufficient-to-govern-culture/
Frame, John. “Unregenerate Knowledge of God.” (May 30, 2012. http://www.framepoythress.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-theprocess-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
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RTS Theology & Secular Psychology Intensive
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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-CentredTherapy.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
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RTS Theology & Secular Psychology Intensive
Winter 2016
Assignments and Grading:
Grading
Assignment
Grading Scale


A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
Class Participation (40%)
Reinterpretative Final Paper (60%)
95 and above
92-94.9
88-91.9
85-87.9
82-84.9
78-81.9
75-77.9
72-74.9
70-71.9
68-69.9
66-67.9
< 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.
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RTS Theology & Secular Psychology Intensive
Winter 2016
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.
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RTS Theology & Secular Psychology Intensive
Winter 2016
Schedule of Lectures and Assigned Readings
Monday, January 18 —Course Introduction & Constructing a Biblical Anthropology
Reading 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
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RTS Theology & Secular Psychology Intensive
Winter 2016
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.
© 2016 Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation
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