Training professional counsellors needed to heal a hurting world — President of CCP posits

President of the College of Counselling and Psychology (CCP), Rev. Prof. Samuel Oheneba-Dornyo, urged graduands to embark on a mission to heal a world in pain.

Speaking at the 9th Graduation Ceremony with the theme "Healing a Hurting People: The Role of Professional Counsellors," held in Haatso, Accra on April 26, 2024, he emphasized the critical importance of counsellors in providing healing and guidance to a troubled world.

Prof. Oheneba-Dornyo outlined the college's vision to become a premier institution for training Professional Counsellors, with a mission to nurture individuals' talents and skills to become effective Counsellors. He highlighted the college's innovative approach, blending modern scientific tools with traditional lectures, distance learning, virtual campus models, and practical attachments under supervision.

Reflecting on the college's journey, he noted its inception as the International Theological Seminary in 1998, evolving from training Ministers of the Gospel to encompass Christian Counselling. The accreditation process, initiated in 2004 with the National Accreditation Board, culminated in institutional authorization in 2013 and affiliation with Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon, in 2014.

Currently, the college awaits certification from the Ghana Tertiary Education Council (GTEC) for its Post Graduate Diploma and Master of Arts in Counseling Programs. Prof. Oheneba-Dornyo expressed gratitude for the college's progress, citing accreditation and ongoing efforts to enhance resources, including access to an extensive E-Library.

Since 2014, the college has trained over 1000 Counsellors at various levels, drawing students from diverse religious backgrounds and professions nationwide and internationally. Prof. Oheneba-Dornyo also highlighted the legal framework governing counselling in Ghana, noting accreditation from the Ghana Psychology Council since 2016.

The ceremony's special guests included Okatakyie Ababio Boakye Danquah II, Honorary Consul, Consulate of Jamaica, and other esteemed figures from Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon, the Governing Council, and the Ghana Academy of Christian Counsellors, among others.