What am I doing here???

Hey :o)

Several people have asked what I am actually doing in the US of A (I have been a little out of touch recently!). So I am planning to devote this weeks entry to telling you.

I have taken a year out of Psychiatry training and am studying at CCEF (www.ccef.org) which stand for Christian Counselling and Education Foundation. It is fantastic. I am doing their "certificate programme" which is Level 1, 2 and 3 in Biblical Counselling (I am told that this is equivalent to a Masters, but they aren't a Masters-awarding institution).

This term, I am doing 6 modules, which is very busy work! The modules are:

• The Dynamics of Biblical Change - This is an amazing class looking at how our ignorance of God's character and his design for our lives produces problems e.g. anger at people who wrong us because we think we're perfect (or at least better than those who wrong us) and we feel entitled to be judges of right and wrong - when there is only one person (Jesus) who has the authority or the wisdom to do this. I have to counsel myself in it as well - everyone does, by the way, not just me! It is really challenging, but very good.
• Counselling and Physiology - Looking at the interaction of body and emotional states, also we look at different views of the spirit/soul/body/mind/heart distinctions both in theology and outside (v interesting but quite high brow!), but otherwise this module is very much about psychiatry and the physical health problems produce emotional disorders (e.g. brain tumours, dementia, head injury, etc) and how to deal with them well.
• Counselling Observation x2  - In these sessions, I watch live counselling sessions on a big screen with my 30 classmates - we're observing a one-on-one session and a couples-counselling session - and then everyone in the class discusses what was said in the sessions - it is really amazing to see people choosing to come to a Christian counselling place because of the reputation of CCEF - not neccessarily having a belief in God themselves - and seeing them thinking about God and how the gospel impacts on their wider lives.
• Marriage Counselling - This is probably my favourite class! I really enjoy thinking about emotional problems in the context of relationships (it does apply to friendships and family relationships too - so as you can tell by my family - I needed to take it!! ONLY KIDDING!!!!!!!!!! Haha!)
• Human Personality - I am about to start it in a week! So havent looked at the syllabus yet! But I gather we are looking at various theories about human personality and their capacity to change and appraising these against the Bible.

I have other classes over the winter and spring terms as well, which I will tell you about later.

My other course over the year will be with the famous Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Centre (woohoo!). I will be studying Family Therapy (an adaptation of systemic family therapy for those who are au fait with such things!). It is not a Christian institution - it will be great to train with them while I am continuing at CCEF and see how the two approaches work together! This is a super-expensive course, but my work are kindly funding all of it for me :o)  I love the NHS.

Just a quick personal update... I love it here! It's all going really well and I have found a super-nice group of people to hang out with. I am back to going for drinks after class and talking for hours into the dead of the night. It's so nice to escape the world of work for a short time for this! I went to a "fall meal" last night, which was great - American food is super ;o)  I had corn bread for the first time ever - mmmm. And hot apple spicy cider stuff.

Corn bread

In the wee hours of the morning, I still worry that these Yanks are only being nice to me because of my accent. This novelty may wear off. But I will keep you posted and you can join me in indignant outrage if this happens to be the case. Although, I won a free pampering session for me and some friends because the girl doing a makeup promotion at a gym I visited LOVED my accent, so we became the best of friends :o) I got an email from her today saying I won, but I am sure she fixed it for me. So, anyone who needs a self-esteem boost, come to America (provided you have a British accent) - but don't come to Philly - their aint room for more than one of us.