Christian Pastoral Counselor Training

Head to Heart School of Christian Counseling is a Certified Academic Institution (CAI) of the National Christian Counselors Association. The NCCA is one of the largest Christian Counseling Associations in the United States. Over 4000 people have become certified or licensed Christian / Pastoral Counselors since its founding in 1981.

Head to Heart School of Christian Counseling is a distance-learning program that allows training from home and is perfect for the person who cannot stop their current career and responsibilities to attend school. Although it is a distance-learning program, individualized coaching and mentoring is provided.

In addition to coursework, supervised completion of practicums increases knowledge, skills, and confidence to effectively counsel and minister to others. The coaching and mentoring program is regulated by the National Board of Christian Clinical Therapists (NBCCT) to ensure that supervision is of the highest quality and meets education and training requirements.

Depending on the NCCA training program provided by the Head to Heart School of Christian Counseling you choose to enroll in, you not only become a Certified or Licensed Christian/Pastoral Counselor, you can also earn a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate degree.

Ongoing continuing education and the annual NCCA conference provide opportunities to continue learning, earn additional Faith-Based Certifications, expand knowledge and skills, and develop relationships with some of the finest Christian counselors in the nation.

Has God called you to the ministry of Christian counseling? If you have a desire to help hurting people find healing and hope through Jesus Christ, Head to Heart School of Christian Counseling may be the program that God is leading you to.

“After making the decision to go back to school and become licensed as a Christian Counselor through NCCA, I researched most of the schools associated with the program. Unsure of which school to choose, I met with Dr. Al Jones of Head to Heart Restoration Ministry. After one meeting, I was convinced that Heart to Heart would be critical to my success. I am so pleased with my decision because the one-on-one mentoring that I received from my clinical supervisor has been invaluable.”

– T.C.

“The Head to Heart School of Christian Counseling program provided excellent academic and practical preparation for my vocation as a professional Pastoral Counselor. The coursework provided a strong grasp of the basic principles of Christian psychology and counseling. The practicum work was the most challenging and most rewarding part of the program as it provided an entirely new set of skills in Temperament Therapy. It was a pleasure to study under Dr. Al Jones as my clinical supervisor. He provided wise direction and consistent encouragement to me through the program.”

– J.H.

Head To Heart School of Christian Counseling offers a variety of levels of certification and licensing depending on your goals as a Christian Counselor. We have an entry program for levels of education from high school / GED through Doctorate degrees.

Once you complete all of the requirements and are certified / licensed as a Christian Counselor or Pastoral Counselor you can counsel anywhere in the United States and accept remuneration for those services (in accordance with state and local guidelines), without being affiliated with any state agency or being state licensed. This is because the laws governing counseling in all states exempt “Clergy” from submitting to its (the state’s) authority. The First Amendment of our Constitution requires such exemption: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . . “

In addition to being certified or licensed as a Christian or Pastoral Counselor, Head to Heart School of Christian Counseling, in conjunction with the NCCA and its network of affiliated colleges, universities, and seminaries, offers assistance to its members with regard to degree transfer work to earn Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees.

Many of these colleges, universities, and seminaries are longstanding state and nationally accredited schools. These are not “mail order” degrees. These recognized degrees reflect the significant commitment of coursework, counseling experience, and in-depth case study documentation of the graduate. Christian or Pastoral Counseling Licenses are issued by the NCCA. Degrees are issued by the appropriate college, university, or seminary.

The National Christian Counselors Association Licensing Program is not a state license and is, in fact distinctly different. Most states have regulatory laws governing the practice of psychology. Many also legislate the practice of general counseling. The laws vary from state to state. For example, some states have a counselor category called “Licensed Professional Counselor.” Therefore, the National Christian Counselors Association requires its counselors to clearly identify their license, e.g. “National Christian Counselors Association Licensed Christian or Pastoral Counselor” or “National Christian Counselors Association Licensed Clinical Christian Counselor.” This ensures that the NCCA counselor is operating within legal and ethical standards, and maintaining the public’s trust and confidence.

State regulatory laws help to protect the public and ensure professionalism within the counseling vocation. The NCCA strives to attain a similar goal with the Christian community and, at the same time, operate in compliance with state laws. The state and federal governments also have jurisdictional boundaries. They cannot pass laws that prevent the Church from fulfilling its purpose and ministering to humanity’s needs. The state recognizes that counseling is one of the responsibilities of the Church and its clergy. For this reason, the state does not and must not interfere with the Ministry of Counseling.

The major difference between state-licensed professional counselors and Christian or Pastoral counselors who are licensed by the NCCA and under the authority of the Church (Body of Christ), is clear and well-defined. Counselors who have been licensed by the state are held to strict ethical standards which mandate an individual’s right to be free from religious influence. The state-licensed professional counselor is forbidden to pray, read, or refer to Scriptures. Initiating such counsel would be considered unethical by the state. In most states, the state-licensed counselors ‘must not promote their personal religious beliefs’ according to the code of ethics in each respective state. The only time a state-licensed counselor can involve religious (Christian) principles, morals, activities, instruction, etc., is if the counselee initiates or requests counsel in this area.

Opposite from that, Christian Pastoral counselors are encouraged to pray, share their faith, read the Scriptures, etc. The fact that Christian Pastoral counselors do these things creates a clear distinction. We are two distinct professions and govern ourselves accordingly.

Head To Heart Restoration Ministry is dedicated to serving the body of Christ with mercy and compassion, to bring comfort and strength to those who have been overwhelmed by the cares of this world.