CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO
Department of Psychology
Psychology 673B
Section 1
Class No. 1690
Fall 2014
Tues 11-1:50
Modoc 211
Practicum in Group Counseling
Instructor: Peter Lopez, Ph.D.
Email: palopez@csuchico.edu
Office: Modoc 104
Office Phone: 898-5292
Office Hours: M 1:30 – 3; T 2:30 – 4
Website: www.csuchico.edu/~palopez/
(Note: Do NOT send email to plopez@csuchico.edu; that is Dr. Paul Lopez in Sociology.)
Required Texts:
Donigan, J., & Malnati, R. (1996 or 2005). Systemic Group Therapy: A Triadic Model. Pacific Grove,
CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
A group exercises/technique book of the student’s choice.
Other Recommended Resources:
Chen, M., & Rybak, C. J. (2004). Group leadership skills: Interpersonal process in group counseling
and therapy. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole—Thompson Learning.
Prerequisite:
PSYC 670 (Group Counseling) is a pre-requisite for this course.
Course Description:
This is an advanced graduate course designed to provide the student with practical group counseling
experience and close supervision. The purpose of this course is to focus and develop your group
leadership skills and further develop your conceptual understanding of group processes. Each student
will run three groups. The course will include supervision for your groups, related readings, and
demonstrations/practice of various group techniques.
The basic scheduled elements of the course are as follows:
1) Three-hour weekly meetings, including both discussion of assigned readings and group supervision;
2) Bi-weekly Instructor Supervision, 1-hour individual supervision every other week.
3) Bi-weekly peer session-video review, every other week, you will review a peer’s session-video
recording and provide him or her with feedback (via a written Peer Review Form).
4) Written Session Notes (i.e., a Progress Note, and a Process Summary) will be completed each week.
5) Session-Video Submission Form (with accompanying digital file) prepared each week to be given to
the instructor or a peer each week.
6) Your group sessions and preparation time.
PSYC 673B
Lopez; page 2
Course Objectives:
1) To provide a supportive learning environment that promotes self-study and education toward becoming
a more effective group counselor.
To advance and utilize knowledge of group theory, facilitation, and counseling.
To increase each student’s understanding of group dynamics.
To increase each student’s awareness of content and process issues.
To practice group psychotherapy.
To learn how to make mistakes without disrupting the flow of the therapy process.
To learn new group interventions and leadership skills
To develop self-trust and confidence
To help students become aware of their strengths and weaknesses as a counselor and to personalize the
agenda to meet each student’s specific needs.
10) To develop supervisory skills via a peer-review process.
11) To grow as a professional in the psychotherapeutic field.
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Requirements:
1) Attendance and participation in weekly meetings and bi-weekly supervision. Prepare for class by
(a) reading and coming to class with an important point or question to discuss, and (b) selecting
useful portions of your session-videos to review in group and individual supervision.
2) Groups (at least three).
a. In some cases, co-leader groups may be allowed.
3) Digitally record all sessions and submit at least one video weekly (to me or your peer-reviewer):
a. Select a 15 minute section that you would like reviewed.
b. Write a short description of what happened prior to this segment and a short description of
what you think is happening during the 15 minute segment and why it is important.
c. Mention anything that you think the reviewer should pay close attention to.
d. Keep in mind that the reviewer may choose to view the complete session.
4) Weekly case notes. Write and submit weekly case notes to me. (For co-leader sessions, only one
counselor needs to write and turn in the weekly Progress Note, but both must submit a Process
Summary.)
5) Bi-weekly peer-review summary. Written summary report reviewing one of your peer’s sessionvideos, submitted on the form provided, turned in every other week.
6) Group exercise/technique demonstration. Each student will select one group exercise or technique
to demonstrate in the group practicum meetings throughout the semester. Students will take the role
of group leader and their peers will play the role of group member. Students will also lead a
discussion about the technique, its goals, and the strengths and weaknesses of the technique. This
activity is intended to provide the opportunity to experiment with new techniques and provide
constructive feedback. Students also will provide a quick review of their selected group
exercises/technique book.
7) Case presentation
a. Each student will make a case presentation to the class during the last few weeks of the
semester.
b. Provide background information to help the class understand the video segment.
c. Show a video clip that demonstrates a successful intervention.
d. Explain why the intervention was successful (i.e., what did you do that made it successful).
e. Explain what you have learned from the course and how you have used that information in
your group work.
8) Written end-of-semester summary and evaluation of each group (due on class day during finals
week).
9) Responsible, professional, and ethical behavior in your groups, and in supervision.
PSYC 673B
Lopez; page 3
Evaluation: Partial evaluation of your performance will be based on:
1) My evaluation of your actual level of competence in group leadership as observed in session videos,
as well as feedback from field supervisors (if any) and group members; your competence will be
evaluated in the areas of structuring, guiding, and challenging.
a. Structuring group involvement and group member interaction to facilitate group
cohesiveness.
b. Guiding member involvement and member exploration to promote a therapeutic group
environment.
c. Challenging group members to explore personal, interpersonal, and family script
dynamics via the group.
2) Conceptual understanding of group process and individual dynamics.
3) Preparation for group and supervision sessions through planning group sessions, reviewing your
session videos, selecting useful segments and asking questions about your session, keeping up with
reading assignments, and keeping up on session notes and forms.
4) Quality of written summaries, peer-reviews, and case notes.
5) Ability to evaluate your own sessions and performance, as well as explore countertransference issues
evoked by the group process.
6) Openness to and use of feedback in the process of growth as a group leader.
7) Quality of leadership/participation during demonstrations and group supervision.
8) Provision of useful and honest feedback to others.
9) Self-awareness of your competence, strengths, and weaknesses in both the counseling and
supervision process.
10) Response to and use of supervision.
11) Adherence to ethical and professional guidelines.
Grading:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Counseling Competency
Supervisee Competency
Presentations (Case & Intervention)
Case management
Total
70 points
10 points
10 points
10 points
100 points
Note: To earn a "B" or better in this course, a student must attain at least 56 points for Counseling
Competency and at least 8 points for Supervisee Competency. To pass this course, a student must
adhere to ethical and professional guidelines.
Attendance: Attendance is required for all classes, groups, and supervision sessions. More than one
legitimately excused absence will result in a letter grade step reduction (e.g. A to A-, A- to B+, etc.).
Final Grades
Final letter grades will be distributed according to the following:
A
AB+
93 – 100
90 – 92
87 – 89
B
BC+
83 – 86
80 - 82
77 – 79
C
73 – 76
C- 70 - 72
D+ 67 - 69
D
F
60 - 66
below 60
PSYC 673B
Lopez; page 4
Class Schedule
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Date
Aug 26
Sept 2
Sept 9
Sept 16
Sept 23
Sept 30
Oct 7
Oct 14
Oct 21
Oct 28
Nov 4
Nov 11
Nov 18
Nov 25
Dec 2
Dec 9
Dec 16
Description
Intro to class, scheduling, and overview
Group counseling overview
Group counseling overview (cont)
Group counseling overview (cont)
Group Technique Presentations
Group Technique Presentations
Group Technique Presentations
Group Technique Presentations
Group Technique Presentations
Supervision of groups
Supervision of groups
Veteran’s Day – No Class
Supervision of groups
Thanksgiving Break – No Class
Supervision of groups
Case presentations
Case presentations
Note: SGT – Systemic Group Therapy text.
Readings/Assignments
SGT: Part I & II
SGT: Part III & IV
Students:
Students:
Students:
Students:
Students: