Grayman-Simpson
Counseling Psychology
SYLLABUS
PSY 321 Counseling Psychology
Department of Psychology
Goucher College
Instructor:
Contact:
Dr. Nyasha Grayman-Simpson
Days:
Tue. & Thur.
Associate Professor
Time:
9:55 – 11:35
nyasha.grayman@goucher.edu
Julia Rogers, G17
Class Location:
Van Meter, B11
Office Hours: Whenever my door is open. Best drop-in days and times are Mon., Wed.,
and Fri. (10:00 – 12:00). Of course, we can always schedule a formal appointment.
“In the lab that I now work in at Hopkins, part of my job involves helping our
participants, who have barriers to employment find jobs. I use the skills I gained
in that class almost every day in building relationships with participants as well
as employers in the community.”
- Former Goucher College Counseling Psychology Student
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
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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
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;
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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.
(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, 8th ed.
Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
*Ponterotto, J. G., Casas, J. M., Suzuki, L. A., & Alexander, C. M. (2001).
Handbook of multicultural counseling, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
*Ponterotto, J. G., Casas, J. M., Suzuki, L. A., & Alexander, C. M. (2010).
Handbook of multicultural counseling, 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Course Requirements
Counseling Psychologists’ Life Stories Reflection – 10%
Your Genogram – 10%
Your Vocational Life Story – 10%
Microcounseling Skills – 20%
Practicum & Practicum Process – 20%
Final Cross-Cultural Counseling Interview – 30%
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
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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
these prominent counseling psychologists. This assignment is worth 10% of your final
grade. Please use single space.
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,
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,
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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. Please use single space.
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 using Geno Pro, an online tool.
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
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 triad. Your role within the triad will
rotate between counselor, client, observer 1 (recording counselor use of
microcounseling skills and nonverbal communications). Please select a real resolved
personal issue that you feel comfortable discussing as a mock client throughout the
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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 20% of your final grade.
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 20% of your final grade
Final Cross-Cultural Counseling Interview
You will conduct one 30-45 minute cross-cultural counseling interview
After interview, submit the following:
(1) Audio (regular or micro) of the interviews
(2) A verbatim transcript of your BEST 10 minutes of the interview
(3) Coded responses in parentheses in the right margin of verbatim transcript
(4) A signed Confidentiality Agreement form
(5) Client feedback form
(6) Assessment write-up
(7) Self-Reflective essay
This interview will provide you with an opportunity to apply and demonstrate your level
of mastery of the microcounseling skills we have discussed and practiced extensively in
class. This is not a typical conversational with a friend, so please do not submit any
interviews of that nature as they will receive Zero (0) points. Creating a professional
setting requires that the interviews be held in a quiet, comfortable, professional setting
without distractions such as other people talking, TVs, phones ringing, music, dogs
barking, children playing, doors slamming, etc.
Interviews should be conducted with a “client” who is culturally distinctive from most of
your friends in at least one way (e.g., racially, class, gender, sexual orientation,
nationality, religion, native language, developmentally, abled-bodiness). Your client
must discuss a real, not fictitious situation.
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Real situations are best so that you can practice the micro-skills with less awkwardness.
This should be an unresolved issue. Suggested topics might include, but are not
limited to:
Making a difficult decision
Relationship with parents
The ending of a relationship
Grief/loss (death, job, etc.)
A problem at school
Concerns about growing older
A mid-life transition
Caring for an elderly or chronically ill family member
Having, parenting, or being the sibling of a person with a disability
Major changes such as a divorce in the family, new child (birth, adoption, foster,
interracial adoption, international adoption)
Being a “minority” student on a “majority” campus (e.g., consider age, race, ethnicity,
culture, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, social class, etc.)
Living in or attending school where you are/ were in the minority, in a different country,
and/or in a different language than your first language, etc.
A situation in which s/he is or has attempted to find community services for him/herself
or a family member
Adjusting to divorce
Adjusting to college
Parenting concerns
Career concerns
Do not choose the following people for your interviews: a family member, best friend,
roommate, in-law, romantic partner, or someone you know well. This presents awkward
situations that do not result in a good interview. When you are very close to the
interviewer there may be little more you can learn from them. Instead, choose someone
that you don’t know very well.
Your grade for the interview will be based on how effectively you respond to what the
client tells you using the microskills, accuracy of your response coding, quality of your
assessment write-up, and quality of your critical self-reflection. This assignment is
worth 30% of your grade.
