Lecturer: Ellen Oosterhuis (the Netherlands)
Time:
April 18, Monday (18:00 – 21:00)
April 19, Tuesday (18:00 – 21:00)
April 20, Wednesday (18:00 – 21:00)
April 21, Thursday (18:00 – 21:00)
April 22, Friday (18:00 – 21:00)
April 23, Saturday (9:00 – 11:30)

Place: Akas 13, Riga.
Language: English, with simultaneous translation in Latvian

ABOUT LECTURER

Ellen Oosterhuis is trained for biblical counseling at CCEF (Christian Counseling and Education Foundation) and is working for Gutta Spei which is an organization providing Biblical counseling of (young) adults, couples and families. Before that she was working as a psychologist and Cognitive Behavioural Therapist at Eleos.
Ellen is married and a mother of four.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

As most of the counseling classes focus on the heart of our problems, and rightly so, this class brings under attention that we are embodied souls. Our bodies are broken, and this class seeks to understand better what kind of brokenness we can see and how this interacts with our soul. There could be medical of physical conditions that affect a person’s emotions, thoughts, and behavior. We will look at issues such as psychiatry, medications, and some mental health struggles like, OCD, bipolar disorder, addiction, and other things that have both a physical and spiritual component. We will examine these things through a biblical lens that tries find the balance between the spiritual and physical components of a person’s suffering

REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS:

1.      Class attendance

2.      Required Reading:

– “Blame It on the Brain? Distinguishing Chemical Imbalances, Brain Disorders, and Disobedience”, Edward T. Welch. The first part of the book (chapter 1-3 and 6)
– OCD Freedom for the Obesessive-Compulsive, Resources for changing lives, booklet. Michael R. Emlet.

Optional reading:
– Blame It on the Brain? Distinguishing Chemical Imbalances, Brain Disorders, and Disobedience”, Edward T. Welch. The rest of the book
– “Untangling Emotions: God’s Gift of Emotions”, J. Alasdair Groves, Winston T. Smith
– “Descriptions & Prescriptions: A Biblical Perspective on Psychiatric Diagnoses and Medications”, Michael R Emlet

3.  Final examination: Lecture Quiz

4.  Home assignments: Reading quiz and paper.

INFORMATION:

Janis Perkons, phone +371 26356030, janis@brts.edu.lv