Ouachita to host fifth annual Christian counseling conference Feb. 27
February 12, 2015 - Chelsea Whelpley
Ouachita Baptist University’s Pruet School of Christian Studies will host its fifth
annual Conference on Issues in Christian Counseling Feb. 27. This year’s event will
focus on “Alcohol and Drug Abuse” and is co-hosted by the Arkansas Baptist State Convention,
Henderson State University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
“It was a vision of mine to host a conference that seeks to bring together pastors
and other caregiving professionals for dialogue and education,” said event coordinator
Dr. Bill Viser, professor of Christian ministry at Ouachita.
Highlighting the need for “a greater cooperative relationship between pastors and
mental health professionals in helping the overwhelming number of people facing problems
with alcohol and substance abuse,” this year’s event focuses on equipping professionals
to deal with those issues. “We enable caregivers to have better training to help conceptualize
and deal with the challenges that alcohol and substance abuse present,” Viser said.
Uniting mental health professionals, nurses, licensed therapists, social workers,
pastors and students under one roof, “OBU co-sponsors this conference as a service
to our constituency and to the state,” explained Dr. Danny Hays, dean of the Pruet
School of Christian Studies.
Participants will have the opportunity to attend large group and breakout sessions
throughout the day. Session topics include “Picking Up the Pieces: Helping Families
Cope in the Aftermath of Substance Abuse,” “Ethics: Considerations for Counseling
and Supervision,” “Darkness to Light,” “Answers to Adderall Addiction: What You Need
to Know,” “Co-occurring Disorders: Identification & Treatment,” “Drug & Alcohol Abuse:
Current Social Problems,” “Where to Turn for Help: Resources for Therapists,” “DSM-5
Changes to Diagnosis & Conceptualization of Addiction & Chemical Dependency,” “The
Prisoner Goes Free: Using Faith-integrated Forms of Cognitive-behavioral Therapy for
Promoting Recovery in Treatment of Teen Addicts,” “The Impact of Growing Up with Addicted
Parents in the Adult Child’s Life: Identification & a Christian Treatment Process”
and “Community-Based Alcohol & Drug Withdrawal & Detoxification.”
Viser said he hopes the conference also “demonstrates Ouachita’s heartfelt concern
for healing in the lives of individuals and families impacted by alcohol and substance
abuse issues.”
In addition to pastors and mental health professionals, the conference is open to
students. Viser encourages students who are going into ministry or a related career
to take “this opportunity to attend a first class professional conference without
leaving campus.”
For pastors, the registration fee is $70 ($90 with spouse) and includes a catered
lunch, snacks, written materials and a certificate of attendance. For mental health
professionals, nurses and social workers, the registration fee is $100 and includes
all of the above resources plus eight available CEUs. Students’ cost is $20 and includes
snacks, lunch, written materials and certificate of attendance.
Register online at www.obu.edu/iccconf15. For more information, contact Bill Viser at (870) 245-5524 or [email protected].
By Chelsea Whelpley
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