Counseling Discipleship Training Conference (CDT)
Happening in Houston on February 27th / 28th
In-Person & Virtual Options Available
Register below or Find out more:
BIBLICAL TRAINING
By: Dr. Nicolas Ellen
Training Options & Pathways Overview
Expository Counseling Training Center (ECTC) seeks to provide online and onsite biblical counseling training designed to equip believers for faithful, Scripture-centered ministry. ECTC offers five foundational biblical counseling training courses developed by Dr. Nicolas Ellen. Each level of instruction is fourteen weeks in length and may be completed through live instruction or online video training. Tuition is $450 per level for online training and $350 per level for in-person or live Zoom instruction.
In addition to its structured course levels, ECTC offers multiple training formats to serve believers in different seasons of learning and ministry. Whether participants are seeking foundational instruction, ongoing discipleship, advanced equipping, or conference-based training, each pathway is designed to maintain consistent biblical convictions, instructional integrity, and a commitment to the sufficiency of Scripture.
Some individuals pursue ECTC training for personal growth or church-based discipleship, while others apply coursework toward certification through organizations such as ACBC. Certification is not required to benefit from ECTC training, and all formats are intended to equip believers to wisely apply Scripture in the care of souls.
Participants may purchase most of your course material through the ECTC online bookstore.
The Three Ways to Receive the Training
In-Person Live Zoom training provides ongoing, real-time instruction and interaction with Dr. Nicolas Ellen. This training is conducted via Zoom on Thursdays from 6:30 PM–9:30 PM (Central Time), according to the schedule listed on the website. Registration is required in order to participate.
Because Dr. Ellen teaches all five foundational biblical counseling courses in a sequential manner, participants should carefully consider where they are in the training sequence at the time of registration. For example, if Dr. Ellen is currently teaching the 201 module, but you have not yet completed 101 and 102, we recommend one of the following options:
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Complete 101 and 102 through the 24/7 Online Video Training and then join Live Zoom once you are aligned with the current module; or
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If your schedule permits, complete the earlier modules simultaneously while participating in the Live Zoom course currently being taught.
Please note that no new students are permitted to join the Live Zoom cohort once Dr. Ellen begins the 301 module. At that point, students will need to wait until the current cohort completes and a new cohort begins again at 101.
This format is designed for those who desire sustained discipleship, community learning, and deeper engagement with biblical counseling content over time.
These courses intentionally exceed minimum training requirements and include extensive reading and interactive discussion.
This format offers:
Weekly live instruction
Professor interaction & discussion
Meets ACBC reading requirements
Designed for long-term equipping
Online Self-Paced Video training is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all 5 courses of training offered by Dr. Ellen. These courses:
- Provide deep and far-reaching biblical counseling instruction
- Ideal for those who want to go deeper faster on their own schedule
- Counts toward the 30-hour ACBC training requirement
- Includes assigned reading and coursework
- Does not include:
- Counseling observation videos
- Live professor interaction
This option is best suited for independent learners who desire strong biblical training with scheduling flexibility.
Highlights of this option:
No live professor interaction
No counseling observation videos
Can be applied toward ACBC Phase 1 training hours
Professor interaction & discussion
Meets ACBC reading requirements
You can register for the course of your choosing in 3 ways.
- You can register for the entire course and have all 14 lectures to view within a certain amount of time allotted for your purchase.
- You can register for the course in sections to view within a certain amount of time allotted for your purchase. Each section contains 7 lectures to watch. The first section will contain 1-7 of the lectures. The second section will contain 8-14 of the lectures.
- You can register to watch a lecture one at a time for a specified period of time.
You do not have unlimited time to watch these videos. You are allowed 90 days to complete your course before the content expires. They are provided on limited basis for you. Therefore, you must do your due diligence to watch them within the time frame allotted to you.
ECTC also offers the option to bring biblical counseling training directly to your church or ministry team. These sessions may be tailored to meet the needs of pastors, ministry leaders, counselors, and discipleship teams.
In-person training may include the full five-course biblical counseling sequence, Counseling Discipleship Training (CDT), or customized training designed to address the specific needs of your ministry.
This option is designed for ministries seeking group-based instruction and shared learning within their local church context.
A minimum number of participants is required for in-person training. Details and availability can be discussed directly with ECTC. Please feel free to reach out to us for additional information.
