Course Syllabus

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ADC521: Technology, Life Balance and Behavioral Addictions

Instructor & Contact Information

The People tab in Canvas provides information on the course instructor and you can  send a message to your instructor following these instructions. Faculty are expected to: 1) grade and return assignments, with feedback, within 7 days from the date of submission; 2) reply to your Canvas messages within 72 hours; 3) reply several times each week in total in the discussion forums (not to each individual student); and 4) demonstrate the core values of City Vision University.

Course Description

We live in an epidemic of addiction to sex, pornography, online affairs, gaming, the Internet and Facebook – all addictions that are exacerbated by technology. These fit into a larger category of addictions called behavioral addictions which also includes: codependency, eating, shopping, exercising and work addiction. This course is intended to equip students with an interdisciplinary approach to minister to those with technology-related addictions combining lessons from the disciplines of counseling/psychology, theology, public health and technology.

Please keep in mind that many counseling courses, such as this one, cover very deep issues, which can trigger trauma for some students. Students are encouraged to be aware of this for this course and have strong supports in place.

Course Outcomes

After completing this course, you will be able to:

  1. Monitor media usage and set boundaries with technology to ensure your own sobriety and a healthy diet of media, technology and relationships and to enable others to do the same.
  2. Communicate the common causes, patterns and treatment of behavioral addictions including: codependency, workaholism, gaming, gambling, pornography, online/social media, eating, exercise and shopping.
  3. Communicate how technology-related and behavioral addictions and media have affected them.
  4. Identify resources available to get help if you or others you know face issues of technology-related and behavioral addictions and to be equipped to make referrals and, as appropriate, help with peer support groups within your ministry context.
  5. Develop a plan for themselves and others to maintain life balance, avoid burnout and protection from behavioral addictions.

Degree Program Outcomes

Degree outcomes are the overall skills and knowledge we expect you will have after successfully completing a degree program at City Vision University. This course supports the following program outcomes, marked with an asterisk (*). After completing the degree, you will be able to do the following in each of the listed domains.

  1. Addiction Counseling. Develop plans and function in the eight practice domains of addiction counseling including: 1) Clinical Evaluation, 2) Treatment Planning, 3) Referral, 4) Case Management, 5) Counseling, 6) Client Education, 7) Documentation and 8) Ethics including transdisciplinary foundations.  *
  2. Christian Counseling. Integrate the theory and practice of addiction counseling into a Christian worldview to effectively serve and apply professional ethics in secular counseling and Christian counseling environments.
  3. Co-occurring Disorders. Provide counseling, treatment plans and referrals to those with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders.
  4. Addiction Psychopharmacology. Develop effective addiction treatment based on knowledge of a range of psychoactive drugs and be able to educate clients and provide referrals needed to provide comprehensive treatment.
  5. Family Counseling. Provide counseling to families affected by addiction and assist them in moving toward healthy family dynamics.
  6. Trauma & Crisis Counseling. Provide effective counseling to those experiencing crisis or having a history of trauma.
  7. Multicultural Counseling. Utilize effective methods to counsel diverse clients in both Christian and secular counseling environments

Concentration Outcomes

  1. Group Counseling. Facilitate group counseling sessions based on an understanding of group dynamics in addiction treatment.
  2. Counseling Theory. Synthesize counseling theories to develop treatment plans for those with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders.
  3. Counseling Skills & Techniques. Apply counseling theories and techniques in addiction counseling including motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and 12-step group facilitation.
  4. Clinical Evaluation. Conduct thorough assessments and diagnoses of substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
  5. Professional Ethics. Apply the ethical and professional principles, standards, and expectations that are integral to a professional counselor’s role and identity.
  6. Behavioral Addiction. Provide counseling to those dealing with behavioral addictions as well as conducting self-assessment to maintain balance avoiding and personally avoiding behavioral addictions. *
  7. Culminating Experience. Demonstrate mastery either of the practice of addiction counseling through a practicum or comprehensive knowledge through preparation for an addiction counseling certification exam.

Required Text

Students are required to purchase these texts before the first day of classes. 

Guidelines for Written Work

All written work must follow our Writing Format and Forum Requirements. You must read these to understand how to cite sources appropriately.

Critical Policies to Read for This Course

Note: These policies are critical for all students to read. In case of change, we have linked to the versions on our website to make sure you have the latest version.

Additional Policies:

This syllabus is subject to change without notice up until the first day of the semester. Last updated: April 9, 2024

Course Summary:

Date Details Due