Of the University System of New Hampshire

CO 5260.01 Page -1-

PLYMOUTH STATE UNIVERSITY

of the University System of New Hampshire

Graduate School of Education

COUNSELING THEORIES

CO 5260.01 Leo R. Sandy, Ed.D., NCSP Fall 2010, Rounds 118 38 Mountain Vista Drive

Email: New Hampton, NH 03256

URL: Tel. 535-2287 (W), 279-4271 (H) Office Hours: by appointment.

Fundamentally...counseling is an art...Just as great art transforms the vision of the viewer...,counseling, as a persuasive art, transforms the experience of the client from chaos to organization, from despair to hope, and from helplessness to self-reliance...In the end, clients can only be healed if they are persuaded that their suffering contains seeds of hope/

James T. Hansen

REQUIRED TEXT

Ivey, A.E., D’Andrea, M., & Ivey, M.B., Theories of counseling and psychotherapy: A multicultural perspective (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson

EVALUATION

* Class Participation (includes punctuality & attendance)25%

* Journal Article review due 9-3015%

* Interview Paper {typed, double-spaced, and in APA style}

due 10-28 30%

* Final Examination 11-18 30%

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Major counseling theories and their relationship to the counseling process are explored. Individual, familial and systemic models are presented along with dynamics and issues that reflect and cross theoretical perspectives. Students will be required to compare and contrast counseling theories and strategies, consider appropriate application of these strategies in diverse populations and develop a personal model for providing help and facilitating behavioral change (fall and summer of even years. Prerequisite: CO 5010 (excluding School Psychology program students).

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

Lectures, small and large group discussion and activities, videos, case studies, on-line resources, and interviews

CONTENT AREAS/ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1. What are the major counseling theories?

2. Why is multicultural awareness important in counseling?

3. How would counselors from different theoretical perspectives analyze a

specific presenting problem?

4. What is your personal theory of counseling?

5. How does postmodernism affect the development and use of theoretical

approaches?

6. What is change agentry and why it is relevant to the field of counseling?

7. How can we use Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory in counseling?

CHECK = Collaborative Holistic Experience Commitment Knowledge

PERFORMANCE-BASED OBJECTIVES

Students can:

compare and contrast counseling theories and strategies (K,H,E)
consider appropriate application of counseling theories and strategies in diverse population (E,K)
develop a personal model for providing help and facilitating behavioral change (K,Com)
become aware of their own ethnocentrism (Com,K)
increase their own awareness of the role culture plays in determining the ways that people think, feel, and act (E,K,Com)
discuss the connection between collaboration and prevention (Col,K)
discuss the relationship between the "whole person" and integrative counseling (H,K)
view case studies through the conceptual lenses of different counseling theories (H,K,E)
identify major assumptions of theoretical orientations through analysis of videos (H, K)
explain the impact of postmodernism on the practice of counseling (K)
apply Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory levels to a client problem (K,H, Col, Com)

FORMAT

The course will utilize a constructivist approach whereby the major counseling theories are demonstrated in video clips and critically analyzed by students relative to the underlying assumptions and principles behind the counselor's actions. This will be followed by an overview of the major counseling theories in order to validate students’ responses and provide additional understanding of the theories. Lecture/discussion will also be used as well as small and large group activities. Students need to be prepared to discuss the assigned readings by using the Reading Guidelines in the appendix below.

Note: There should be a consensus on whether fewer theories are covered in more depth or more theories in less depth. Covering fewer theories will also increase discussion of the texts.

Also, when two theories are covered in the same class, one may be viewed in more depth than the other.

NOTICES

Plymouth State University is committed to providing students with documented disabilities equal access to all university programs and facilities. If you think you have a disability requiring accommodations, you should immediately contact the PASS Office in Lamson Library (535-2270) to determine whether you are eligible for such accommodations. Academic accommodations will only be considered for students who have registered with the PASS Office. If you have a Letter of Accommodation for this course from the PASS Office, please provide the instructor with that information privately so that you and the instructor can review those accommodations.

