INTRODUCTION

This course is to introduce, from both psychological and religious perspectives, the structure and function of marriage. Students will have an understanding, from the systemic perspective, for the three issues commonly found in contemporary couples – stress, pain and bonding; they will also come to appreciate the current research findings on the destructive factors in marriage and the strategies to build it up. Moreover, students will also be introduced to the common challenges in different stages of family life cycle so as to understand the importance of flexible family interaction patterns, and to be aware of the Chinese cultural values that may have influence on current marital relationship. Healthy Christian marriages will also be discussed.

At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:

  1. Understand the common challenges and normative issues during the various stages of family life cycle;
  2. From a family systemic perspective, understand the impact of stress, pain and bonding on today marital relationship;
  3. Understand the destructive factors to marriage, including triangulation, pain-defense cycle and insecure attachment; 
  4. Understand the strategies that may help build a strong and healthy bonding in marriage from both psychological and religious perspectives.

NO REQUIRED TEXTBOOK - ALL READING MATERIALS WILL BE UPLOADED TO E-CAMPUS.


COURSE CONTENT:

Class

Date

Topic

 

Class meeting, Thursday, 14:15 – 17:00

 

1

Sept 16

課程介紹婚姻輔導研究與教育.

Course Introduction and overview:

·       Current trends in marriage

·       Marriage counseling and education – Historical and current development

·       Marriage research: marriage satisfaction

2.

Sept 23

婚姻與家庭輔導的基本概念

Foundational concepts of marriage and family counseling

·       General Systems Theory

·       Genogram Interview

·       Family Life Cycle

3.

Sept 30

   Stress and Marriage

   破壞婚姻的元素穩定婚姻關係的第三者

4.

Oct 7

   Pain and Marriage

   破壞婚姻的元素我的傷痛和你的防衛

5.

Oct 14

   Bonding and Marriage

   破壞婚姻的元素成長中不穩的情感依附

6.

Oct 21

Self and Marriage

建立婚姻的策略懂得愛你的

7.

Oct 28

Empathy and Marriage

建立婚姻的策略我感你心

8.

Nov 4

Spirituality in Marriage

建立婚姻的策略:  不可或缺的祢

9.

Nov 11

Research on Religion and Marriage and Pastors' Marriage

10.

Nov 18

課程總結 Conclusion


ASSESSMENT:

 

Content

Marks

Due Date

1.

家庭訪談Family Interview

50%

 

2.

聖經中的婚姻關係 (信任與親密)

Marital relationship in the bible.

50%