COUNSELING 444: Practicum I: Group Supervision in Community and Family Counseling

Term: Fall, 1999
Class Time: Wednesday, 7:05 to 9:50 p.m.
Instructors: Dr. Jeff Edwards,
                  Dr. Anita Thomas
                  Dr. Sara Schwarzbaum

Prerequisites
All course work completed for Master's Degree except the research course.

Required Texts
        Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Callanan, P. (1998). Issues and ethics in the helping professions. Pacific Grove, CA, USA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.
        Faiver, C., Eisengart, S.; Colonna, R., (1995). The counselor intern's handbook. Pacific Grove, CA, USA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.

Recommended Texts

        Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV) (4th ed.Rev.)(1995). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.
        Kottler, J., Saxton, T., & Whiston, S. (1994). The heart of healing. SanFrancisco: Jossey Bass.

Course Objectives
    The purposes of the course are:

1. To acquaint counselors-in-training with important laws and ethical guidelines pertaining to their work with clients.
2. To assist them in preparing a professional disclosure statement to be given to the client during the initial interview.
3. To introduce them to the nature and role of the intake interview.
4. To review the purpose and structure of DSM-IV and help students to use it with practicum clients.
5. To help them to grasp the nature and importance of on-going clinical assessment, beginning with the initial interview and continuing throughout their sessions with clients.
6. To acquaint them with an integrative counseling model to be used as a basis for understanding and working with clients.
7. To introduce a range of integrative frameworks and counseling strategies to be use with clients (see Practicum II Syllabus).
8. To foster within the counselors-in-training an increasing respect for individual and cultural differences.
9. To require counselors-in-training to conceptualize and present a case study of a client seen during the practicum experience.

Course Content

1. The changing role of the counselor.
2. Laws and ethical guidelines affecting counselors, including the Illinois Confidentiality Act and ACA Ethical Guidelines. 3. Preparing a professional disclosure statement.
4. Using DSM-IV in clinical settings.
5. Assessment in diagnosis and treatment planning.
6. Intake interviews and their role in diagnosis and treatment planning.
7. Using an integrative counseling model as a basis for understanding and working with clients.
8. Case conceptualization and treatment planning for individuals.
9. Integrate frameworks and counseling strategies.
10. Writing progress notes and reports and planning for conferences.
11. Diagnosis and treatment planning for couples and families.
12. Diagnosis and treatment planning for groups and organizations.
13. The process of formulating and presenting a case study.

1. Log of daily activities.

Counselor-trainees should maintain a written log of daily activities to be submitted weekly along with counseling case notes and personal thoughts and feelings of each placement day. This log is submitted weekly along with ongoing totals of hours spent during the placement.

2. Counseling case notes.

Typically the counselor-trainee will counsel individuals for a minimum of thirty clock hours during the practicum. Most placement settings will proscribe methods of keeping client intake and treatment records. Trainees should develop a system of case note taking that reflects their own personal style and is appropriate to their placement site. .

3. Professional Disclosure Statement.

This is a one-page statement clarifying one's professional identity regarding a counselor's philosophy, what the counselor expects from the client, and what the counselor can and cannot do for the client.

4. Tapes of counseling sessions.

Counseling sessions should be taped for review with the university supervisor during supervisory visits. Though the number of tapes will vary with the individual placement, each trainee should present a minimum of four for evaluation.

5. Written transcript of a taped counseling session.

Please transcribe ten-minute segments of three taped sessions so that the trainee and supervisor can visually analyze the verbal content of the session. This tends to be a valuable learning procedure, where the student identifies problem areas and practices better responses. Please make a copy of the transcript for each class member

6. Group counseling reports.

Counselor-trainees should lead at least one counseling group that meets for a total of at least six clock hours. Each group session should be summarized in a written report, the format of which is presented in an additional handout.

  1. Attend all class sessions.
  2. Be familiar with required readings.
  3. Actively participate in class discussions, supervisory sessions and activities.
  4. Be introspective, open and receptive to feedback.
  5. Be flexible in making appropriate changes in response to feedback.
  6. Submit weekly time log as soon as you start on site.
  7. Submit one counseling summary sheet weekly starting first week in October.
  8. Submit two group summary sheets.
  9. Submit a professional disclosure statement the third week in November.
10. Submit counseling tapes biweekly starting first week in October.
11. Submit transcripts on last week in October, second week in November, and first week in December.
12. Present, in oral form, a clinical case study of a client seen during the practicum before the end of the fall semester.
13. Demonstrate development of insight and writing skills in written assignments.

Northeastern Illinois University
Department of Counselor Education
Counseling Supervision Summary Sheet

Client's first name(s)______________________________________ Age __________
Counselor's name _______________________________________________

Date ___________________ Session # _________________________

Next appointment date __________________ Theoretical Orientation _____________

Supervision mode: Case Presentation ____ Audio Tape ____ Video Tape _______

SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO TREATMENT:
 
 

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:
 
 

SUMMARY OF SESSION (CONTENT):
 
 

SUMMARY OF SESSION (PROCESS):
 
 

EVALUATION OF GOAL ATTAINMENT TO DATE:
 
 

GOALS FOR FUTURE SESSIONS:
 
 

WHAT DO YOU AS THE COUNSELOR WANT HELP WITH IN SUPERVISION:
 
 
 
 

Supervisors initials ______
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Northeastern Illinois University
Department of Counselor Education
Release to Tape
for the Purpose of Supervision

        I hereby give permission for the audio/ video taping of my/our counseling sessions, and/or the observation of our session by the faculty supervisor and student counselors, to be used by my counselor for the purposes of supervision and training. I understand that the tape will only be listened to or viewed by my counselor's supervisor and the students in the class. The tape will be erased after it has been used for training and/or supervision. Confidentiality will be adhered to by my counselor, the counselor's supervisor and the training group.
        I understand that the tapes will be reviewed within the next few weeks, and that should I change my mind before that time, the tapes will not be used and will be erased.

___________________________________ __________________
Signature of client                                                     Date

___________________________________ __________________
Signature of client                                                     Date

___________________________________ __________________
Signature of client                                                     Date

___________________________________ __________________
Signature of client                                                     Date
 

___________________________________ __________________
Signature of counselor                                               Date