Incomplete grades are strongly discouraged and should only be requested for emergency situations. If an IC grade is given, students will have one full semester to complete the course requirements. After that, the registrar will record an F grade that will stand, and the course will have to be retaken if it is a requirement.

Late assignments:Consistent with graduate level expectations, all assignments are expected on their due dates. However, exceptions to this rule may be made due to circumstances beyond the control of students such as family emergencies, illness, injury, power outages, computer malfunctions, accidents and other situations. Because of these potentialities, students are advised to complete their assignments in advance of the due date. Also, students should back up their work so that computer crashes will not delay assignments. If possible, the student should request an extension for the assignment from the instructor before the assignment is due. If this is not possible, the student should contact the instructor as soon as possible after the due date. If an extension is granted, the assignment should be submitted no later than one week from the due date. In cases where the reason for the delay may require a longer time period to complete, the decision to allow a longer extension will be made on a case-by-case basis. Students may be asked to provide documentation to verify their request for an extension. Assignments that are handed in beyond the due date for which no extension is granted will not be accepted and will result in a failing grade for the assignment.

Academic integrity is the foundation of the pursuit of knowledge. All members of the academic community are expected to be dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge in an honest, responsible, respectful and ethical manner. Every violation of academic integrity is an affront to the academic community. Violations of academic integrity make fair evaluation impossible and cast doubt upon the seriousness with which students accept the responsibility of acquiring an education.

Computer and Cell Phone Use in the Classroom

Computers and cell phones may be brought into the classroom but their use should be appropriate. Computers should be limited to academic class-related uses deemed appropriate by your instructor. During class discussions, videos and student presentations, they should not be open. Cell phones play an important role in emergency situations but they should be kept on vibrate and not be used for receiving or sending text messages during the class meeting.

For 2 absences (excused or unexcused), the course will have to be retaken. Three or more late arrivals to class will result in a reduced participation grade.

PARTICIPATION/ATTENDANCE GRADING POLICY

Number of AbsencesLevel of ParticipationGrade

0 -.5HIGH A/A-

0 -.5AVERAGE B+

0 -.5LOW B/B-

1HIGH B

1AVERAGE B-

1LOW C+

Bottom of Form

The assignments:

The Journal Article Review is intended to provide students the opportunity see how a theory of interest is applied to a specific disorder or disorders. The paper should have two parts. One is a summary of the article and the other is a reflection.

The interview is intended for students to see how counselors in the field are integrating theories into their counseling and which theories they are using and why they are using them. It also helps students develop interviewing skills. The paper should use the format below (see Appendix for rubric).

INTRODUCTION (a brief description of the counselor's academic and professional experience, his/her work setting, clientele, etc. with anonymity)

II.ANALYSIS (interview content integrated with readings)

III.REFLECTION (personal thoughts and feelings)

IV.CONCLUSION (professional impact and personal advocacy )

V.APPENDIX (list of interview questions)

Note: One half grade will be taken off for failure to use these headings. Additional points will be taken off for numerous mechanical errors.

The final examination provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate their comprehensive knowledge of counseling theories, multicultural factors in counseling and an ecosystems approach that provides the theoretical basis for client advocacy (see p. 8).

COURSE SCHEDULE

9-9Course Introduction, Interview Questions, The Role of Theory, Stuckness vs Sickness, Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, Advocacy Competencies, and Postmodernism and Counseling

Readings: Charting the Theoretical Changes in Counseling and Psychology and The Multicultural-Feminist-Social Justice Movement, Ch. 1 & 2.

Video: Social Action: A Mandate for Counselors

9-16Positive Psychology, Wellness, and Spirituality

Readings: Positive Psychology and Wellness Counseling, Ch. 3

Guest Speaker: Gina Kelly

Video Clip: Positive Psychology

9-23The Humanistic Foundation, Using Microskills in Counseling and Solution-Focused Therapy

Readings: Using Microskills in Counseling and Psychotherapy, Ch. 4.

