What's On
Degree Programs
We believe that a combined theological-psychological perspective on critical issues regarding anthropology, lifestyle, culture and society offers new ways of looking at these concerns and also new solutions. CTP offers novel, accredited inter-disciplinary courses that are tailored for those serving in (or training for) vocational positions in churches, schools, community, missions and para-church contexts. These are fully integrated, accredited degrees, which aim at establishing the theological and practical skills needed in a constantly fluctuating world.
Units are team-taught by theologians and mental health professionals who share a common vision to achieve an integration of these crucial disciplines.
Teaching is delivered by the Melbourne School of Theology (MST) and is offered on-campus and online. Units are available for credit or audit.
To enquire about our degree programs on offer, please email ctp@mst.edu.au with the subject-line “Degree Programs”.
Current Courses:
Graduate Certificate of Pastoral Care for Mental Health
This unit is designed for Christian professionals and leaders who work in people-focused jobs and who would like to upskill in the areas of mental health and well-being, and do this within the context of their faith. This unit will be taught by CTP team members and affiliated experts. We teach this course face-to-face and online. It is available for credit and audit.
Upcoming Units:
Pastoral Care for those with Mental Ill-Health (PC135-812)
SEMESTER 1, 2023
Available for Credit and Audit (Via MST)
This unit is designed to assist Christian believers, in particular those serving in the vocations of pastoral ministry, school, chaplaincy, and mental health. Our team of expert teachers offers introductions to common mental health conditions and its treatments, and present effective skills and strategies to serve those who suffer from mental ill-health. We approach these topics from an informed theological perspective, integrating cutting-edge insights from psychology and psychiatry.
Theological Perspectives on Mental Health (PC137-812)
SEMESTER 1, 2024
Available for Credit and Audit (Via MST)
This unit contributes to the development of Christian professionals and leaders by providing a sound theological basis for understanding mental health concerns. Students will be enabled to apply this theological understanding to Christian ministry and service and other professional practice. The unit will expose students to key questions and perspectives related to mental health and the church. It will enable students to reflect upon their existing theological framework for understanding mental health concerns and modify this as necessary in light of biblically informed theological principles, with a view to application in ministry and professional settings.
Theological Approaches to Wellbeing (PC136-812)
SEMESTER 2, 2024
Available for Credit and Audit (Via MST)
This unit seeks to contribute to the development of Christian professionals and leaders by
providing a sound theological basis for our understanding of human well-being. Students will develop skills that allow them to apply theological understanding to Christian ministry and service and other professional practice. The unit will expose students to key questions and perspectives related to a theological understanding of human flourishing and well-being. We assess together the contribution of positive psychology from a biblical and theological perspective, always with a view to concrete application in ministry and professional settings.
To find out more and to enrol, please get in touch with our enrolment co-ordinator, Lachlan Perry: enrolments@mst.edu.au
Professional Training
With our training opportunities, we seek to equip you who participate in Christ’s action in this world with transformative skills and tools to grow and nurture healthy minds and communities. We seek to learn and to grow together as disciples of Christ, supporting you to bring God’s love to our communities.
Most of our training programs require no previous knowledge or experience in mental health. Whilst some of our training programs will be specifically targeted toward mental health professionals. We provide training in the form of webinars, full-day or half-day workshops and full-year programs.
Webinars
Webinars provide a great opportunity to gain knowledge about mental health from a theological perspective and to learn new skills and ask questions of our speaker. Every year, we provide you with webinars across a range of mental health and spiritual areas.
At CTP, we seek to make our training available to all people so some webinars are free and made available as resources on our website. Other webinars we incur a small fee to attend and will include a certificate of attendance for your professional development.
Watch this space to see what webinars are on offer in 2023.
Workshops
CTP offers several workshops each year that focus on in-depth understanding and practical application on a topic related to mental health with a specific focus on integration. Where professional development training is often either theological or psychological, our workshops will teach you skills that integrate both areas to give you a unique skill set for your context.
Workshops are held at the Melbourne School of Theology and are run either as half- or full-day workshops. Those who attend the workshop will receive a certificate of attendance for your professional development.
CTP ran two workshops in 2022; Christ-centered Mindfulness and Learning and Growing Through Adversity.
Watch this space to see what workshops are on offer in 2023.
Programs
If you’re looking to take a deeper dive into building your transformative skills, then our programs are for you. Our programs run across the year and offer more in-depth analysis and understanding of various areas to help you become a more versatile disciple of Christ.
THRIVE: Leadership Program
We face many challenges in today’s world: burnout, tribalism and community division, and the unrelenting pace of change. Our Thrive Program is a practical and pastoral program of six intensive workshops across the year that are designed to develop your leadership skills and build you a supportive community using a framework that is transformative, theologically informed and psychologically evidence-based. If you seek to be ‘salt and light’ and to effectively integrate your faith and work to be a leader in your context, this program is for you.
Spotting the Signs: Mental-health caregiving in the christian community.
This training program is designed to support Christian leaders and people in various ministries as they seek to serve in their communities, to identify when a person encountered may be suffering from a mental health difficulty and equip them with the confidence and ability to provide care and follow up as needed. This approach, in itself, can reduce the experience of shame, isolation and loneliness commonly experienced by those with mental disorders and difficulties.
Format: 4 interactive training sessions (each 1-2hrs)
To find out more or to register for 2023 please email Jamie Ng: jng@ctp.mst.edu.au with the subject-line “Spotting the Signs”.
Don’t see what you’re looking for?
At CTP we support Christian organisations to improve the mental wellbeing and health of your community. We offer more personalised integrative training opportunities for organisations that have a specific area of need. This may range from a 1-hour talk to a full-day workshop.
If you would like personalised training from CTP, please email Lisa Miller: lmiller@ctp.mst.edu.au the subject-line “Training Request”.
Please be aware that we require at least 6 week’s notice to provide a training/speaking event and that we cannot guarantee your request will be met.
Research
CTP Research naturally inspires and stimulates our activities in our training and teaching areas. It aims at fostering cutting-edge inter-disciplinary research to be conducted and published by its members and partners. We produce the regular CTP newsletter that serves as a mouthpiece for CTP policy and opinion and we host an annual Integrative Symposium on the integration of theology and psychology.
We also offer supervision to postgraduate and post-doctoral research students/assistants.
Contact: To enquire about our research & supervision offers, please email ctp@mst.edu.au with the subject-line “research interest” or “supervision request”.
CURRENT Research Project:
Redesigning the Assessment Process
for Mission/Ministry Staff
This project redesigns the way mission/ministry staff are screened for employment. It is needed because currently staff are often placed in positions they are ill equipped for or which pose a risk to their well being and mental health. This impacts their ability to stay in their job. They often come home burnt out and broken when things go wrong. This project will come up with a two-way screening process that informs the organisation about what position will fit a staff member and how to equip them to reach their potential. It will facilitate the generation of consistent and useful psychological assessments, and help candidates to become aware of their strengths and weaknesses so they can up skill themselves. This will prevent long term harm to staff, better use scarce resources, and improve staff retention.
In its functions as a centre for academic excellence, CTP focusses on the delivery of workshops, webinars, other courses of study, and research opportunities. At present – and for the foreseeable future – CTP does not, and will not, offer counselling to individuals.
If you wish to connect with a counsellor who engages in practice from a Christian worldview, you might consult the following referral services:
The Christian Counsellors Association of Australia: ccaa.net.au
Careline Connections: carelineconnections.org.au
