NUC Approves Two Postgraduate Programmes For Newly Established Nigeria Campus Psycho-Spiritual Institute (PSI)

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved two postgraduate programmes of the newly established Nigeria campus of the Psycho-Spiritual Institute (PSI) that is run by the Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, Abuja.

The Commission also approved its affiliation to Veritas University, Abuja, to, expectedly, strengthen the academic and non-academic activities of the Institute for effective result.

Executive Director, Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, Rev. Fr. George Ehusani, told journalists at a press conference, in Abuja, that many people are broken spiritually and emotionally of several issues and troubles of life.

He stated that the Institute was birthed to sufficiently equipped candidates with knowledge, skills and tools to facilitate the healing and rehabilitation of troubled minds and spirits, using a fully integrated psycho-spiritual approach.

He said: “The 21st Century human society is over burdened by multiple existential crises that exert heavy toll on the psycho-emotional and spiritual well-being of the generality of people.

“The widespread political instability, incessant social upheaval, the worsening economic fortunes of many, the heightened insecurity, the violent conflicts and wars here and there, compounded by the breakdown in traditional family support systems which has attended the modern urban culture, as well as the emergence of new diseases and epidemics, etc., have all combined to render the average modern person more vulnerable to mental confusion, burn-out, depression, psycho-trauma and post-traumatic-stress-disorders, addictive disorders of all kinds, mid-life crisis, suicide ideation, suicides, etc., than those of previous generations.

“The establishment of these training programmes, with our uniquely integrated multi- disciplinary approach, has become imperative considering that the wave of secularism sweeping across the world today. Notwithstanding, most Africans remain deeply religious, such that one cannot successfully address their psycho-emotional challenges without taking into cognizance their religious, spiritual, and cultural realities.”

He, however, explained that the Postgraduate Diploma was carefully designed for persons from diverse professional backgrounds, even though the mode of delivery of the course is a hybrid, meaning that most of the course work will be online (or virtual), with no more than two or three weeks of residency per semester.

Similarly, he further explained that the Master’s Degree programme is a two year (or four semester) fully residential programme, involving not only academic and professional training, but also such elements aimed at intense personal psycho-spiritual transformation as well as one-on-one counselling, spiritual direction, and growth therapy groups.

He disclosed that the Institute will use up-to-date psychotherapeutic tools, approaches and methodologies for the healing of troubled minds, draw from the best resources in religious, and spiritual traditions, and taking into cognizance the peculiar African socio- historical and cultural context, to offer high quality academic training and professional exposure, for those who will function as psycho-spiritual therapists in institutions as hospitals, hospices or elderly care homes, drug rehabilitation centres, prisons or correctional centres, schools and colleges, counselling centres, religious congregations and religious formation houses, across the continent of Africa.

“They will be equipped to provide integrated therapy support and facilitate healing, personal growth, and ongoing psycho-emotional and spiritual development among the people of diverse African countries who are confronted with the increasing phenomena of acute economic distress, depression, chronic and/or terminal illness, widespread substance abuse and addictive disorders (including addiction to social media and pornography), rape and other forms of sexual and/or domestic violence, suicide ideation, grieving disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder, arising from a multiplicity of violent, painful and disruptive life events,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor, Veritas University, Rev. Fr. Prof. Hyacinth Ichoku, in his remarks, congratulated Lux Terra Leadership Foundation for the achievement, and promised maximum support to the Institute to ensure the realization of the objectives of the Institute.