Q: What is the difference between the Marriage and Family Therapy program offered in partnership with ACTS and the Counselling Psychology program of Trinity Western University?
A: Both are great programs, so you just need to figure out which one is right for you. The ACTS Seminaries MFT program has at least three distinctive features. (1) Biblical and theological studies courses for the personal spiritual formation of students, and integration of biblical/theological studies with current, evidence-based practice in Marriage and Family Therapy across all course material. (2) A comprehensive family-systems theory perspective that gives graduates the extra layer of training that will help them understand how family systems are at play in the lives of their clients, be they families, couples, or individuals. (3) Emphasis on personal formation of the therapist, so that students can be emotionally healthy and lead their own clients toward emotional health. Students wishing to complete a thesis as part of their program and move onto PhD studies will likely find the MA Counselling Psychology to be the best option.
Q: Does the Marriage and Family Therapy program enable me to acquire the designation of being a Registered Clinical Counsellor and a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist?
A: Graduates of the ACTS Seminaries MFT program have everything they need in order to apply to become Registered Clinical Counsellors with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. Graduates will have the necessary course work to become Registered Marriage and Family Therapists but will need to complete additional client hours under the supervision of a Registered Marriage and Family Therapy supervisor.
Q: Why is the Marriage and Family Therapy program a Master of Christian Studies and not a Master of Arts? Will that impact my ability to practice in the marketplace?
A: The MFT degree is a Master of Christian Studies in recognition of the fact that the curriculum puts a high priority on integrating biblical/theological insights with the best current evidence-based practice in Marriage and Family Therapy. The MFT program is fully accredited by the Canadian Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and graduates can become Registered Clinical Counsellors. The MFT program is well-known throughout southern BC and our graduates serve in private practice, in churches, Christian agencies, and secular organizations.
Q: If I have a bachelor’s degree that is not in psychology, which pre-requisite courses would I need to take to enroll in the Marriage and Family Therapy program?
A: Students with a bachelor's degree in another discipline will need to take up to six courses of undergraduate psychology prerequisites: Statistics, Abnormal Psychology, Brain and Behaviour, Development Psychology, and Personality Theories. In addition, students will take Foundational Skills in Counselling, offered each August at ACTS Seminaries.
