The Introduction to Crisis and Trauma Counselling course is designed to provide the caregiver (lay-counsellor) with a bio-psycho-social-spiritual understanding of crisis and trauma and the practical skills to come alongside those experiencing a crisis and/or trauma.

It will introduce the student to the basic theory and theology of crisis and trauma counselling from a biblically based perspective. Lay caregivers will be equipped with the necessary skills to come alongside people in crisis with compassionate care. Within the boundaries of their training, they will be able to support those in crisis and make appropriate referrals.

Attention will also be given to suicide assessment and HIV/AIDS caregiving.

* Please Note: This Introductory Course does not provide training as a Crisis & Trauma Counsellor!

On completion of this module, you should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate familiarity with the basic theoretical approaches to crisis and trauma intervention
  2. Identify crisis and trauma situations and formulate applicable plans of coming alongside and providing support from a lay counselling perspective
  3. Interface appropriately with other service providers and make appropriate referrals
  4. Support people whose normal state of functioning is disrupted by trauma or crisis situations
  5. Recognize the onset of crisis, and high-risk or dangerous (to self or others) clients, come alongside them and make appropriate referrals
  6. Make a suicide risk assessment, and provide applicable immediate intervention and support, until a referral to a professional counsellor can be made
  7. Demonstrate an understanding of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) pandemic and describe its origins, effects, transmission, symptoms and the diseases associated with it.
  8. Deal with HIV/AIDS in different caregiving, and educational situations in a multicultural church ministry and community context.
  9. Recognize trauma and post-traumatic stress and provide lay counselling support.