We are delighted that you desire to increase your skills in counselling biblically.
What are your goals in taking training?
Accreditation?
Many schools offer an option to take courses ‘for accreditation’ (i.e. toward a certificate or degree) or ‘for audit’ (i.e. you get the same training, if often costs less, but you do not receive course credit).
If your goal is simply to be better equipped to counsel those in your life, ‘for audit’ may be sufficient.
If your goal is to work toward a certificate or degree, ‘for accreditation’ is required.
Certification?
There are certifying organizations for biblical counselling. These organizations take you through a certifying process where they confirm your training, have you complete certifying exams, and ensure a minimum number of counselling hours, often supervised. Many certifying organizations require you to provide proof of church membership, and a reference completed by your pastor or an elder of your church. Certification is separate from training and accreditation.
Employment?
Most biblical counsellors who seek to make a living with full-time work are either employed as part of a counseling ministry in a local church or set up their own counselling practice.
If you have a church or ministry in mind, talk with them about completing your training as part of their ministry.
If you do not yet have a specific church or ministry in mind, it may be easier to get noticed by having a recognized certificate or degree and some form of certification.
If you are considering setting up your own counselling practice, be aware that even with a degree in biblical counselling and certification, it is unlikely you will meet the criteria for most insurance organizations in being recognized as a counsellor. This makes it harder to build a practice as many people are ‘looking for a counsellor that their insurance will cover’.
Canadian Options for Training
On-Campus
Distance
International Options for Training
On-Campus
Distance