Dr. Jim Sells & Dr. Jennifer Ripley
Charis (Care-us) Team
The Charis (The Greek word for Grace) team is focused on collaboration with churches to provide good care through the church to the community. We engage in multiple projects, partner with funders, and engage churches around the world.
What is Charis Institute?
Charis Institute is an official Institute of Regent University co-directed by Dr. Jennifer Ripley & Dr Jim Sells.
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Ongoing projects include
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1. The Church Cares (link to website) which partners with churches to provide peer-helping relationships & studies the effects.
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2. The Hope Project, training students in the Hope approach to couple counseling and providing couple care with the Psychological Services Center
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3. Family CARS trains clinicians in religious and spiritual competencies to address relationships and families in mental health settings.
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We can be contacted at charis @ mail.regent.edu
Student Experience
In The Church Cares team members create resources to train lay people in churches on areas of interest, direct research activities, and coach church members in lay helping relationships.
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In Hope team students spend their first year observing cases live and attending group training and supervision meetings, in second and third year students provide couple therapy and fourth year students are in supervisory roles for junior students learning couple therapy.
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Family CARS has opportunities for students to provide online training in religious and spiritual competencies.
