Washington Adventist University Offers Summer Crisis Counseling Course

Takoma Park, Maryland (April 6, 2016) A one-credit Counseling Psychology program course, “Crisis Counseling,” will be offered by Washington Adventist University on two Sundays in June. The course is open to non-degree seeking students, as well as to current students. Classes will be held on June 12 and 26 from 2-6 p.m. in Wilkinson Hall, Room 340.

The course will be taught by David I. Defoe, D.Min. candidate, who is the senior pastor at New Life Seventh-day Adventist Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), a National Certified Counselor (NCC), and a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist. Defoe earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and his Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Andrews University, along with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Andrews.

Defoe brings to the classroom his real-life experience as a psychotherapist and counselor, and worked with mental health agencies, where he conducted crisis referrals, psychological assessments, suicide safety plans and follow-up visits.

As an adjunct professor at Washington Adventist University, Defoe also teaches such courses as “Jesus in the Gospels,” “Principles of Christian Faith and Thought,” and “Ethics in Modern Society.”

The “Crisis Counseling” course is designed to expose students to foundational theory and practice models that are used to respond to critical situations and in crisis events, and it will offer opportunities for both theory and skill development. Students will also learn assessment and treatment techniques for crisis intervention.

In addition to crisis intervention skills, the course will cover dealing with death, loss and suicide; spirituality and Biblical interventions in crisis counseling; and caring for yourself as you care for others. A case study in calamity, “When the Levees Break,” will also be included.

The cost of the course is $615, and the textbook that will be used is by H.N. Wright, “The Complete Guide to Crisis Trauma Counseling: What to Do and Say When It Matters Most,” Bethany House Publishers (2011). The book, “How Jesus Treated People” by Morris Venden, is optional.

To register, contact the School of Graduate and Professional Studies at 301-891-4092. The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon on Friday.

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Washington Adventist University is Montgomery County’s only four-year private college. Part of the Seventh-day Adventist system of higher education, Washington Adventist University has been educating college students since 1904 on a 19-acre campus in suburban Takoma Park, close to the nation’s capital. Approximately 1,100 students of all faiths participate in the university’s nine graduate and 30 undergraduate programs. The 2016 edition of U.S. News & World Report ranked Washington Adventist University among the best regional colleges in the north.

Media Contacts:

Angie Crews, 301-891-4134, acrews@wau.edu

Donna Bigler, 240-286-1169, dbigler@wau.edu