SYLLABUS PSY 321 Counseling Psychology Department of Psychology Goucher College Instructor: Dr. Nyasha Grayman-Simpson Days: Tues. & Thurs. Associate Professor Time: 9:55 11:35 Contact: nyasha.grayman@goucher.edu Location: Julia Rogers G48 Office Hours: M 3:30 4:30, W 3:30 4:30, Julia Rogers G17 Course Description Counseling Psychology is a specialty within professional psychology that maintains a focus on facilitating personal and interpersonal functioning across the lifespan. It privileges the use of scientific inquiries to best: (1) understand and support people through periods of psychological, social, and emotional distress that typically arise over the lifespan; (2) prevent abnormal psychological, social, and emotional functioning over the lifespan; and (3) promote optimal psychological, social, and emotional functioning over the lifespan. Counseling psychological preventions, interventions, and postventions are grounded in evidence-based strengths-focused, culturally sensitive, socially just practices. PSY 321 Counseling Psychology: How It Fits Into The Psychology Department s Big Picture Goucher College Psychology Department Mission Statement Psychology is a diverse and highly interdisciplinary field of study that involves the application of systematic methods of inquiry to the exploration of behavior, mental processes, and social relationships. The Department of Psychology has as its mission to educate students in the core knowledge and skills of the discipline of Psychology, together with Goucher s unique perspective that reflects a history and tradition of respecting diverse viewpoints and methods. This education contributes to the overall mission of the college as a liberal arts institution, to prepare students within a broad and humane perspective for a life of inquiry, creativity, and critical and analytical thinking. Across the varied perspectives represented in our department, we strive to create an open, supportive, challenging and vibrant learning culture. We value sharing our passion for the field of psychology through close and active mentoring inside and outside of the classroom. We encourage and model experiential learning in the form of community engagement, active involvement in research, collaborative construction of knowledge, and self-directed exploration. We provide students with the tools needed for 1
the development of more sophisticated insight into one s own and others behavior and mental processes. Towards these ends, the Psychology Department has identified seven guiding principles for its undergraduate curriculum. Our program is designed to facilitate students development of the following skills and knowledge: Psychology Department Learning Objective 1: Demonstrate understanding and competence regarding the use of research methodology in psychology. Psychology Department Learning Objective 2: Communicate effectively as it pertains to the study and practice of psychology. Psychology Department Learning Objective 3: Engage the world outside the classroom to use and/or inform one s knowledge of psychology. Psychology Department Learning Objective 4: Demonstrate understanding of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology. Psychology Department Learning Objective 5: Develop critical consciousness and an appreciation of a variety of ways of knowing. Psychology Department Learning Objective 6: Recognize, understand, and respect the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity as played out in psychology and related fields. Psychology Department Learning Objective 7: Develop an ethical framework with regard to the study and practice of psychology. Counseling Psychology Course Learning Objectives In this course, you will: (1) Develop an understanding of the centrality of cultural knowledge, awareness, and skills associated with competent counseling psychological practice; Psychology Department Learning Objective 6. Recognize, understand, and respect the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity as played out in psychology and related fields. (2) Develop an understanding of the ethics associated with competent counseling psychological practice; and Psychology Department Learning Objective 7. Develop an ethical framework with regard to the study and practice of psychology. 2
(3) Develop proficiency in the use of microcounseling skills and apply didactic learning of microcounseling skills to approximately 120 hours of fieldwork with a communitybased helpline. Psychology Department Learning Objective 3. Engage the World Outside of the Classroom to Use and/or Inform One s Knowledge of Psychology Required Readings (* = Available on GoucherLearn) Ivey, A. E., Ivey, M. B., & Zalaquett, C. P. (2014). Intentional interviewing and counseling: Facilitating client development in a multicultural world, 8 th ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. *Ponterotto, J. G., Casas, J. M., Suzuki, L. A., & Alexander, C. M. (2001). Handbook of multicultural counseling, 2 nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. *Ponterotto, J. G., Casas, J. M., Suzuki, L. A., & Alexander, C. M. (2010). Handbook of multicultural counseling, 3 rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Course Requirements Counseling Psychologists Life Stories Reflection 10% Your Genogram 10% Your Vocational Life Story 10% Microcounseling Skills 35% Practicum & Practicum Process 35% Counseling Psychologists Life Stories Reflection biographical tools such