Social Identity Checklist
We may think about our lives as existing in public (work, school, stores, etc.) and
private (home, friends, family, neighborhood, social organizations, etc.) spaces. In your
work as counseling professionals, you are likely to feel most comfortable when you are
placed within a public working environment that mirrors the private spaces of your life.
However, because our private spaces are most often occupied by individuals who are
culturally similar to us, we may be limited in our competence when required to work with
diverse populations and/or clientele. While continuing to expand the diversity of your
social networks within your private space will greatly enhance your professional
competence, this is ultimately a matter of personal choice. At the same time, it is my
goal to facilitate the development of your abilities to work with culturally diverse clients.
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Consequently, for your interview project, you will be required to interview a client who is
culturally distinct from you and those like you sharing your private space. For the
purposes of this exercise, you are to: (1) indicate whether the majority of individuals
within your private space occupy similar or dissimilar social positions as you; (2) rank
order the homogeneity of the social positions within your private space with #1 being
most similar/homogeneous and #11 being least similar/homogeneous.
Similar
Dissimilar
Rank
Nationality
Race
Ethnicity
Class
Gender
Religion
Sexual Orientation
Language
Abled-bodiness
Age Group
Size
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)
90 – 94 (A-)
86 – 89 (B+)
83 – 85 (B)
80 – 82 (B-)
76 – 79 (C+)
73 – 75 (C)
70 – 72 (C-)
66 – 69 (D+)
63 – 65 (D)
60 – 62 (D-)
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≤59 (F)
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Course Schedule*
Class 1
9/1
Course Overview
“I Am” Screening & Discussion Questions
Assignment:
Complete “I Am” Discussion Questions
Read The Positive Psychology and Wellness Approach (p.45-59).
Complete Optimism Scale (p. 47)
Complete Optimism One Page Reflection (p.48)
Complete Wellness Assessment (p. 51-56)
Complete Wellness and Positive Psychology One Page Reflection (p. 62, question #3)
Class 2
9/3
“I Am” Discussion
Optimism Discussion
Wellness Discussion
Assignment:
Counseling Psychologists’ Life Stories Reflections Due Tomorrow (9/4)
Read Stress Management and Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (p.323-340).
Complete Impact of a Simple Stressor Exercise (p.324)
Complete Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes One Page Reflection (p.339)
Class 3
9/8
Impact of Simple Stressor Discussion
Therapeutic Lifestyle Change Reflection Discussion
Practicum Process
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Counseling Psychology Life Stories Discussion
Vocational Life Story Assignment Overview
Assignment:
Complete Vocational Life Story Due in One Week (9/15)
Read Toward Intentional Interviewing, Counseling, and Psychotherapy (ch. 1)
Complete Goals of Counseling and Therapy One Page Reflection (p.9)
Complete Culture Counts One Page Reflection (p.19)
Complete How Neuroscience Speaks to You One Page Reflection (p.23)
Read Ethics and Multicultural Competence (p.29-45)
Complete Ethical Professional Behavior One Page Reflection (p.38, part I of question)
Watch Report on APA Banning Participation in National Security Interrogations (25 min.)
http://www.democracynow.org/2015/8/10/no_more_torture_world_s_largest
Class 4
9/10
Counseling and Therapy Goals Discussion
Culture Counts Discussion
Neuroscience and Counseling Discussion
Ethical Professional Behavior Discussion
Assignment:
Reminder: Vocational Life Story Due Next Class
Read Listening, Attending, and Empathy (p.63-76)
Complete Exercise 2 (p.84) Using Classic 10 min. Counseling Session Between
Carl Rogers & Gloria https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m30jsZx_Ngs & Attending
Behavior Form
Re-watch Carl Rogers & Gloria Session and Complete Exercise 2 (p. 108)
Read Observation Skills (p.ch.4)
Complete Exercise 3 (p. 108) 10 min. instead of 20 min. as stated in text - Microskill:
Observation and Attending. Make sure natural conversation is taking place in a public
space, and that you have someone else record it
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Class 5
9/15
Vocational Life Story Excerpt Share
Practicum Process
Carl Rogers & Gloria Session Discussion
Observation and Attending Exercise Presentation and Discussion
Genogram Assignment Overview
Assignment:
Read The Community Genogram, The Family Genogram, Debriefings a
Community Genogram (p.215-223)
