PSYC 541-001
PSYCHOTHERAPY: THEORY AND PRACTICE I
FALL, 2008
CLASS MEETINGS: MONDAYS, 4 – 6:40 PM
3 CREDITS
Professor:
Office:
Phone:
e-mail:
homepage:
Michelle H. Mamberg, Ph.D.
334 Hart Hall
(508) 531- 2515
Michelle.mamberg@Bridgew.Edu
http://webhost.bridgew.edu/mmamberg/
Office Hours:
MON: 1:30 – 2:30 pm
TU:
2:00 – 3:00 pm
TH:
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Or, by appointment
TEXTS
James, R.K. & Gilliland, B.E. (2003). Theories and Strategies in Counseling and
Psychotherapy, 5th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
[ISBN: 978-0-205-34397-3] http://wps.ablongman.com/ab_james_psycho_5/
Okun, B. F., & Kantrowitz, R. E. (2008). Effective helping: Interviewing and counseling
techniques, 7th ed. Monterey, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole Publishing.
[ISBN: 978-0-495-00625-1]
http://www.wadsworth.com/cgiwadsworth/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20b&flag=student&product_isbn_issn=97804950
06251&discipline_number=7
ARTICLES
Cushman, P. (2002). How psychology erodes personhood. Journal of theoretical and
philosophical psychology, 22(2), 103 – 113.
McAdams, D. (1998). The role of defense in the life story. Journal of personality, 66(6),
1125-1146.
Salmon, P., Sephton, S., Weissbecker, I., Hoover, K., Ulmer, C., & Studts, J. (2004).
Mindfulness meditation in clinical practice. Cognitive and behavioral practice, 11, 2004,
434-446.
Wilson, M. (1993). DSM-III and the Transformation of American Psychiatry: A History.
American journal of psychiatry, 150(3), 399-410.
Yalom, I. D. & Leszcz, M. (2005). Chapter 1 in The Theory and Practice of Group
Psychotherapy, 5th ed. NY: Basic Books, p. 1-18.
PSYC 541-001
Dr. Mamberg
I.
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OVERVIEW
This second-year course is designed to provide a clinician with a broad overview
of various theories of psychotherapy and counseling used for treatment and prevention in
adult populations. In this course you will examine and apply various approaches to
psychotherapy including: psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive, behavioral, and systems
perspectives. No single orientation will be espoused, rather, students will be expected to
understand and apply treatment strategies based on a developmental-integrative model.
A combination of lectures, class activities, readings, video clips, films and writing
assignments will be used. Understanding the material at both theoretical and practical
levels will be emphasized as much as is possible. Various perspectives will be reviewed
to help illuminate the ways that psychologists intervene with persons in distress. Students
will be expected to take an active, analytic and critical approach to the material they
learn. Questioning of this material is not only encouraged, it is expected.
This syllabus will serve as your road map for the course. It provides information
essential to both learning the material fully and following the structure of the course.
Bring this packet to each class, so you can note any changes to the schedule. While we
will generally follow the class grid, it may be altered to accommodate class needs. You
will, of course, be notified of such changes.
II.
COURSE GOALS
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to…
1. Demonstrate knowledge of and ability to reflect upon theoretical issues relevant to
the practice of psychotherapy with adults.
2. Demonstrate an ability to understand psychological difficulties and their treatment
from various perspectives and to articulate an integration of these perspectives for
use in one’s own clinical practice.
3. Show an understanding of normal and abnormal psychological functioning
including affective, cognitive, behavioral, relational and systemic aspects which
pertain to effective psychotherapy.
4. Discuss how social and cultural contexts impact both clients’ and therapists’
understandings of psychological struggles and how that understanding relates to
effective psychotherapy.
5. Be familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of each theoretical approach to
psychotherapy and how to choose appropriate techniques based on clinical
formulations of client personality, interpersonal (relational) factors and cultural
relevance.
6. Demonstrate an advanced ability to form an integrative model of understanding
and treating adults.
Page 2 of 6
Rev’d, 9/7/08
PSYC 541-001
Dr. Mamberg
III.
ATTENDANCE, PREPARATION & PARTICIPATION
A. Attendance is expected.
This is an intensive course which centers around reading and discussion; therefore
class participation and attendance are both important and expected. Attendance will be
taken for each class and will be logged into a separate page in the gradebook each week.
View this page periodically to check for discrepancies.
B. Preparation is vital.
1.
Be Prepared for Class.
It is your responsibility to stay current with the syllabus. It is expected and
required that you complete all assigned readings prior to class. To maximize your
learning and retention, read the entire assignment before class and highlight any sections
that you found confusing. You are encouraged to come to my office hours with any
questions which cannot be addressed in class. If you are unable to engage in a group
activity or discussion during class because you have not completed the assignment, your
participation grade will be significantly impacted.
2.
Form Study Groups
Although each student is expected to work independently on submissions and
exams, study groups will help you to integrate course material as you learn it. If you meet
with fellow students throughout the semester, you can think through the readings together
and talk about how what you are hearing about in class relates to the assigned readings.
Meeting on a regular basis is usually more effective than only meeting to study together
right before an exam. Such groups work best when they consist of 3-5 students, please
see me if you are unable to form study groups.
3.
Access Technological Support.
