Christian Gostečnik, OFM (born 1 May 1955 in

Šmihel nad Mozirjem Šmihel nad Mozirjem () is a settlement in the Municipality of Mozirje in northern Slovenia. It lies below the Golte Hills north of Mozirje. The area is part of the traditional region of Styria. The municipality is now included in the Savinja Sta ...

, Slovenia) is a Slovenian Roman Catholic priest of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, theologian, clinical psychologist and marriage-and-family therapist. He was dean of Faculty of Theology ( University of Ljubljana), while currently he is a director of Franciscan Family Institute in Ljubljana ( sl, Frančiškanski družinski inštitut; ''FDI'').

Biography

After he entered the Franciscan order, he started studying at Faculty of Theology in Ljubljana, where he graduated in 1983. He was then sent to United States for further studies and also as a member of Slovenian-American Parish in Lemont, Illinois. During his stay in US he completed M.A. on

Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola is one of the largest Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Cathol ...

(1988), while at Illinois School of Professional Psychology ( Argosy University) he completed specialization in Diagnostics (1991), specialization in marriage and family therapy (1993), internship in marriage and family therapy (1994) and PhD in clinical psychology (1995). Gostečnik was also instrumental in establishment o
Slovenian Catholic Mission
in Lemont in 1994. In 1995 he returned to Ljubljana, Slovenia and became assistant professor (religious-educational psychology and medicine) at Faculty of Theology; in the same year he also established Franciscan Family Center ( sl, Frančiškanski družinski center) (later renamed to current Franciscan Family Institute). In two years, he finished his postdoctoral study and received

doctorate of theology Doctor of Theology ( la, Doctor Theologiae, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equiva ...

. He then completed his third PhD study, this time from psychology at

Faculty of Arts, Ljubljana Faculty may refer to: * Faculty (academic staff), the academic staff of a university (North American usage) * Faculty (division), a division within a university (usage outside of the United States) * Faculty (instrument), an instrument or warrant ...

. In 2004 he was elected to associate professor and in 2009 to full professor. During his academic career he "developed an innovative approach to marriage and family therapy called: Relational family therapy". In 2007 he was co-recipient of award for work on social services from Ministry of Work, Family and Social Affairs. Between 2012 and 2016 he was dean of his alma mater: Faculty of Theology in Ljubljana.

Bibliography

:''Se
CHRISTIAN GOSTEČNIK (18052): Personal bibliography for the period
'

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gostecnik, Christian 1955 births Slovenian psychologists Slovenian theologians Slovenian Friars Minor 20th-century Slovenian Roman Catholic priests Academic staff of the University of Ljubljana University of Ljubljana alumni Loyola University Chicago alumni Argosy University alumni Living people People from the Municipality of Mozirje 21st-century Slovenian Roman Catholic priests