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Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology
CEP 653 FOUNDATIONS OF COUNSELING THEORY
FALL SEMESTER 2012
CEP 653C Classroom: 260 Capen Hall, Wednesdays 4:10pm to 6:50pm
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor:
Address:
Phone:
Email:
Office hours:
Luis Antonio Tosado II, Ph.D., NCC, NCSC
407 Baldy Hall
University at Buffalo – SUNY
Buffalo, NY, 14260-1000
(716) 645-1111
luistosa@buffalo.edu
Tuesdays 6:00pm-6:50pm; Wednesdays 2:30pm-4:00pm;
Thursdays 12:00pm-12:50pm; & by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course focuses on helping counselors-in-training understand and facilitate change in clients
seeking counseling or psychotherapy services. It provides students a fundamental and comprehensive
understanding of the philosophical, ethical, and psychological assumptions underlying the major
counseling theories (e.g., cognitive behavioral) and approaches (e.g., brief solution-focused). In
addition to a review of the major counseling theories/approaches, this course also examines important
perspectives facing the counseling field:

The nature of change in counseling/therapy

Case conceptualization

The medical model vs. the contextual model of counseling

Efficacy of counseling and psychotherapy; evidence-based practice and outcome informed
practice

Working with diverse client populations (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, SES)

Ethics in counseling
Students are expected to be able to critically think about the appropriateness or utility of a particular
counseling theory, approach, or technique for varying client populations, problems, and settings.
The typical strategy used for learning course content is as follows:
1. Before class, students read assigned chapter(s) and/or other relevant reading materials for each
week’s topic; watch the DVD Case of Stan relevant to the topic
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2.
3.
4.
5.
The instructor delivers a brief overview or PowerPoint slide presentation relevant to the topic;
Small and/or large group discussions on the assigned topic are conducted.
Students take an in-class quiz on the topic;
Quiz items are reviewed;
Learning is both directive and interactive and students are expected to take an active role in the class.
The instructor believes that graduate education depends upon active student involvement; it is the
instructors hope that we have interesting conversations about topics that really matter. These
conversations, therefore, are built upon the shared readings and allow us to discuss and evaluate your
impressions, concerns, questions, and other thoughts about the topic at hand.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Through lectures, group discussions, readings, course assignments and quizzes, students will become
familiar with the major theories of counseling. They will be able to identify and evaluate concepts and
compare and contrast them across theories. This class is not designed to make you expert in a
particular counseling theory or approach. While basic theories are examined, applications of such
theories to unique disciplines (e.g. School Psychology or Rehabilitation Counseling) will be addressed
by readings, interactive discussion and learning from case studies in class. Although students may be
involved in role-play or other demonstrations, the practice of particular techniques is to be performed
in other coursework. In addition students will demonstrate understanding of the following areas:
1) Counseling Theories from the “practitioner” perspective
 Students should gain basic understanding of the theory, practice, and application of varied
approaches to counseling.
 Students should be able to delineate counseling techniques from respective theories.
 Students should be able to apply various counseling approaches to conceptualize clients and
their issues.
2) Counseling Theories from the “researcher” perspective (evidence-based practice)
 Students should be able to apply a scientific mind and research orientation to their study. They
are to gather evidence and evaluate the effectiveness of counseling approaches in general, as
well as their use with specific populations/settings.
 Students should be able to understand both the strengths and limitations of theories and
understand how they may apply to diverse populations based on empirically-sound rationale
and evidence.
 Be able to compare and contrast theories from both the contextual and medical models of
counseling practice.
3) Awareness of and sensitivity to diversity and individual differences in counseling

Learn the importance of diversity and individual differences in terms of understanding and
applying theories to varying client groups (gender, age, ability/disability, clinical issues,
clinical settings, ethnic groups, etc).