as oral histories, life stories, life histories, personal narratives, and mini-autobiographies have a long history in psychology. Erikson s (1958, 1969) studies of Luther and Gandhi, as well as Freud s (1910/1957) treatise on Leonardo da Vinci, are often cited as forerunners of psychological biographies and life stories. In reality, narrative means of self-an other-understanding likely can be traces back to the origins of the disciplined study of the human mind and behavior to the roots of psychology in Kemet (now Egypt), and the philosopher Imhotep around 2700 BC. (Ponterotto, 2010, p. 108) You are to read all 15 life stories posted in Topic 1 of your GoucherLearn course page. Write a reflection on each life story. Specifically, present select quotes that you believe well capture important dimensions of their lived experiences, along with your reactions to those lived experiences. Then, summarize themes unearthed in the life stories of 3
these prominent counseling psychologists. This assignment is worth 10% of your final grade and is due no later than Friday August 29, 2014 5:00 PM. Please use single space. Maximum of 15 pages submitted electronically to nyasha.grayman@goucher.edu Your Genogram Take from UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work http://www.unc.edu/~rooney/genogram.htm A genogram is a graphic representation of family members and relationships over at least three generations. It looks very much like a family tree or a genealogy chart; however, it also includes events in the family's history, particularly as related to the family life cycle. Genograms are useful tools in counseling psychology because they offer a visual representation of relational patterns over time. Completing a genogram has been known to invoke a sense of enlightenment and empowerment in the individuals who create them. For this assignment, you will create a genogram of your own family. Upon completing your genogram, please write a one page reflection that explores the process of creating a genogram. Specifically, reflect on your emotional responses to this exercise, consider what this exercise has taught you about yourself, and what new questions you have about your family and yourself as a consequence of this exercise. This assignment is worth 10% of your final grade and is due Thursday September 9 th. Please submit electronically to nyasha.grayman@goucher.edu Your Vocational Life Story Counseling Psychology is a specialty within professional psychology that maintains a focus on facilitating personal and interpersonal functioning across the lifespan. It privileges the use of scientific inquiries to best: (1) understand and support people through periods of psychological, social, and emotional distress that typically arise over the lifespan; (2) prevent abnormal psychological, social, and emotional functioning over the lifespan; and (3) promote optimal psychological, social, and emotional functioning over the lifespan. Counseling psychological preventions, interventions, and postventions are grounded in evidence-based strengths-focused, culturally sensitive, socially just practices. Now that you know what counseling psychology is, I would like for you to think deeply about the life experiences that may have led you to an interest in counseling psychology. Think about the geographical, social-cultural, and political contexts of your development, and their potential influences in your interest in psychology broadly, and counseling psychology specifically. Think about the people within your family, community, and within the larger world who have influenced your study of psychology, 4
and now counseling psychology. Recall self-defining memories and their connection to your interest in counseling psychology. A self-defining memory is a highly significant personal memory that can be characterized by the following properties: It evokes strong emotion at the time of recollection. It is vivid in the mind s eye, filled with sensory detail, like a snapshot or video clip. It becomes a repeated touchstone in consciousness that we actively retrieve in certain situation or that returns to us unbidden. It is representative of other memories that share its plot line, emotions, and themes. Though it is the most central one in a set of memories, it is highly linked to related memories. Finally, self-defining memories revolve around the most important concerns and conflicts in our lives for example, unrequited loves, sibling rivalries, successes and failures, moments of insight and disillusionment. (Blagov & Singer, 2004, p. 483-484) Finally, think about those traits, values, and abilities that exist within you that might help to explain your interest in counseling psychology. There is no page specification for this assignment. Take as much (or as little) space as you think that you need to tell a cogent vocational life story. Please select two pages from your life story to share with the class. This assignment is worth 10% of your final grade and is due Tuesday September 9 th. Please use single space, and submit electronically to nyasha.grayman@goucher.edu Microcounseling Skills Humanistic counseling skills are hierarchically structured. Foundational skills include: (1) attending, (2) observing, (3) empathic listening, (4) questioning, (5) encouraging, (6) non-affective paraphrasing, (7) affective paraphrasing, (8) summarizing, and (9) goal setting. Higher level skills include Empathic Confrontation, Reflection of