Frequently Asked Questions

Regarding the Counselor Development Program (CDP)

 

When can I begin the program?

This question is one of the first asked from prospective students. The answer is, “Today!” You don’t have to wait until you send in your first tuition payment. Go ahead, purchase some materials and begin the program. When you send in your first assignment, send in your first tuition with it and you officially begin.

 

Is it really that easy to get started in this certification program?

Yes it is that easy. There is no application, there are no forms to fill out, and there is not an interview to take. We have gone to great lengths to make this program as user-friendly as possible. We've removed hurdles. We realize that you are busy and we don't want to give you busy work for the sake of work. We have trimmed this program as much as possible and retained only the best books, videos, audios and journal articles that are assured to give you the desired result.

 

All you need to do is send in your first assignment, with your tuition, and you have begun. Yes, it is that easy.

 

Please read the remaining FAQ’s.

 

Do I have to attend any of GHCM's counselor training conferences live in order to complete my certification program?

One of the purposes of the CDP is for individuals to be able to get quality counselor training without having to wait for a conference to come to their region. You do have to attend all of GHCM's counselor conferences (and more work in addition), but you do not have to attend them live. All of our conferences will be made available to you in audio, compact disc or video format so you can take the conference at your own pace, in your own home. (Please note that certain required CCEF training seminars must be attended live. Consult with your Counseling Supervisor about availablity and personal options for you.)

 

Do I have to live in Greenville, South Carolina to participate in this program?

No. Where you live does not matter. Again, the purpose of this program is for the serious inquirer, who desires to be trained in the discipline of biblical counseling, to receive that training through Grace Harbor Counseling Ministries. The Counselor Development Program is a Distance Education course, which is an advantage for people who do not have the flexibility or mobility to travel to another area for an extended amount of time in order to receive quality training. If you live in the Upstate of South Carolina, Europe, Asia, or elsewhere; it should not be a hindrance to your training.

 

What is the Church Partnership Program (CPP) and how is it an advantage for me to be a part of it?

Please note that we do not "require" you seek church partnership. It is merely suggestive to help you with the expenses of the program.

 

One of GHCM’S main objectives is to restore discipleship/counseling to the local church. We believe strongly that the local church ought to be the primary context for discipleship/counseling; therefore, we encourage every student in GHCM’S Small Group Leadership Training to inform their church leaders of this training opportunity. We suggest you make a proposal to your church leadership team, asking if they would sponsor all or part of your training expenses (materials and tuition). We also encourage you to ask your church leaders to provide oversight and accountability throughout your training. We’re confident that doing so will open doors of growth and opportunity both for you and for your local church community.

 

We suggest that local churches purchase the training materials for the students. The materials will then be on hand and available for any future student use. In addition, these materials (video) work very well in small group settings and in Sunday school contexts. Having these resources on hand also gives the students the opportunity to teach what they are learning. As students proceed through the training, the local church leadership team may also want to consider the student as a possible candidate for certain discipleship cases. Three objectives can be accomplished simultaneously:

 

1. a hurting life is cared for
2. a student grows from the practicum
3. the discipleship load of the local church is shared

 

Ten Reason Why a Church Partnership Program Could Be For You!

 

1. The student receives financial aid and motivation to move forward
2. Contexts are provided for the student to hone their discipleship skills
3. Local church gains immediate Christian counseling support
4. The congregation benefits from competent, compassionate, discipleship
5. Small groups and/or Sunday school classes receive the benefits of this training
6. Counseling resources in the library grow to serve others in the local church
7. The genesis of a "counseling" team or counseling ministry can emerge
8. Pastors can devote more time to equipping the body rather than discipling the body
9. Discipleship/counseling begins to breathe through the body of local church life
10. The overall spiritual life and health of the local church matures

 

Please contact GHCM for more information about local church partnership involvement. We would welcome the opportunity to speak with your leadership team regarding this training and answer any questions they may have.

 

When should I mail you the tuition and what are the increments?

The first installment must be mailed to Grace Harbor Counseling Ministries before you begin the program.

 

Make your check out and mail to: Grace Harbor Counseling Ministries, P.O. Box 25333, Greenville, South Carolina 29616

 

We accept Personal Checks, VISA or Master Card.

 

If you are paying by credit card, please call GHCM at 864.915.4634. This is for your security and protection.

 

We ask that you make a monthly contribution to GHCM, according to the amount suggested for the program you are taking. Once you complete the program you no longer have to contribute, even if you complete the program sooner than the suggested time frame.

 

How would you like to receive my homework? Do you want me to mail you the Study Guides? Is email a better option? What about typing versus printing?

Email is the quickest, most efficient, easiest and preferred option for doing homework. However, if that is not an option for you, you may use the Postal Service to mail your homework. It is not necessary to receive particular Study Guides for the assignments that have them. However, if you complete your answers on other paper (including email attachments), apart from the Study Guide, please include the question, page number and other references with each answer.

Typing is preferred, but if that is not an option for you, you may print, but it must be legible.

 

If I have had equivalent training or read some of the books in the past, do I need to read them again?

Yes. The program was not set-up to merely give a person a certificate. Though past training should enhance what you are doing currently, we desire to build upon any past training you may have received. In addition, we want to have an accurate handle on each student's ability to study, process and apply theology in practical contexts today. Each assignment is designed to demonstrate the student's ability to do this. If some of the training was accomplished in the past, for which we are grateful, we would not be able to accurately assess your present ability to apply that theology without receiving current work from you. Therefore, in order for us to place our stamp of approval on you, we need to see what you can do based on reading and writing assignments under our supervision.

 

Because our supervision is comprehensive in nature, we need to see as much as possible of your capacities in order to serve you effectively and meet any deficiencies that you may have. Any work done in the past would not allow for this. We are looking into such areas as wisdom, humility, character, integrity, moral purity, passion, motives, maturity, intellect, intention, thoughts, cognitive, insight, analysis, understanding, application, practice, behavior, ability, creativity, method, process, etc.

 

We also see this as part of an on-going process, which is theologically called progressive sanctification. There is not an ending to this process until we meet the Savior in glory. So our desire should not be to merely finish a course, but to continue in a process of sanctification until that final day, which this program can assist in that worthy goal. You will never get to the place where you are a good counselor without further need of training. After all these years, I’m still in training to become a good counselor as well as a good Christian. So, in that sense, there is no hurry to finish this training because, in another sense, we will never come to a place where we do not need Christian education.

 

Furthermore, we are aware that reading a good book more than once is not a detriment to any student. There is much to learn from the quality writer's we have selected to serve you in your program. So, if you have to read a book twice, you should receive a double benefit.

 

Do I have to do the assignments in the order in which they are listed in the training program?

Not necessarily. You can dive into your program at almost any point to begin. Some students begin with assignments they can acquire readily without waiting on a video or audio set to be delivered. This is fine with us. However, we do ask that you do not take theological or counseling exams or practicums (if applicable to your program) until the end of your program. These assignments are based on accumulative learning, which you would not be able to answer fully until after you have finished the prerequisite work. JBC articles, books and other assignments can be taken at your discretion.