Las Positas College
3033 Collier Canyon Road
Livermore, CA 94550-7650
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Course Outline for Psychology- Counseling 3
INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELING THEORY AND SKILLS
I.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
PSCN 3 — INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELING THEORY AND SKILLS — 3 units
Introduction to counseling theory and practice with emphasis on fundamental principles of
counseling process including diagnostic methodologies, behavioral assessment, goal
setting, multicultural sensitivity and need to understand client reality and to facilitate
change. Focus on essential counseling theories, major diagnostic categories, problems
and solutions of recovery, cultural diversity, and ethical issues. 3 hours.
II.
NUMBER OF TIMES COURSE MAY BE TAKEN FOR CREDIT: One
III.
PREREQUISITE AND/OR ADVISORY SKILLS: None
IV.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
V.
describe the historical foundations and recent trends in counseling;
explain the purpose and construction of counseling theory;
Identify theoretical models of counseling theory and behavior change;
specify counseling principles as derived from learning theory;
specify counseling principles as derived from addictions/recovery;
demonstrate knowledge of counseling theory and skills derived from communication
theory;
describe components of therapeutic interventions;
explain legal and ethical considerations in counseling;
evaluate place of social and human service agencies in counseling; identify
emerging issues in counseling.
CONTENT:
A.
Overview
1.
Definition and historical foundations of counseling
2.
Overview of counseling and therapy, theory and practice
3.
Key characteristics of successful practitioners
4.
Counselor-client confidentiality
5.
Recent effects of managed care on treatment choices
B.
Counseling theory, its purpose and construction
1.
Methods of classification of mental disorders
2.
Symptom identification and therapeutic methodologies
C.
Theoretical models of counseling and behavior change
1.
Medical (psychiatric) models
2.
Intra-psychic (psychoanalytic) “depth” models
3.
Transactional Analysis and “contract” treatment models
4.
Existential (choice/meaning/experience based) models
5.
Gestalt (wholeness) and person-centered models
6.
Behavioral (learning) oriented models
7.
Cognitive and Rational Emotive models
Course Outline for PSCN 3
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INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELING THEORY AND SKILLS
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
8.
Systemic (i.e. Family Systems) models
Principles of counseling as derived from learning theory
1.
Observational learning and behavioral shaping
2.
Antecedent and consequence focused behavioral change
3.
Classical and operant conditioning
4.
Environmental-cultural teaching-learning systems
Principles of counseling as derived from addictions/recovery theory
1.
Genetic predisposition
2.
Family systems and environmental “triggers”
3.
Cycles of addiction (i.e. experimentation, habituation, tolerance, denial)
4.
Stages of recovery (e.g. intervention, withdrawal, medical, behavioral and
emotional treatment, counseling, support relapse prevention, 12 step
recovery, etc.)
5.
Dual diagnosis and multiple addictions complexities
6.
Treatment and counseling methodologies
Communication theory and skills acquisition
1.
Listening theory and identifying barriers
2.
Developing empathy and observational skills
3.
Reflective listening: reflecting facts, feeling, and meaning
4.
Assertiveness
5.
Problem definition and conflict resolution
Therapeutic interventions
1.
Assessment interventions
2.
Behavioral interventions
3.
Cognitive interventions
4.
Assessing severity and warning signs
5.
Persistent symptoms or chronic disorders
Legal and ethical considerations in counseling
Agencies in social and human services
1.
Community resources and making effective referrals
2.
Effective managers and utilization of supervision
Emerging issues in counseling
1.
Burnout, boundaries, and de-stigmatization
2.
Gender equality, sexual orientation, safe-sex practices
3.
Diversity, race, ethnicity, heritage, and cultural factors
4.
Economics and environmental factors
5.
Disability legislation, consumer rights (e.g. ADA, NAMI, etc.)
6.
Employment advocacy for persons with disabilities (PWD’s)
VI.
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION:
A.
Lecture
B.
Small group and whole class discussion\audio-visual tapes, videos, DVDs, and
interactive technologies
C.
Guest presentations
D.
Field experiences and assignments
E.
Written assignments, including journals, essays, and other exams
VII.
TYPICAL ASSIGNMENTS:
A.
Reading assignments in text and classroom lecture/discussion
1.
Lecture theme: “The Community Counselor as Change Agent”
2.
Facilitate discussion to examine role of social change agency
a.
Examine and discuss barriers and challenges to counselor functioning
to develop and implement social change strategies
b.
Compare traditional intra-psychic counseling paradigm with social
change counseling paradigm
B.
Writing assignment journal essay summarizing the main points on the theme
Course Outline for PSCN 3
Page 3
INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELING THEORY AND SKILLS
Write and journal about instance in which viewed issue as strictly “personal”
and how traditional counseling may have helped in solution verses recognizing
an issue as “supra-personal” and empowering action that may have called on
community support to render change.
2.
Write alternatively a journal essay contrasting perceptions between viewing life
issues as individually based and soluble verses socio-culturally weighted,
involving environmental and systemic change as part of solution.
Critical thinking and problem solving
1.
Research pros and cons about expanding counselor’s role to include some
action as a social change agent.
2.
Analyze forces maintaining the existing status quo counseling paradigm.
3.
Prepare for class presentation of your findings including reasoning, research
and argumentation refuting or supporting inclusion of community counselors
as change agents.
4.
Journal to update your self-observations and growth in theoretical and
practical understanding of this theme reflecting on learning from class
presentations. Include some discussion of the right to personal privacy as
contrasted with society’s needs for expanding knowledge base.
1.
C.
VIII.
EVALUATION:
A.
Methods of evaluation may include:
1.
Class participation and performance
2.
Evaluation of work from assigned texts, class-work, exercises, journal
writings, essays, tests and quizzes
3.
Examples of typical essay test questions:
a.
In essay form, choose two counseling theories you see to be most
divergent and compare them as follows:
i.
Contrast what you see to be their differences and
ii.
Give examples of what client issues applying one would be more
likely to bring results then by applying the other.
iii.
Explain which theory you see to be more applicable to counseling
functioning to bring about social change and explain why it would
be more likely to do so. Ex. 2
b.
Explain as a counselor, how you would deal with a “need to know”
request from a managed care company for records regarding one of
your clients who you knew to have trust issues and whom you knew to
have quit a previous therapy due to activation of these trust issues.
4.
Class discussion and role-plays evaluated to demonstrate adequate mastery
of theory and skills learned.
B.
Frequency:
1.
Midterm, final oral or written learning assessments
2.
Weekly written reports of journal summary progress
3.
Semester-long preparations of case role-plays evaluated as part of final
learning assessments
IX.
TYPICAL TEXTS:
A.
Parrott, III, Les, Counseling and Psychotherapy, Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole,
2003.
B.
Sharf, Richard S., Theories of Psychotherapy and Counseling: Concepts and Cases,
Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole, 2003.
C.
MacCluskie, Kathryn C. and Ingersol, R.E., Becoming a 21st Century Agency
Counselor; Personal and Professional Explorations, Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole,
2003.
D.
MaGlasser, M.D. William, Counseling with Choice Theory: The New Reality Therapy,
New York: Harper Collins, 2000.
Course Outline for PSCN 3
INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELING THEORY AND SKILLS
X.
OTHER MATERIALS REQUIRED OF STUDENTS: None
Creation Date:
01/03
Revision Date:
Date Approved by Curriculum Committee: 12/10/03
Effective Date: Fall 2004
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