Guest Speaker: TBA

Videos: Client-Centered ApproachandSolution-Focused Therapy

9-30 Freudian, Adlerian and Jungian Approaches to Counseling and Psychotherapy

Readings: The Psychodynamic Tradition and Adlerian and Jungian Counseling and Psychotherapy, Ch. 5 & 6

Videos: Adlerian Therapy and Object Relations Therapy

JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW due

10-7Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches to Counseling and Therapy

Readings: Cognitive and Behavioral Counseling and Psychotherapy, Ch. 7

Video: Mixed Anxiety and Depression: A Cognitive-Behaviorial Approach (Meichenbaum)

10-14Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy and Reality Therapy

Readings: Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and Reality Therapy, Ch. 8

Videos: Rational Emotive Behavior Therapyand Reality Therapy.

10-21Existential-Humanism, Logotherapy and Gestalt Counseling

Readings: Existential-Humanis, Logotherapy and Gestalt Counseling, Ch. 9 & 10.

Videos: Existential Therapy and Beck’s Use of Gestalt Techniques

10-28Anglo-Saxon Values, Multicultural Competencies, Liberatory Pedagogy and The Theater of the Oppressed

Readings: Feminist and Multicultural Counseling and Therapy, Ch. 11 & 12.

Videos: Walking in Both Worlds Feminist Therapy

*INTERVIEW PAPER due

11-4 Deductive vs. Inductive Identity Differentiation, Marcia’s Identity Statuses, An Integrated Approach to Counseling and Therapy and Family Therapy

Readings: Developmental and Family Counseling and Therapy, Ch. 13 & 14.

Video: Family Therapy

11-11 Veteran’s Day. No Class

11-18 Course Evaluation and An Integrated Approach to Counseling and Therapy

Readings: Identifying Your Own Integrated Approach to Counseling and Therapy, Ch. 15

Videos: The Art of Integrated Therapy and Resistance and Termination/ Corey

FINAL EXAMINATION

Interview Paper Guidelines

. General: The paper should have/be the following:

title page
numbered pages
typed
double-spaced
10-12 point font
proper grammar
accurate punctuation
correct spelling
APA format for margins, citations, etc.
about 11 pages in length

2. Headers of the Paper:

Introduction: Here you need to provide a brief description of your interviewee with anonymity such the educational background and experience of the counselor and work setting . You also need to describe your purpose in conducting the interview and how it relates to the course [about 1/2 to 1 page].

Interview Content/Analysis: This ties together your interview data and the related course material. Here you need to integrate what you are learning in the course with what the interviewee is saying to you by citing specific passages mainly from your readings. Your focus in this section is the interview itself and it should remain in the foreground. The material from your text and other sources should be used to support what the interviewee is saying but not dominate the section as it would if it were mainly a research paper. The interview should remain centered on theory NOT techniques. For example, Adler says that discouragement causes people to choose mistaken goals. After therapy in which encouragement is used, the person develops the courage to fail. Thus, understanding this, the counselor knows that s/he must use encouragement. This is how theory informs practice.[about 6 pages].

Reflection: Here you must describe your subjective thoughts and feelings about the interview and how it might relate to your personal experiences [about 2 pages].

Conclusion: Here you must discuss 1) the impact of the interview on your professional role as counselor and, 2) implications for personal advocacy and social policy, e.g., what you as a future counselor can do to improve the lives of clients outside of the therapeutic hour [about 1 to 2 pages]

GUIDELINES TO VIEWING COUNSELING VIDEOS

From the perspective of the theoretical approach presented:

1. What is the nature of the person’s presenting problem? Is the reported problem the same as the actual problem?

2. How does the issue of “stuckness” vs “sickness” relate?

3. Why does s/he have the problem? In other words, what are the assumptive causes and dynamics of the problem? What is maintaining the problem internally and/or externally?

4. What important information is needed to help understand the problem? What role do the past, present and future play in understanding the problem?

