Sonoma State University Psychology 270: Psychology of Self-Discovery

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1 Sonoma State University Psychology 270: Psychology of Self-Discovery Instructor Contact Information Name: Geri Olson, Ph.D. Office Location: Stevenson 3075 Office Telephone Number: Office Hours: Wednesdays, 2-3, and by appointment Please use as my preferred method of contact. General Course Information Class Days/Time: Wednesday, 8-11:40 Classroom: Stevenson 3082 Course Description Introduction to psychological theory, research and practice relevant to developing selfknowledge as it applies to people of diverse backgrounds. Possible approaches include humanistic, positive, depth, Buddhist; and indigenous psychology, and basic skills and practices in self-reflection, mindfulness, dreamwork, and earth-based practices. A foundation for the Holistic Breadth area. Required for major. This section of the Psychology of Self-Discovery will explore the ways that people tell the story of their life, both in written form and through the expressive arts. Students will be writing about their own life, reading about memoir, and exploring ways to tell a life story through art and/or writing. The art process work will focus on narrative themes and assignments related to family history and personal development. The topics of optimism, resilience, happiness, and positive psychology will also be explored. Memoir, autobiography, and narrative psychology are concerned with the storied nature of human experience. We will study the use of narrative in research, counseling, therapy, and history. This seminar uses methodology from psychology, literature, and other branches of the social sciences and humanities. Autobiography, memoir and the students own oral and written narratives will be explored as narrative methods. Course Format and Instructional Methods: This is an interactive and experiential seminar and it is expected that each student will be passionate about reading, writing, and engaging in dialogue about narrative work. Although a complete autobiography will not be required, you can expect weekly sharing of memoir and autobiographical writing and intensive daily journal work. The format of this class includes reflective writing, group discussion, a guest lecture, art process and film. The requirements for the class include keeping a journal, reading the texts and other

2 materials, daily writing, completion of class assignments, a presentation, a final project, and a commitment to participate in class. A list of possible presentation topics is attached. For example, your presentation might reflect an interest in narrative development in infancy and childhood, prison writing programs, the use of narrative in clinical or medical settings, psychobiography, the use of narrative in elder healthcare, memoir work with adolescents or the current research on writing and healing. This presentation can be done with two or three research partners. Another component of the class will be your commitment to a creative journal practice for 30 days. You will design your own practice, such as writing morning pages or haiku each day or working with new art materials. You could write a collection of childhood memories or a collection of poetry. The creative practice is an assignment that requires attention to your life story through writing and is integrated into the use of the journal in this class. The total journal page requirement, including the creative practice, is 40 pages. We will also talk in class about the rich possibilities for the individual final project. The purpose of this project is to gain a deeper understanding of your life through a combination of writing, art and story-telling. Each person will design a culminating project that explores their individual life, using one of the expressive arts. This project could be in the form of a narrative quilt, an altered book, a photography essay, a thematic scrapbook, or a genealogy project. The creative journal practice and final project can be related; we will talk about these possibilities on the first day of class. The most important ingredient in the experiential classroom is a sense of trust. Writing, art, and story-telling can bring deeply moving stories to the circle. It is important that you are invested in discovering new aspects of your own life story and that you hold the lives of your classmates with a sense of respect. Please bring the gift of your life experience to the class and know that your life story will be held with the highest regard. Course Goals and Student Learning Objectives The objectives of this seminar include: 1. To research the importance of memoir writing in a variety of settings, such as in hospitals, adolescent treatment centers, assisted living environments, and in psychotherapy. 2. To increase self-knowledge and mindfulness through the practice of creative writing, utilizing a variety of memoir writing techniques and art processes. 3. To be able to reflect on personal experiences in light of psychological knowledge. 4. To be able to apply psychological theories (narrative methods) to individual experience as well as to broader social issues and social systems. 5. To achieve the outcomes of greater health, happiness, compassion and gratitude through increased self-knowledge and methods of self-discovery.

3 Required Texts/Readings Textbook Unreliable Truth, Maureen Murdock Old Friend From Far Away, Natalie Goldberg Supplies Students will need a separate journal, spiral bound and with blank pages. You will be asked to create a file of art images or written materials for use in your journal, but these are quite easy to find in recycled materials. There could be some additional expense for your own art supplies. I will talk about required supplies on the first day of class. Class Calendar Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines 8/26/15 Introduction to class, review course outline Begin life story writing and sharing 9/2/15 The memoir as a tool for self-discovery Bring items with a unique scent or strong taste 9/9/15 The first autobiography, Saint Augustine Due: Journal Practice contract 9/16/15 Time-line and turning points Due: Paper 1: Diary/Journal article response 9/23/15 The structure of a story Bring a favorite fairytale, children s book or myth 9/30/15 Home, what does it mean? Bring photographs, written material, and collage elements Due: Paper 2: Unreliable Truth 10/7/15 Writing, healing and health Due: Paper 3: Old Friend From Far Away assignment 10/14/15 Psychobiography and narrative therapy 10/21/15 Family history and family stories, Resilience Due: Paper 4: A family story, from a conversation 10/28/15 Remembering ancestors, 11/4/15 Due: Paper 5: Old Friends From Far Away Happiness, Positive psychology 11/18/15 Due: Journal and Journal paper, Gratitude exercise 12/2/15 Review and Integration

