COUN 403

Frameworks for Counseling

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Course description Course objectives Required texts Assignments Course schedule Supplemetary readings
Course readings Study guide Writing tips

 

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Course Description
This course provides an overview of the various theories of counseling and their associated techniques.  Students will study a range of theories and their applications in various professional settings and will be required to synthesize their own approach.  This course contributes to the theoretical foundations of the helping relationships component of the program and is required of all students.

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Required texts:

 Corsini, Raymond J., Wedding, Danny, (Eds.), (1995).   Current psychotherapies, (5th
ed.).  Itasca: F. E. Peacock.

 Wedding, D., Corsini, R. J. (Eds.), (1995).  Case studies in psychotherapy.  Itasca: F. E.
Peacock.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES:

The objectives to the course are to help students to:

 1. understand the relationship between counseling theory and counseling practice;

 2. understand the key elements, concepts, and techniques associated with ten major
  theories of counseling and psychotherapy;

 3. identify the strengths and limitations of each the major theories, including their
  usefulness with multicultural populations;

 4. identify commonalities and divergencies among the major counseling theories;

  5. apply each of the major theories to problem situations in a manner congruent with the
 theoretical principles;

 6. formulate a personal theory of counseling that reacts to the theories studies and
    represents an initial formulation that may be revised and reformulated as students
 develop professionally.

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REQUIREMENTS

1. Personal philosophy paper.
In this paper, the student will reflect on the survey administered during the first night of class.  The paper should be 3-5 pages in length, and attempt to answer the following questions:

 a. What is your role as therapist in relationship to the client?  Do you simply guide the
 client, are you very directive, do you offer advice, offer interpretations, self-disclose, etc.?

 b. What are your beliefs on human nature?  Are people basically good, bad, a mixture, or
 indifferent?

 c. How does pathology develop?  Why do problems occur?

 d. What is the nature of change?  Are there things that are "necessary and sufficient for   change?

   e. What are your personal objectives for this course?  Be specific.

2. Class presentation.
Students will select a particular theory/theorist and present the underlying assumptions, tenets, and associated interventions or tasks.  Presentations should also include case material.  Presentations may be done individually or within groups, and should last for 30 minutes.

3. Theoretical paper.
Students will write a 12-15 page paper summarizing a theoretical orientation of their choice, which may include an orientation from class or from an approach not discussed in class.  If you plan to discuss a theory that is not covered in class, you must receive permission from the instructor.  Students may combine theoretical orientations or use an eclectic approach, but a clear rational for the approach must be clearly stated within the text.  The paper should include:

 a. View of human nature
 b. Description of sources of motivation
 c. Focus of treatment
 d. Nature of client/therapist relationship
 e. Tools/techniques/interventions utilized
 f. Types of clients best served

The paper will also include discussion of treatment for a case to be given in class.

Paper will be graded on content, grammer/writing style, and case analysis.

4. Journals.
Students will keep a weekly journal reflecting on both the reading material and class material and discussions, as well as reflecting on personal issues brought to light by the material.  As journals will include personal material, they will not be graded.  Instead, journals will be marked with a check if turned in, and a check/plus if it includes both a discussion of the material and personal insights.  Journal markings will be used to determine borderline grades.

Final Exam
There will be a comprehensive final examination.

GRADES

1.Final exam  40%
2. Class presentation 20%
3. Theoretical paper 40%

There are no exceptions to deadlines.

The grading scale for the course is as follows:

 90-100%    A
 80-89% B
 70-79% C
 60-69% D
 below 60%  F

Attenmdance
See university catalog for official policy.

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COURSE OUTLINE

Date                                                                   Topic                                                     Assignments

August 28                                                          Introduction
                                                                           Developing personal theory

September 4                                                      Psychoanalytic                                           Ch. 1,2;
                                                                                                                                            Case ch.1
                                                                                                                                            Personal paper due

September 11                                                  Adlerian                                                        Ch. 3
                                                                                                                                            Case ch. 2

September 18                                                   Person-centered                                           Ch. 5
                                                                                                                                            Case ch.4

September 25                                                  Behavior therapy                                           Ch. 7
                                                                                                                                            Case ch. 6

October 2                                                      Rational emotive therapy                                  Ch. 6
                                                                                                                                             Case ch. 5

October 9                                                      Cognitive therapy                                            Ch. 8
                                                                                                                                            Case ch.7

October 18                                                      Gestalt                                                            Handouts

October 25                                                  Existential                                                            Ch. 9
                                                                                                                                                Case ch. 8

November 6                                              Multimodal                                                            Ch. 11
                                                                                                                                            Case ch. 10

November 13                                                  Reality                                                             Ch. 14

November 27                                              Ecclectism                                                            Handouts
                                                                                                                                            Theoretical paper due

December 4                                                  Final

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Supplementary Reading List

 Adler, A. (1927).  The practice and theory of individual psychology.  New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich.

 Beck, A. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders.  New York: International
Universities Press.

 Beck, A., Rush, J., Shaw, B., & Emery, G. (1980).  Cognitive therapy of depression.  New York: Guilford.

 Burns, D. D. (1980).  Feeling good: The new mood therapy. New York: Signet.

 Ellis, A. (1971).  Growth through reason.  Palo Alto: Science and Behavior Books.

 Frankel, V. E. (1963).  Man's Search for Meaning.  Boston: Beacon Press.

 Frankel, V. E. (1967).  Psychotherapy and existentialism. New York: Simon & Schuster.

 Freud, S. (1965). The psychopathology of everyday life.  New York:  W. W. Norton & Company.

 Freud, S. (1966).  Introductory lectures on psycho-analysis.  New York: W. W. Norton &
Company.

 Glasser, W. (1965).  Reality therapy: A new approach to psychiatry.  New York: Harper & Row.

 Lazarus, A. A. (1971).  Behavior therapy and beyond.  New York: McGraw-Hill.

 Meichenbaum, D. (1977).  Cognitive-behavior modification: An integrative approach.  New York: Plenum.

 Perls, F. (1969).  Gestalt therapy verbatim.  Moab, UT: Real People Press.

 Rogers, C. R. (1961).  On becoming a person.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

 Rogers, C. R. (1942).  Counseling and psychotherapy.  Cambridge: Houghton-Mifflin.

 Skinner, B. F. (1974).  About behaviorism.  New York: Vintage Books.

 Skinner, B. F. (1953).  Science and behavior.  New York: Macmillan.

 Yalom, I. (1980).  Existenital psychotherapy.  New York:  Basic Books.

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