Become A Certified Biblical Counselor
Do you have a passion for helping people who are struggling?
Light University’s two-course Biblical Counseling Certificate can help equip you with the skills and confidence you need to thrive as a biblical counselor. This Christian counseling education program comprises classes covering addiction, ethics in biblical counseling, eating disorders, family crises, and much more!
Upon completing the program, you’ll be eligible for certification through our credentialing organization, the International Board of Christian Care.
Biblical Counseling
Certification
Professional Life Coaching 101 & 201
24 CE Credits • IBCC Certification
$634.00 with fees
Biblical Cousneling & Psychology Certification program Includes:
Digital Text Book
Certificate of completion
24 CEU Credits
Industry Leading Instruction
24 Course Modules
Biblical Counseling 101
Unit 1: Introduction to Biblical Counseling
BCOU 101: Becoming a Christian Counselor
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.
BCOU 102: Using Your Spiritual Gifts in Counseling
Ed Hindson, D.Phil., Th.D., Th.M., D.Min.
BCOU 103: Helping Others Find Significance in Life
Eric Scalise, Ph.D.
BCOU 104: The Power of Truth
Leslie Vernick, M.S.W.
BCOU 105: Overcoming Depression
Michael Lyles, M.D.
BCOU 106: Surviving Sexual Abuse: On the Threshold of Hope
Diane Langberg, Ph.D.
Unit 2: Faith and Life
BCOU 201: The Effective People Helper
Ian Jones, Ph.D.
BCOU 202: Bringing People into God’s Presence
Ron Hawkins, Ed.D., D.Min.
BCOU 203: How to Help People Change
Ron Hawkins, Ed.D., D.Min.
BCOU 204: Heart Matters: Repentance and Godly Sorrow
Ed Hindson, D.Phil., D.Min., Th.D.
BCOU 205: Forgiveness: Letting Go of the Past and Pain
Everett Worthington, Jr., Ph.D.
BCOU 206: The Spiritual Disciplines in Counseling
Siang-Yang Tan, Ph.D.
Unit 3: Marriage and Family
BCOU 301: Marriage: Keeping Love Alive
Linda Mintle, Ph.D.
BCOU 302: Healthy Sexuality: A Biblical Foundation
Doug Rosenau, Ed.D.
BCOU 303: Addiction and Recovery
Eric Scalise, Ph.D.
BCOU 304: How Couples Lose at Love: Disaffection in Marriage
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.
BCOU 305: Hope-focused Marriage Counseling
Everett Worthington, Ph.D.
BCOU 306: Divorce Recovery: Starting Over Again
Tom Whiteman, Ph.D.
Unit 4: Challenging Issues in Biblical Counseling
BCOU 401: Crisis Response and Intervention
Jennifer Cisney Ellers, M.A.
BCOU 402: Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling Ministry
Jeanneane Maxon, J.D.
BCOU 403: Breaking Generational Patterns
David Stoop, Ph.D.
BCOU 404: Infidelity: Stabilizing After the Affair
David Carder, M.A.
BCOU 405: Pain and Suffering: Helping People in a Broken World
Eric Scalise, Ph.D.
BCOU 406: Breaking the Bonds of Sexual Addiction
Mark Laaser, Ph.D.
Unit 5: Emerging Issues in Biblical Counseling
BCOU 501: Managing Stress and Anxiety
Archibald Hart, Ph.D.
BCOU 502: Grief and Loss
H. Norman Wright, M.A.
BCOU 503: Psychiatric Care and Medication
Paul Meier, M.A., M.D.
BCOU 504: Financial Bondage: Strategies for Freedom
Scott Palmer, B.A. and Bethany Palmer, B.A.
BCOU 505: Anger Management
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.
BCOU 506: The Helping Process: Basic Skills and Practice
Ken Nichols, Psy.D.
Biblical Counseling 201
Course Lessons
COMN 101: Using the Bible and Relying on the Holy Spirit in Counseling
Ed Hindson, Th.D., D.Min., D.Phil.
COMN 102: Living the Life: Pursuing After God’s Heart with All Your Heart
Glenn Wagner, Ph.D.
COMN 103: Breaking Free: Disaffection with God and Life and the Recovery of the Heart
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.
COMN 104: When Life Doesn’t Make Sense: Facing Evil, Sin, and Suffering
Diane Langberg, Ph.D.
COMN 105: Bondage and Spiritual Warfare: Fighting Wickedness in High Places
Ron Hawkins, D.Min., Ed.D.
COMN 106: Spiritual Disciplines: Taking People Closer to the Heart of God
John Ortberg, Ph.D. and Nancy Ortberg, M.A.
Unit 2: Helping Process, Skills, and Working with Tough Clients
COMN 201: Doing Brief, Solution-Focused Counseling for Christ
Gary Oliver, Th.M., Ph.D.
COMN 202: Creating a Safe Place: Listening, Empathy, and Winning Trust
Sandra Wilson, Ph.D.
COMN 203: New Beginnings: Helping People Make a Fresh Start
Ron Hawkins, D.Min., Ed.D.
COMN 204: Change Skills: Goal Setting, Planning, and Taking Action
Sharon Hart May, Ph.D.
COMN 205: Spiritual Freedom: Disarming Strongholds, Changing Habits
Gary Moon, Ph.D.