4 Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines 12/2/15 and 12/9/15 Due: Final narrative project 12/16/15 Final Exam, 8-9:50 General List of Course Assignments A research presentation Journal practice and paper, presented as a midterm Final narrative project and paper Five reflection papers, four letters Additional writing assignments Weekly sharing in class Autobiographical journal writing Journal work Participation in reflective exercises Calendar of Assignments and Exam Due Dates Due Date Assignments and Exams Points 9/9/15 Journal Practice Contract 10 points 9/16/15 Paper 1: Journal Article 25 points response 9/30/15 Paper 2: Unreliable Truth 25 points 10/7/15 Paper 3: Old Friend Assignment 10 points 10/21/15 Paper 4: Family Story 10 points 11/4/15 Paper 5: Old Friend Assignment 10 points 11/18/15 Journal and paper 40 points 12/2/15 and 12/9/15 Final narrative project 40 points Various dates Research Presentation 30 points Classroom Culture For the benefit of all members in the class, we would like to remind you to turn off your cell phones during class and to limit your talking to class-related topics. Please always respect the rights and preferences of those around you, and refrain from engaging in behaviors that are distracting or disrespectful to your professor and fellow students. This includes texting, reading newspapers, checking , surfing the internet, paying bills, sleeping and failing to communicate with your presentation group. In class we will talk about your right to privacy, (for example, in your journal) and the guidelines we would like to establish together about confidentiality in the classroom. Papers need to be turned in on time, in person. Please do not send any papers by .

5 Grading Policy Your final course grade is based on the quality and timeliness of papers and assignments, quality of class participation, and class attendance. Guidelines will be handed out for each assignment. Come prepared for class discussion and projects. You are expected to arrive on time, stay for the full session, and participate actively in small group work, activities, and discussions. Full participation and attendance for each class is worth five points, with deductions for leaving early, coming late, disruptive behavior or lack of participation. Extra points are given on days with special assignments. Assignments that are late will lose 20% for each day after the due date. Papers must be turned in, and are not accepted by . Please come in early to talk about any circumstances that might be affecting your performance in class, as the grade of Incomplete can only be given to a student in good standing near the end of a semester, meaning a grade of C or better. If you are failing the class, for any reason, an Incomplete cannot be assigned. This is a required course for Psychology majors, and must be passed with a C or better. Grades are based on the completion of assignments, participation in class and the quality of the presentation and final project. I use a system of 300 points to record the completion and quality of assignments in the following way: Graded Assignment Points 10 Journal Practice Contract 20 Paper 1 20 Paper 2 30 Papers 3, 4 and 5 (15 points each) 40 Journal Practice (midterm) 30 Research Presentation 40 Narrative Project (Final) 105 Assignments, short papers, letters, sharing and participation 300 Total Points Grade Scale = A = A = B+, = B = B = C+, = C

6 University Policies There are important University policies that you should be aware of, such as the add/drop policy; cheating and plagiarism policy, grade appeal procedures; accommodations for students with disabilities and the diversity vision statement. The policies are available Dropping and Adding Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drops, academic renewal, etc. Information on how to add class is available at The Registration Information page ( lists important deadlines and penalties for adding and dropping classes. Campus Policy on Disability Access for Students If you are a student with a disability, and think you may need academic accommodations, please contact Disability Services for Students (DSS), located in Salazar Hall, Room 1049, Voice: (707) , TTY/TDD: (707) , as early as possible in order to avoid a delay in receiving accommodation services. Use of DSS services, including testing accommodations, requires prior authorization by DSS in compliance with university policies and procedures Emergency Evacuation (Optional/suggested statement) If you are a student with a disability and you think you may require assistance evacuating a building in the event of a disaster, you should inform your instructor about the type of assistance you may require. You and your instructor should discuss your specific needs and the type of precautions that should be made in advance of such an event (i.e. assigning a buddy to guide you down the stairway). We encourage you to take advantage of these preventative measures as soon as possible and contact the Disability Services for Students office if other classroom accommodations are needed. Academic Integrity Students should know that the University s Cheating and Plagiarism policy is available at Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at Sonoma State University and the University s policy, require you to be honest in all your academic course work. Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism (presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person s ideas without giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For this class, all assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise specified. Additional Resources Psychology Library Resources Psychology Library resources are located at

7 SSU Writing Center The SSU Writing Center, located at Schulz 1103, helps SSU students become better writers and produce better written documents. The knowledgeable and friendly tutors can help you with a wide array of concerns, from generating good ideas and organizing papers more clearly to learning citation formats and using semi-colons correctly. Visit the Writing Center website ( for more information on how to schedule time with a tutor. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) CAPS is a unit of the division of Student Affairs of Sonoma State University. CAPS offers confidential counseling to students experiencing personal problems that interfere with their academic progress, career or well being. The CAPS web pages ( provide information only. If you would like to talk with someone or make an appointment, please call (707) between 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. Moodle Course Moodle is SSU's Learning Management System (LMS). Moodle is the place where you will find the course syllabus, read posted announcements in the news forum, and view the materials for this course. To access the Moodle course use your SSU Seawolf ID and password to log into SSU's Online Services portal ( Click on the Moodle link. When you get to the Moodle site home, click on the My Courses menu located on the top navigation. Click on the link for this course (classes are listed by course name and number). Note: The login link is also conveniently located at the top of the Sonoma State University homepage ( and many other university pages. Visit the Learning with Moodle page ( to review frequently asked questions about using Moodle and also to view a list of technical recommendations. Moodle Help and Student Computing Resources Moodle and General IT Help Desk Contact the IT Help Desk ( if you need assistance with Moodle or other information about computing and information technology at SSU. Three ways to contact the IT Help Desk are: Call: helpdesk@sonoma.edu Visit Location: Schulz 1000 Plugins The Download Plugins page ( lists plugins that may be needed to access some content on or linked from SSU websites and Moodle. (If applicable, list any other plugins that may be needed to access/use publisher materials).