Meaning, Interpretation, Reframing, Restorying, Self-Disclosure, Feedback, and Concrete Action. These skills can only be developed with practice over time. You will focus on developing proficiency in the first eight foundational humanistic counseling skills this semester. Skill development will take place within an experiential lab format. At the beginning of the semester, you will be placed into a quad. Your role within the quad will rotate between counselor, client, observer 1 (recording counselor use of microcounseling skills), observer 2 (recording counselor s nonverbal communications). Please select a real resolved personal issue that you feel comfortable discussing as a mock client throughout the duration of the semester. Skill development will also take place through outside reading on the various skills, skills-based worksheet completion, and video demonstration viewings. Microcounseling Skills proficiency is worth 35% of your final grade. 5
Practicum & Practicum Process You will apply your developing microcounseling skills in the real world as helpline volunteers at community-based human services organizations. You should expect to spend approximately 8-10 hours a week working the helpline (approximately 120 hours for the semester). This is consistent with the average amount of time that you should expect to dedicate to outside work for a 4-credit course. You must secure a helpline/hotline practicum placement by the first day of class, or you will need to withdraw from the course, as passing without practicum experience is not possible. In addition to working a helpline/hotline, you will engage in guided weekly practicum process with your classmates and instructor, and complete a self evaluation using the CDO s internship evaluation form. Your grade in practicum and practicum process will depend on your self, and my subjective evaluation of the quality of your engagement. Practicum and Practicum Process are worth 35% of your final grade Attendance Policy Your consistent and punctual presence in class demonstrates respect and consideration for everyone s investment in this learning process. If you find yourself missing 2 or more classes (excused or unexcused), you may want to/need to consider withdrawing from this course, as making up the work will likely prove too difficult. Death in the family, participation in religious holidays, involvement in school-sponsored activities, and illnesses requiring medical attention are some examples of excused absences. Grading Rubric 95 100 (A) 86 89 (B+) 76 79 (C+) 66 69 (D+) 90 94 (A-) 83 85 (B) 73 75 (C) 63 65 (D) 80 82 (B-) 70 72 (C-) 60 62 (D-) 59 (F) Course Schedule* Class 1 8/26 I Am & Course Overview Assignment: The Positive Psychology and Wellness Approach (p.45-59) Assignment: Stress Management and Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (p.323-340) Class 2 8/28 Optimism and Wellness Self-Assessment Assignment: Toward Intentional Interviewing, Counseling, and Psychotherapy (ch. 1) Assignment: Ethics and Multicultural Competence (p.29-45) 6
Class 3 9/2 Ethics/Multicultural Competence and Life Stories Discussion Assignment: The Community Genogram, The Family Genogram, Debriefings a Community Genogram (p.215-223) Assignment: Begin working on your Vocational Life Story Class 4 9/4 Genograms Assignment: Create your own Genogram Assignment: Complete Vocational Life Story Class 5 9/9 Vocational Life Stories and Genograms Assignment: Listening, Attending, and Empathy (p.63-76) Assignment: Observation Skills (p.ch.4) Class 6 9/11 Observation and Attending Assignment: Crisis Counseling (p.402-409) Class 7 9/16 Practicum Process 1 Assignment: Questions: Opening Communication (ch.5) Class 8 9/18 Questions Class 9 9/23 Practicum Process 2 Assignment: Encouragers (p.146-147) Class 10 9/25 Keywords & Restatements, Questions 7
Class 11 9/30 Practicum Process 3 Assignment: Paraphrasing (p.147-149) Class 12 10/2 Non-affective Paraphrasing, Keywords & Restatements, Questions Class 13 10/7 Practicum Process 4 Assignment: Reflecting Feelings (ch.7) Class 14 10/9 Affective paraphrasing, Non-affective Paraphrasing, Keywords & Restatements, Questions Class 15 10/14 Practicum Process 5 Assignment: Summarizing (p.149) Class 16 10/16 Summarizing, Affective Paraphrasing, Non-affective Paraphrasing, Keywords & Restatements, Questions Class 17 10/21 Practicum Process 6 Class 18 10/23 Summarizing, Affective Paraphrasing, Non-affective Paraphrasing, Keywords & Restatements, Questions Continued 8
Class 19 10/28 Practicum Process 7 Assignment: How to Conduct a Five Stage Counseling Session Using Only Listening Skills (ch.8) Class 20 10/30 Conducting a Three-Stage Initial Counseling Sessions Using Listening Skills Class 21 11/4 Practicum Process 8 Class 22 11/6 Conducting a Three-Stage Initial Counseling Sessions Using Listening Skills Class 23 11/11 Practicum Process 9 Class 24 11/13 Conducting a Three-Stage Initial Counseling Sessions Using Listening Skills Class 25 11/18 Practicum Process 10 Class 26 11/20 Conducting a Three-Stage Initial Counseling Sessions Using Listening Skills Class 27 11/25 Practicum Process 11 9
Class 28 12/2 Practicum Process 12 Assignment: Determining Personal Style and Future Theoretical/Practical integration (ch.16) Class 29 12/4 Final Process, Self-Evaluation, Course Evaluation * We will attempt to stick to the schedule as it is outlined. However, assignments may need to be adjusted due to unforeseen circumstances. 10
Grayman-Simpson 11