Complete Genogram and Reflection Due in One Week (9/22)
Questions: Opening Communication (ch.5)
Complete Resistance to Questions One Page Reflection (p. 119)
Class 6
9/17
Resistance to Questions Reflection Discussion
Microskill Practice: Questions
Assignment:
Reminder: Genogram Due Next Class
Read Encouragers (p.146-147)
Class 7
9/22
Formal Genogram and Reflection Presentation (5 min. each)
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Practicum Process
Microskills Practice: Keywords & Restatements, Questions
Assignment:
Read Crisis Counseling (p.402-409)
Read Paraphrasing (p.147-149)
Class 8
9/24
Microskills Practice: Non-Affective Paraphrasing, Keywords & Restatements, Questions
Assignment:
Reflecting Feelings (ch.7)
Complete Here and Now One Page Reflection (p. 172)
Class 9
9/29
Practicum Process
Here and Now Reflection Discussion
Microskills Practice: Affective Paraphrasing, Non-Affective Paraphrasing, Keywords &
Restatements, Questions
Assignment:
Read Summarizing (p.149)
Class 10
10/1
Microskills Practice: Summarizing, Affective Paraphrasing, Non-affective Paraphrasing,
Keywords & Restatements, Questions
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Class 11
10/6
Practicum Process
Repeat Microskills Practice: Summarizing, Affective Paraphrasing, Non-affective
Paraphrasing, Keywords & Restatements, Questions
Class 12
10/8
One-On-One Microskills Learning Progress Meetings and Midterm Grades
Assignment:
How to Conduct a Five Stage Counseling Session Using Only Listening
Skills (ch.8)
Class 13
10/13
Practicum Process
Counseling Practice: Conducting a Three-Stage Initial Counseling Sessions
Using Listening Skills
Class 14
10/15
Repeat Counseling Practice: Conducting a Three-Stage Initial Counseling Sessions
Using Listening Skills
Class 15
10/20
Practicum Process
Cross-Cultural Counseling Assignment Overview – Identifying Client and Consent Form
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Counseling Demonstration #1 – Carl Rogers
Assignment:
Identify Client and Secure Consent. Due Next Week (10/27)
Class 16
10/22
Cross-Cultural Counseling Assignment Overview – Conduct Three-Stage Initial
Counseling Session and Client Feedback Form
Post Goucher Plan Presentation: Considering Graduate School
Assignment:
Conduct Counseling Session and Secure Feedback. Due Next Week (10/29)
Class 17
10/27
Practicum Process
Cross-Cultural Counseling Assignment Overview – Transcribing and Coding Interview
Counseling Demonstration #2 – Anderson J. Franklin (45 min.)
Assignment:
Code and Transcribe Best 10 min. of Session. Due Next Week (11/3)
Class 18
10/29
Cross-Cultural Counseling Assignment Overview – Counseling Assessment Write-Up
Post Goucher Plan Presentation: Considering Human Services and Education Positions
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Assignment:
Complete Counseling Assessment Write-Up Due Next Week (11/5)
Class 19
11/3
Practicum Process
Cross-Cultural Counseling Assignment Overview – Counseling Interview Reflection
Counseling Demonstration # 3 – Maria P.P. Root (45 min.)
Assignment:
Complete Counseling Interview Reflection. Due Next Week (11/10)
Class 20
11/5
Cross-Cultural Counseling Assignment Overview – Preparing Case Conceptualization
Presentation
Post Goucher Plan Presentation: Creating CV’s and Resumes
Assignment: Prepare Final Cross-Cultural Counseling Case Conceptualization
Presentation Due Next Week (11/12)
Complete CV/Resume Due Next Class
Class 21
11/10
Practicum Process
Counseling Demonstration #4 – Laura S. Brown (45 min.)
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Class 22
11/12
Cross-Cultural Counseling Case Conceptualization Presentations (10 min. each)
Class 23
11/17
Practicum Process
One-On-One CV/Resume Feedback Meetings
Assignment:
Revise CV/Resume Due Next Class
Class 24
11/19
Post Goucher Plan Presentation: Writing Graduate School Personal Statement(s)
Assignment:
Complete Draft of Graduate School Statement(s)
Class 25
11/24
Practicum Process
Counseling Demonstration #5 – Thomas A. Parham (45 min.)
Class 26
12/1
Post Graduate Plan Presentation: Writing Cover Letters and Professional
Communication Etiquette
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Assignment:
Write Job Cover Letter Due Next Class
Class 27
12/3
Practicum Process
Counseling Demonstration #6 – Pamela A. Hays (45 min.)
Assignment: Complete Course and CDO Internship Self Evaluation Forms
Class 28
12/8
Final Process
Class 29
12/10
Final One-On-One Learning Outcomes Meetings
Course Evaluations
* We will attempt to stick to the schedule as it is outlined. However, assignments may need to be adjusted due to unforeseen
circumstances.
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