In her foreword to the Learning Integrative Counseling Workbook Series Dr. Martha Chiu writes:

If you are reading this workbook, you are someone who feels drawn to listen to and help distressed people around you. As I write this foreword, I am keenly aware that we are all living in a world that is full of troubles, such as a global pandemic, natural disasters, conflict and violence, to name just a few examples. With so much “bad news” happening all around us, anxiety and depression are understandably skyrocketing and have become widespread. It is my sincere hope that by the time you finish this series of four workbooks you will be better equipped with knowledge and skills to serve the needs of your community.

This workbook series is based on successful, well-received online courses that I designed and taught for Biola University’s Certificate in Integrative Counseling program. Over a period of 4 years (2017-2021) more than 130 students in China and other parts of Asia walked with me on a journey of learning the contents of this workbook series, which many reported not only improved their ability to help distressed people around them but also enhanced their own personal growth. I have made an effort to include in this workbook series content that past students found to be helpful, while adding revisions to suit our new iACE model of online education.

In Workbook 1 we will begin by laying a sound foundation. You will learn how to think critically about the plethora of counseling approaches you hear about in workshops and the media and how to shape a personal approach to counseling that is effective and consistent with your worldview and legal and ethical standards of practice. You will also be encouraged to begin to improve your relationship building skills (empathy, positive regard, genuineness) which are foundational for effective counseling.

In Workbook 2 you will learn about evidence-based methods of assessment that are an essential first step of counseling, including conducting intake interviews, mental status exams, and suicide risk evaluations.

Finally, in Workbooks 3 and 4 you will learn how to develop your own approach to Integrative Counseling to help individuals with anxiety, depression, and common life stressors. Throughout, you will learn how to adapt assessment and counseling interventions to meet the needs of clients with different cultural and religious backgrounds.

I am humbly aware that this workbook series cannot teach you everything you will ever need to know about all forms of counseling, but I trust that it will provide you and your clients with resources for learning to live with greater peace and joy.

I end with the thought: The darker the sky, the more brightly the stars shine. So even as the circumstances of our world today seem to darken, may you join me in shining more brightly, “like stars in the universe” (Philippians 2:15-16, Matthew 5:16), serving as channels of light and hope for others around us.