5. Why is it difficult for this person to change? What’s getting in the way?

6. Is this approach appropriate to the problem? Why? If not, which would be a better approach and why? Which approaches would be least suited to the problem? Why?

7. What are some counseling goals for this client?

8. What will be different about this client once s/he is “cured”?

9. How do the therapist’s techniques coincide with the theory s/he is

employing?

10. What do you see are the strengths and weaknesses of this approach in general?

11. Do you see any implications/applications for Bronfenbrenner's theory?

READING GUIDELINES FOR CLASS DISCUSSIONS

1. What are the most important points/principles made in the chapters?

2. What theoretical orientations would best suit the culturally diverse groups?

3. What are some key terms, phrases, and concepts and how do they advance your understanding of theory?

4. What issues do you agree or disagree with and why?

5. What personal experiences have you had that validate or contradict key points made in the chapters?

6. What personal advocacy possibilities do the chapters raise relative to Bronfenbrenner's systems theory?In other words, what actions can you take now or in the future to bring about change at any or all of his systems levels?

7. What questions do you have relative to any issues that were raised in the readings?

FINAL EXAMINATION

(40 points)

Using a case study from the literature or your experience as your reference point, explain how any two of the theoretical perspectives below would explain/analyze it (not treat it),i.e., Why is the client this way? What may have happened in the past or present to cause the presenting problem? (or perceptions of the future?). What is going on internally that is maintaining specific feelings, thoughts and/or behaviors? How is the client perceiving situations and him/herself? Once the client is free of the presenting problem, what would each theorist say is the theoretical explanation for the change? In other words, what is now going on internally? Using concepts and constructs from the chosen theories, focus on the explanation each theorist would offer as to the dynamics of the presenting problem rather than the specific therapeutic techniques involved. However, you may address the goals of counseling after describing the dynamics (approximately 5 pages). Note: You may have to go beyond the course material to answer this question in the depth required.

Freudian Psychoanalysis
Adlerian Individual Psychology (Rudolf Dreikurs)
Person-Centered Therapy (Carl Rogers)
Gestalt Therapy (Frederick Perls)
Existential Therapy (Rollo May and/or Victor Frankl)
Rational-Emotive Therapy (Albert Ellis)
Behavioral Counseling (J. Wolpe, A. Bandura, B. Skinner, et al)
Cognitive-Behavior Modification (Donald Meichenbaum)
Reality Therapy (William Glasser)
Transactional Analysis (Eric Berne and/or Theodore Harris)
Family Systems Therapy (Virginia Satir)
Solution-Focused Therapy
Feminist Therapy
Other

II.

(30 points)

Define "culturally responsive counseling" and discuss the counseling theory or theories that would work a client from a particular racial or ethnic group (approximately 2-3 pages).

III.

(15 points)

As you attempt to begin to build a personal theory, you must take into account your own strengths and weaknesses, the types of counselees with whom you plan to work, the age levels with which you feel comfortable, and the settings in which you plan to provide counseling. Using each of these dimensions as a reference point, choose a single theory or combination of theories and explain why you find it (them) to be useful in guiding your future work (approximately 2-3 pages).

IV.

(15 points)

Using Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems theory as a reference point, and given the emerging role of the counselor as an advocate, formulate specific interventions you could take at the micro, meso, exo, and macro level to address a particular issue that your client is struggling with such as racism, homophobia, ageism, sexism, oppression, discrimination, etc. (If your exo or macro system intervention includes writing a letter to a congressman or joining a group, you must actually write the letter or complete the membership application and provide a stamped and addressed envelope that will be mailed) (2-3 pages).

Do not just write down general actions. Be detailed as if you were going to undertake the actions today.

CACREP STANDARDS ADDRESSED

1 g. advocacy processes needed to address institutional and social barriers that impede access, equity, and success for clients; and

1.h.ethical standards of ACA and related entities, and applications of ethical and legal considerations in professional counseling.