GRANTHAM, Pa. (April 5, 2007) — Messiah College’s departments of psychology, sociology, criminal justice and social work are teaming up with Philhaven Behavioral Healthcare Services to sponsor an ethics conference on April 27 from 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The conference, “Ethical Issues Involving Questions of Spiritual Neutrality in Marital and Family Therapy: How to work through spiritual issues with married couples,” will be held in Hostetter Chapel on the college’s Grantham campus. All those who wish to attend must fill out a registration form and pay a $25 registration fee. Questions may be directed to Tonya Baker at (717) 766-2511, ext. 7050.

About the speakers

The conference’s keynote speaker is Frederick A. DiBlasio, an internationally recognized author, researcher and therapist whose work concerning the clinical use of forgiveness continues to be monumental in its field. He was awarded Social Worker of the Year in 1998 by the National Association of Social Workers. He currently holds a professorship at the University of Maryland, and he also serves on the board of the International Forgiveness Institute, as well as the editorial board for “Marriage and Family: A Christian Journal.” He will be speaking from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Some of the other speakers and presenters include Chuck Jantzi, a licensed psychologist and associate professor at Messiah College; Valerie Lemmon, also a licensed psychologist and adjunct professor at Messiah College who has worked in the human services field for over 20 years; and Charles Seitz, assistant professor in social work at Messiah College as well as adjunct professor at Liberty University for their masters in counseling program. The panelists are David Brown, an experienced counselor currently working at the Engle Center for Counseling and Health Services at Messiah College; Paul Johns, an adjunct instructor at Messiah College who also runs his own part-time private practice in Christian marriage and family therapy; Philip J. Lawlis, Messiah College’s director of counseling and health services since 1980; and Winston Seegobin, associate professor of psychology at Messiah College and the author of numerous publications concerning mate selection in Trinidad and Tobago, the impact of religious faith on intimate relationships and children’s conceptions of God.

About the conference

From 8:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m., speakers and panelists will address various issues related to spiritual neutrality in counseling, ethical questions connected to these issues and tensions that exist between the Christian faith and the helping professions. Designed to be interactive, the addresses and panel presentations will be interspersed with breaks and will conclude with a question-and-answer session for all those in attendance.

The program has been approved for three hours of continuing education units for the following: the ethics category for social workers (by the Pa. State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors); psychologists (by the American Psychological Association); and for the Certified Family Life Educator program (by the National Council on Family Relations).

About Messiah College
Messiah College, a private Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences, enrolls more than 2,800 undergraduate students in 60 majors. Established in 1909, the primary campus is located in Grantham, Pa., near the state capital of Harrisburg. A satellite campus affiliated with Temple University is located in Philadelphia.