Program Breakdown
Details Of Each Level Of Training
Level I - Theological Building Blocks for Biblical Counseling
Level II - Biblical Framework Counseling
Level III - How To Deal With Life’s Pitfalls, Pains, and Problems
Level IV - Marriage and Family
Level V - The Dynamics of Biblical Counseling
2026 Live Zoom Training Schedule
On Zoom, Dr. Ellen is teaching through all 5 levels of training starting with Level 1 going into Level 5, for a limited time and with limited space. The schedule below represents the training that he will be providing this year on Thursday nights from 6:30pm to 9:30pm CT. See dates below and register accordingly.
Level 1
Theological Building Blocks
Two 7-week modules connecting basic systematic theology with fundaments of biblical counseling)
101
(Click Here To Register for 101)
- 01-22-26 Section One
- 01-29-26 Sections Two
- 02-05-26 Section Three
- 02-12-26 Section Four
- 02-19-26 Section Five
- 02-26-26 Section Six
- 03-05-26 Section Seven
102
(Click Here To Register for 102)
- 03-26-26 Section Eight
- 04-02-26 Section Nine
- 04-09-26 Section Ten
- 04-16-26 Section Eleven
- 04-30-26 Section Twelve
- 05-07-26 Section Thirteen
- 05-21-26 Section Fourteen
Level 2
Biblical Framework Counseling
Two 7-week modules constructing a framework from the Bible for diagnosing and addressing issue of life from Scripture.
201
(Click Here To Register for 201)
- 06-11-26 Section One
- 06-18-26 Section Two
- 06-25-26 Section Three
- 07-09-26 Section Four
- 07-23-26 Section Five
- 07-30-26 Section Six
- 08-06-26 Section Seven
202
(Click Here To Register for 202 )
- 08-27-26 Section Eight
- 09-03-26 Section Nine
- 09-10-26 Section Ten
- 09-17-26 Section Eleven
- 09-24-26 Section Twelve
- 10-08-26 Section Thirteen
- 10-15-26 Section Fourteen
All About Our CDT's
Counseling Discipleship Training (CDT) is offered as an intensive, conference-style training format that complements ECTC’s foundational course pathway. CDT is designed to serve churches and ministries seeking focused, Scripture-centered instruction in biblical counseling for equipping and discipleship.
Fundamentals
Counseling Discipleship Training (CDT) – Fundamentals provides foundational instruction in biblical counseling principles through an intensive, in-person weekend format. This training is designed for those seeking a strong introduction to biblical counseling for personal growth, church ministry, or counseling discipleship.
CDT Fundamentals may also be used toward meeting the 30-hour training requirement for ACBC Phase 1, though certification is not required to attend or benefit from this training.
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In-person weekend format
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Focused on core counseling foundations
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Open to anyone seeking biblical counseling training
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Can be applied toward ACBC Phase 1 training hours
Advanced
Advanced Counseling Discipleship Training (Advanced CDT) provides in-depth, conference-style instruction addressing complex counseling issues such as suffering, prolonged trials, and trauma-related ministry situations and various other life issues from a biblical perspective. This training is designed to further equip believers who desire deeper understanding and application of Scripture in difficult life circumstances.
Advanced CDT is intended for advanced equipping and ministry development and is not designed as certification preparation, though it builds upon biblical counseling foundations.
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In-person & virtual options available
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Topic-focused advanced instruction
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Emphasis on Scripture’s sufficiency in suffering
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Open to all seeking deeper biblical equipping
Counseling Supervision
Supervision is designed to support counselors-in-training as they grow in discernment, skill, and faithful application of Scripture in the care of souls.
ACBC supervision hours are separate from ECTC training and are not included in course tuition.
While ECTC training provides foundational and advanced instruction in biblical counseling, supervision is a distinct component and is arranged independently.
Students pursuing ACBC certification may choose Dr. Nicolas Ellen as their ACBC supervisor if they desire. Supervision involves a separate agreement and fee and is subject to availability.
Supervision may include:
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Review of counseling cases and ministry dynamics
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Evaluation of counseling methodology and faithfulness to Scripture
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Discussion of counseling logs and case reports
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Review of recorded counseling sessions for feedback and growth
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Ongoing instruction and mentoring in biblical counseling practice
Supervision is offered by request. To see if Dr. Ellen is available for counseling supervision, you may contact him via our Contact Us page.