This course will use both the Blackboard.Com Course Page AND my own
webpage to disseminate information and documents. Thus, you need to be prepared to
access both sites periodically to obtain course material.
C. Participation.
Consistent, informed and active participation is expected of all students. Please
bring the day’s assigned reading to class. Most sessions will involve discussion of one of
your text chapters, some days we will also view films or video clips. Take notes on
visual material and exercises just as you would lecture. Active participation means that
not only should you be prepared for class, you should also show that you have thought
through the reading. Each student will also be expected to contribute by presenting one
of the assigned readings for class discussions. Presentation assignments will be discussed
further in class; they are expected to take about 45 minutes each. The participation grade
is worth 25% and takes account of your assigned presentation, attendance and
punctuality, preparation and, most importantly, discussion.
Participation Grades are based on the following scale:
Page 3 of 6
Rev’d, 9/7/08
PSYC 541-001
Dr. Mamberg
Truly Exceptional
Excellent
Good
Average
Below Average
Barely there
Poor / Disruptive
IV.
10
9
8
7
6
4-5
1-3
REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION PROCESS
A. Exams (50%)
1) There will be one in-class exam and one final exam. Each of the exams
counts for 25% of your grade, for a total of 50%. The questions will be primarily
extended essay papers and may be in class or assigned as take-home exams. The test
questions will be drawn from lectures, class activities, and videos, as well as from reading
assignments and the textbooks. Some questions will be drawn exclusively from readings
which are not directly covered in class, so it is your responsibility to make sure you
understand everything in the assigned readings.
Make-up exams will not be allowed except in extreme circumstances.
B. Final Project (25%)
There will be a final project which will be described in a separate hand-out. It
will include in-depth analysis of our assigned readings and your own experience. The
entire final project counts for 25% of your grade. It’s focus will be to help integrate the
course material, while displaying your depth of understanding.
Good writing matters in graduate papers and will affect your grade on this
assignment. Use other members of the class or your friends to critique early drafts of
your writing in terms of both style and content before you submit your work. The
analyses in your papers must be demonstrably based on evidence and reason, not mere
assertion or personal belief. Be sure to explain your points clearly and always cite
sources whether quoted or paraphrased, according to A.P.A. style.
C. Grading
You will be able to access your grades during the term via an Excel spreadsheet
found on my course webpage (or, possibly on Blackboard.com). The following weighting
system will be applied to compute your Final Grade:
Mid-Term Exam:
Final Project:
Participation (includes presentation):
Final Exam:
25%
25%
25%
25%
FINAL GRADE:
100%
Page 4 of 6
Rev’d, 9/7/08
PSYC 541-001
Dr. Mamberg
D. Academic integrity
Please be sure to familiarize yourself with what constitutes plagiarism and other
matters of academic dishonest by carefully reading the college’s policies (in the student
handbook) on academic integrity. A good source for determining how best to reference
others’ work is the APA publication manual, available at the library and online. If you
have questions on the use of source materials, feel free to ask any professor for
clarification of any issue that strikes you as ambiguous. Likely consequences of academic
dishonesty are a failing grade for the first instance and, subject to formal action by
Bridgewater’s administration, suspension or dismissal from the College.
E. Special Accommodations
In compliance with BSC policy and equal access legislation, I am available to
discuss appropriate accommodations that you may require as a student with a disability.
Request for academic accommodations should be made during the Drop/Add period so
that appropriate accommodations can be made. Students must register with Disability
Resources in Boyden Hall for disability verification and determination of reasonable
accommodations.
Page 5 of 6
Rev’d, 9/7/08
PSYC 541-001
Dr. Mamberg
V.
Date
CLASS SCHEDULE
Class Topic
September 8
1. Introduction / General overview
September 15
September 22
2. Psychotherapy and Counseling: The
Medical, Systems and Human
Relations Models
3. The Therapeutic Relationship
September 29
4. Interpersonal Communication
October 6
October 13
5. Initial Stages of Therapy
Reading Assignments
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
J&G, Ch. 1
Okun, Ch. 1
Wilson (1993)
J&G, Ch. 4;
J&G Ch. 5
Okun, Ch. 2
J&G, Ch. 2
Okun, Ch. 3
McAdams (1998)
J&G, Ch. 3
Okun, Ch. 4
No Class: Columbus Day
October 20
6. Behavior Change Strategies
October 27
November 3
MID-TERM EXAM
7. Therapeutic Goals and Termination
November 10
8. Strategic and Short-term Focused
Therapies
13. J&G, Ch. 11
14. Okun, Ch. 8
November 17
9. Crisis Management;
Stress Management
10. Systems Approach and Group
Psychotherapy
11. Integration: Eclecticism, Diversity
and Self-Reflection
12. Sociocultural Context of Therapy
Course Integration and Goodbye
15. Okun, Ch. 9
16. Salmon, et al (2004)
17. J&G, Ch. 12
18. Yalom, chapter 1
19. J&G, Ch. 13
20. Okun, Ch. 10
Cushman (2002)
November 24
December 1
December 8
12/15/08, 4pm
9. J&G, Ch. 7
10. Okun, Ch. 7
11. J&G, Ch. 9;
12. J&G, Ch. 10
FINAL EXAM
Page 6 of 6
Rev’d, 9/7/08