Option 3: Narrative Pastoral Therapy in Action Diploma

20 CPSC CPD points

Ideal for beginner Christian counselors and people in full-time ministry who need to counsel with limited or no training.

Must be in possession of both the GADC Attendance and Competency Certificates.
Attend 8-hour Narrative Intensive
Attend 8-hour Basic Counseling Skills Intensive
Counsel one client over 6 months
Attend 2 group supervision sessions where clients’ work is presented and discussed
Total attendance commitment: 32 hours (2 Intensives; 2 Supervisions)
Total counselling/discipling commitment: Work through the GADC model over a period of 6 months with one person – the time commitment will vary from client to client

Ideal for

Trainees who experienced and fell in love with the joy and practicality of the GADC approach.
Trainees whose hearts are stirred to follow Jesus’ example of walking alongside and investing deeply over 3 years.

Expected Outcomes

Trainees are familiar with the GADC Model and experienced the joy of seeing lives change as the model are being applied guided by Holy Spirit. They also feel part of a community who share the highs and lows of co-journeying with people as they navigate, they multiple narratives of their lives.

Feedback from experienced Christian Counsellors

To them the active involvement of the clients makes much sense in terms of long-term sustainability. They love the work and are constantly amazed at what the clients come up with, and how Holy Spirit guides the process while changing lives.

R2000

Per Person
(max 24 per group)

Assessment Requirements

Trainees attend the 1-day Narrative Therapy Intensive and the 1-day Basic Counselling Skills Intensive as well as the supervision/continued training sessions where they present their counselling/discipling work in 2 sections (Section 1 to 3 and then Sections 4 to 6) on 2 occasions (usually between 3 and 6 months apart). These completed activities and reflections are being published anonymously on the GADC website. All of this is done anonymously and with the permission of the client.

Basic Program

Intensive 1: Basic Program

Must be in possession of both the GADC Attendance and Competency Certificates.

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Intensive 2: Basic Program

8-hour (Narrative Intensive)

08h30 – 10h30
Pillars of narrative Therapy and Living Storied Lives

Tea

11h00 – 13h00
Externalization, Analogy, Remembering, Re-Telling

Light lunch

14h00 – 17h00
Compassionate Witnessing, Reclaiming Practices, Communities Of Concern, Archiving

Intensive 3: Basic Program

8-hour (Basic Counselling Skills)

08h30 – 10h30
Defining and unpacking Christian Counseling and Discipling

Tea

11h00 – 13h00
Helpful and Unhelpful Christian Counseling and Discipling

Light lunch

14h00 – 17h00

Lay Counseling Boundaries, Legal And Ethical Aspects Of Lay Counseling, Referrals, Supervision

Fundamentals of the Approach

The training approach models the counseling approach and takes place as God-centered Activity-based Discipling and Counseling Conversations.

1. GOD-CENTERED
This Christian counseling approach pivots on personal Bible and prayer time. This engages the client as an active participant in the healing journey. It gives ample opportunity to practice hearing and obeying the Holy Spirit. These enable the counselee to move from a problem-saturated perspective to an intimacy and legacy-building perspective. The God-centered approach takes the focus from the counselor towards Christ and His healing work, which takes center stage.

2. ACTIVITY-BASED
Active and intentional documentation deepens insight, creates understanding, and ensures greater engagement and responsibility from the counselee.
Memorials leave a clear trail of God’s “footprints” and draw the eyes away from self to Him, the “Author, and Finisher of our faith”. In the light of His visible, documented presence, problems lose their power. The counsellee feels hopeful and motivated to deal with problems. Individual documentation and memorial-making practices assist clients to cling to breakthroughs – minor and major – that occurred during the therapeutic journey.

3. DISCIPLING AND COUNSELING CONVERSATIONS
The approach is based on multi-leveled conversations. The client and counselor are in conversation with each other, and each of them is in conversation with the Word and Holy Spirit.

Testimonials

“The GADC Model has inspired me as an experienced counselor — and in my private capacity as a follower of Christ — to make the process of healing a much more practical, creative, and intimate journey with God.

We often forget that God in us has this amazing love for us and knows us uniquely, down to the minutest detail of our deepest being. He blessed us with the creativity that comes from Himself to actively, practically, and creatively express our hurts and pain. And He gives us the ability to let Him then come and heal our broken hearts in the same creative way – as only He can – through love, hope, and patience.”

Glory be to Him who gives “Beauty for Ashes”.

“An area which is often neglected in counselling is “giving back” in gratitude after healing. The GADC model addresses this by encouraging Compassionate Witnessing, Taking-it-back (Reclaiming), and Communities of Concern. These are all part of the journey that helps the counselee pay it forward. The counselee uses their healing journey to witness, encourage, and inspire others. It is a very effective and practical discipling tool – a gift that keeps on giving. It extends the love of God to others as He desires of us as His children because it glorifies His Name and adds to the Kingdom of God (Philippians 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:11b)”

GADC Trainee

“The structure of the GADC model addresses different aspects of the counselee’s healing journey in manageable phases. The structure and flow of the model make it possible for the counselee to look at the journey from an objective perspective, see the bigger picture, and move between phases to track progress.”

“I am very excited to integrate this model into my existing work. I can think of previous specific circumstances where I experienced blockages and setbacks from clients where this model would have added a lot of value. It is an in-depth process and involves the discipling of the counselee over a period of time. This will give a strong foundation and documented reference on how to handle problems as a Christian.”

Mon-Fri 9-5

Mon-Fri 9-5

15 Avalanche Street, Westdene, Johannesburg,2092