COMN 206: Mental Illness & Character Disorders: How to Recognize and Refer Serious Problems
Archibald Hart, Ph.D
Unit 3: Applications in Mood Change, Medicine, and Addictions
COMN 301: Depression and Mood Disorders: A Clinical Update
Michael Lyles, M.D.
COMN 302: Stress and Anxiety: Overcoming Fear, Phobias, and Panic Disorders
Archibald Hart, Ph.D.
COMN 303: Freedom in Christ: Hope for the Addict, the Brokenhearted & the Evil-Minded
Neil Anderson, D.Min.
COMN 304: Helping Others with Alcohol, Substance Abuse, and Addiction Problems
David Stoop, Ph.D.
COMN 305: Overcoming Gambling, Spending, and Credit Abuse
Gregory Jantz, Ph.D.
COMN 306: Emotional Eating: The Truth about Dieting and Weight Control
Dwight Bain, M.A.
Unit 4: Applications in Crisis Care and Relationships
COMN 401: Eating Disorders: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Referral with Anorexia and Bulimia
Kari Wolfe, M.A.
COMN 402: Complicated Grief and Mourning & Crisis and Trauma
Freda Crews, D.Min., Ph.D. & Jennifer Cisney, M.A.
COMN 403: Helping Distressed Couples: Anger, Conflict, and Disaffection in Marriage
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.
COMN 404: Families in Crisis: Hopeless Parents and Angry/Defiant Children
Tim Clinton, Ed.D. & Gary Sibcy, Ph.D.
COMN 405: Aging and Elderly Parents: Health Problems, Dementias, & Disabilities
Kathie Erwin, Ph.D.
COMN 406: Blended Families: Helping Yours, Mine, and Ours Become a Family
Ron Deal, M.A.
Unit 5: The Ethics of Care and Helping Ministry in the Church
COMN 501: Chronically Troubled Relationships: Everybody Has at Least One
Linda Mintle, Ph.D.
COMN 502: Developing an Effective Lay Helping and Supervision Ministry
Siang-Yang Tan, Ph.D.
COMN 503: Dynamic Small Groups and Spiritual Care Teams in Church-based Counseling
Stephen Greggo, Psy.D.
COMN 504: Preventing Compassion Fatigue: Self-Care for Caregivers
Eric Scalise, Ph.D.
COMN 505: Boundaries and Violations I: Confidentiality, Consultation, & Referral
David Carder, M.A.
COMN 506: Boundaries and Violations II: Dealing with Seductive, Suicidal, and Dangerous People
George Ohlschlager, MSW, J.D.
Light University’s online biblical counseling certification program is built on two of our most popular courses: Caring for People God’s Way and Breaking Free. You’ll learn how to effectively help people overcome depression, heal the trauma that comes with sexual abuse, recover from addictions, and much more.
Biblical Counseling Certification + Specialized Training
Upgrade your Biblical Counseling Certification with specialized training.
The 2022 Global Consumer Awareness Study revealed that 85% of clients searching for a coach say it’s important or very important that they coach hold a certification or credential.
This two-course specialization covers challenging issues related to crisis situations and circumstances in pregnacies – such as abortion, rape, trauma, foundational crisis intervention, and much more from a faith-based perspective.
This three-course specialization includes the admission of powerlessness to the problem, taking personal inventory, developing an intimate relationship with God as part of the addiction recovery process, and much more.
Marriage and Family Coaching features two courses to equip you with the tools needed to promote loving and welcoming homes – and the skills required to help others recover from upbringings absent of healthy family relationships.
Biblical Counseling Certification
Get enrolled
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change the world
Bring hope to the hopeless with Our Biblical Counseling Certification program
It’s no secret that in recent years, mental health challenges have presented themselves in startling numbers. With shifting societal values comes change, which is often unbiblical and harmful to mental well-being. Couple isolation with panic-laced media headlines and an uptick in broken homes, and you get the disturbing mental health downtrend emerging today.
As an organization marked by clinical excellence and an unwavering commitment to the Christian faith, Light University believes that the Bible is the inerrant word of God. As such, we believe God’s word offers answers to nearly every challenge – including mental health challenges. Through our Bible-based Christian counseling classes, you can become a certified biblical counselor and learn how to provide godly counseling to people searching for peace.
In addition to foundational biblical counseling training, this program allows you to specialize in one of four areas: addiction and recovery, marriage and family, crisis and trauma, or grief and loss counseling. Supplementing your biblical counseling certification with additional time studying a related topic area is a great way to enhance your skill set as you hone your ability to help others.
Once you complete our biblical counseling program, your next step is to get certified through the International Board of Christian Care (IBCC). Earning an advanced IBCC Credential can enhance your credibility and make you more attractive to prospective clients. Holding a credential – especially an IBCC Credential – can help set you apart from other biblical counselors.
Mental health challenges have never been as widespread or devastating as they are today, but we believe there is still hope. When you partner with Light University for a biblical counseling certification, you do more than earn a certificate – you train to become a hope-giving advocate for the transformational power that your community needs: the power of the Holy Spirit. If you’re ready to be used by God to further his kingdom through lay counseling, the time to act is now – enroll today and experience what a biblical counseling certification from Light University can do for you and those you counsel.