The early Desert Fathers and Mothers offered through their sayings and anecdotes profound insights into the human condition and how it is to be treated. In this unit, students will study the correlation between Desert spirituality and the goals and methods of modern psychotherapeutic practices. The unit will equip students with an understanding of the evolution and progression of therapeutic frameworks and models, and their connection with Desert spirituality.
Unit code: DP9100A
Unit status: Approved (New unit)
Points: 24.0
Unit level: Postgraduate Elective
Unit discipline: Pastoral Theology and Ministry Studies
Delivery Mode: Online
Proposing College: St Athanasius College
Show when this unit is running| 1. | Appraise psychotherapeutic theories and models and their correlation with Desert spirituality |
| 2. | Critically explain the evolution of psychotherapeutic theories |
| 3. | Formulate appropriate psychotherapeutic models for presenting issues |
| 4. | Critically analyse psychotherapeutic practices evident in the writings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, and their utility in modern psychotherapeutic practice |
| 5. | Assess the similarities and differences between the approaches to mental health within Desert spirituality and modern psychotherapy |
| 6. | Critique existing counselling methodologies with reference to Desert spirituality |
Online (synchronous and asynchronous). Pre-recorded lectures, weekly zoom tutorials, guided reading.
Chryssavgis, John. In the heart of the desert: the spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers : with a translation of Abba Zosimas' Reflections. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2008.
Corey, G. Theory and practice of counselling and psychology (9th ed.). Cengage ebook, 2013.
Hierotheos V. & E. Williams. Orthodox psychotherapy : (the science of the fathers). Thessaloniki: Birth Of The Theotokos Monastery, 2013.
Martin, J. Carl Rogers and B. F. Skinner. "Approaches to Personal and Societal Improvement: A Study in the Psychological Humanities." Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 37.4 (2017): 214–229. https://doi.org/10.1037/teo0000072
McLeod, J. An introduction to counselling (5th ed.). Berkshire, UK: Open University Press/McGraw-Hill Education, 2013.
Nelson-Jones, R. Theory and practice of counselling and psychotherapy. London, UK: Sage, 2014.
Parsons, R.D. & N. Zhang. Counselling theory: Guiding reflective practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2014.
Siegel, D. J. The developing mind: How relationships and trauma shape who we are. New York: Guilford Press, 2012.
Sharf, R. S. Theories of psychotherapy and counselling: Concept and cases. Boston, US: Cengage Learning, 2016.
Wortley, John. Give Me a Word: The Alphabetical Sayings of the Desert Fathers. New York: SVS Press, 2014.
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2500 | 30.0 | |
| Critical Review | 2750 | 35.0 | |
| Journal | 2750 | 35.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 11 Sep, 2024
Unit record last updated: 2024-09-11 10:50:03 +1000