Gain an appreciation of different types of counseling venues (school, counseling center,
hospital, outpatient).
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REQUIRED TEXT & DVD
Corey, G. (2013). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (9th ed.). Belmont, CA:
Thompson/Brooks-Cole.
Corey, G. (2013). DVD Theory in practice: The case of Stan (9th ed.). Belmont, CA:
Thompson/Brooks-Cole.
REQUIRED READINGS AVAILABLE THROUGH UBLEARNS WEBPAGE
Boeree, C. G. (2006). Personality theories: Carl Jung. Retrieved from
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/perscontents.html.
Code of Ethics (2005). American Counseling Association.
Cross Cultural Competences (1992). Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development.
Duncan, B.L., Miller, S.D., & Sparks, J.A. (2004). The myth of the medical model. In B.L. Duncan,
S. D. Miller, and J.A. Sparks The heroic client. pp 21-48.
Meier, S.T. (2003). Case conceptualization. In S.T. Meier Bridging case conceptualization,
assessment, and intervention. Thousand Oaks, CA., Sage Publications, 14-48.
Rogers, C.R. (1957). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change.
Journal of Counseling Psychology, 21(2), 95-103.
Wampold, B.E. (2007). Psychotherapy: The humanistic (and effective) treatment. American
Psychologist, 62, 857-873.
***Additional required readings will be distributed throughout the semester via UBLearns or in class.
EXPECTATIONS OF STUDENTS
This class is required for most majors in the Department of Counseling, School, and Educational
Psychology (Counseling Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, School
Counseling, and School Psychology). While the instructor prepares the content and facilitates the
learning process, students are expected to be active learners – ultimately, students get as much out of
the course as they to put into it.
Students are required to:



Attend class every week. Students are expected to notify the instructor in advance should they
have reasonable circumstances for not being able to attend a particular class.
Participate in class discussions – this means asking questions, commenting, and providing your
opinions. When opinions differ between individuals, it is expected that all parties will be
respectful to others.
Complete the assigned readings prior to coming to class.
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Be aware of and comply with assignment due dates. Students should approach the instructor
early for concerns related to assignments or other class-related matters. Turning in
assignments or taking exams late without prior permission from the instructor may result
in reduction of points awarded on the assignment.
Wireless Devices: As a courtesy to the instructors and other classmates, please turn off all cell
phones, pagers, and other wireless devices before coming to class.
Academic Integrity: See academic integrity and procedures at
http://www.grad.buffalo.edu/policies/policies_procedures.pdf
“Academic integrity is a fundamental university value. Through the honest completion of
academic work, students sustain the integrity of the university while facilitating the
university’s imperative for the transmission of knowledge and culture based upon the
generation of new and innovative ideas.”
Accessibility Resources
If you have a disability and may require some type of instructional and/or examination
accommodation, please inform me as soon as possible so that we can coordinate the accommodations
you may need. If you have not already done so, please contact the Accessibility Resources office. The
office is located at 25 Capen Hall and the telephone number is (716) 645-2608.
ASSIGNMENTS & GRADING
Your grade for this course will be determined through class attendance, participation and various
assignments. A letter grade (A – F) is assigned after students complete all course activities. The grade
will be assigned based on:
1. Attend and actively participate in class. (10 points)
Because this class is experiential, you need to attend class. Formal attendance will be taken each class.
If you need to miss a class for a good reason (e.g., illness, funeral, job interview), you should get in
touch with the professor as soon as possible. Please prepare discussion questions prior to each seminar,
which focus on your reactions, criticisms, or theoretical/ application issues, or on problems in
understanding the constructs of the theory.
2. Conduct Two Practitioner Interviews (10 points)
Each student is to conduct two practitioner interviews and submit a written summary of each.
Guidelines for submitting a written summary of the interviews will be posted on the class webpage,
including, a sample of a completed interview paper. Each paper is worth 5 points for a total of 10
possible points for this assignment. The student is to identify a counselor, psychologist, social worker,
or similar helping professional whom he/she will interview (each interview should last about 30
minutes). The purpose of the interviews is to have students find out the current practice and orientation
of counseling approaches, preferably in two different counseling disciplines (e.g., school counseling,
mental health counseling, counseling psychology, clinical social work, etc.). This assignment will
prepare students to 1. think about the topic area they would like to pursue in the evidence-based
annotated bibliography and 2. how they wish to articulate their counseling theory in an interview with
the instructor at the end of the semester.
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3. Weekly Quizzes (50 points)
There will be 10 quizzes of 10 questions; each question is worth 0.5 points each totaling 5 possible
points per quiz. The format of each quiz question will be multiple choice, true-false, and/or short
answer. All quizzes will be given at the end of the class period and will cover content from the
assigned readings for that day. Students will be allowed to make up one (and only one) missed quiz in
the case of absence.
4. Annotated Bibliography and presentation of relevant findings on Evidence Based or Informed
Counseling Practice (25 Points)
The evidence-based or evidence-informed annotated bibliography is an assignment/resource consisting
of current research evidence regarding a particular counseling approach or specific intervention or
technique regarding a specific client population or counseling issue. Consistent with the objective of
being able to acquire solid empirical support and being a well-informed consumer of clinical and
evidence-based practice, this assignment requires students to conduct an objective review of the
professional journals in the field in order to identify and understand a counseling intervention that
works with a particular the population of interest. Detailed guidelines and a sample-annotated
bibliography will be provided for students on the webpage under the Assignments Section.
Step 1: Choose a specific client population (e.g., substance abuse) or problem (e.g., phobias) and a
specific theory, technique or treatment approach (e.g., systematic desensitization)
Step 2: Have the instructor pre-approve your selection of population and theory/technique – you can
do this either in person, phone call, or through an email.
Step 3: Begin to look for recent journals (within the last 10 years), recent texts (2000 to present), and
websites to support the effectiveness of one specific technique/counseling approach in the identified
client population. The key to searching for empirical studies is to be comprehensive, including but not
limited to:
 Talking to clinical professionals and/or professors with such expertise
 Using appropriate databases. E.g., PsycInfo for health-related clinical disorders or ERIC for more
school-based or educational-based empirical studies.
 Select key words for your search – use them first singly then in combination
 Emphasize research that is published professional journals. The following is a list of some of the
key journals that are often use in the respective disciplines.
o American Journal of Psychotherapy
o American Psychologist
o Health Psychology
o Journal of Career Assessment
o Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
o Journal of Counseling and Development
o Journal of Counseling Psychology
o Journal of Mental Health Counseling
o Journal of Rehabilitation
o Journal of School Psychology
o Journal of Social Work Practice
o Professional Psychology: Research and Practice
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o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Professional School Counseling
Psychological Bulletin
Psychotherapy
Rehabilitation Psychology
Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin
School Psychology Quarterly
School Psychology Review
Social Work in Health Care
Social Work Research
The Counseling Psychologist
Other journals that are specific to certain topic areas (e.g., Journal of Substance Abuse
in addiction problems; The Harvard Mental Health Newsletter)
Step 4: Write a 10 to 15 page, annotated bibliography that summarizes data-based research findings.
Most of these studies will be quantitative, but rigorous qualitative studies are appropriate as well (case
studies or conceptual articles that are merely descriptive are not appropriate as evidence)
The components of the annotated bibliography should do the following:
 Identify the topic of focus of the bibliography, the search engines, and key words that you used to
generate the list of articles that you cited.
 Indicate the basis or reasoning that you used to select/include the articles
 Cite each article in full APA reference style using the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association (6th ed, 2010). You may also consult
http://www.vanguard.edu/faculty/ddegelman/index.aspx?doc_id=796, as it has an excellent
overview of APA style rules and formatting (with examples).
 Write a brief summary of the results of the identified studies. Use a single paragraph if you are
citing a large number of studies (e.g., 30 articles), use longer more detailed summaries if you are
citing fewer studies (e.g., 10 articles)
 Cite studied conduced within the last 10 years, although later studies may be used if they are
considered landmark or classic.
 Attempt to find empirical studies that are as focused as possible. If there are experimental studies
that compared a mixture of techniques within the same counseling/treatment approach, do attempt
to select ones that provide strong support of one specific technique. If the multiple comparisons are
across counseling/treatment approach, again, attempt to identity those that show support for the
particular counseling/treatment of your choice.
A sample annotated bibliography will be provided to students as a model.
Possible Client Problems (Clinical Disorders found in the DSM-IV):
 Learning Disabilities
 Pervasive Development Disorders (e.g., Autism, Asperger’s Disorder)
 Attention-deficit and disruptive behavior disorders
 Eating Disorders
 Substance Abuse (e.g., specific drugs, alcohol)
 Schizophrenia
 Mood disorders (e.g., major depression, dysthymic disorders)
 Anxiety disorders (e.g., specific phobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder)
 Somatoform disorders (e.g., body dysmorphic disorder, pain disorder)
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Sleep disorders
Mental retardation
Personality disorders (e.g., paranoid, antisocial, borderline, narcissistic, dependent)
Other Client Issues:
 Career problems,
 Abuse and neglect,
 Bullying at school
 Self esteem
 Identify issues and sexual orientation
 Relationship/marriage and divorce issues
 Grief and loss
 Conflicts at school or work
Examples of Techniques or Approaches (included but not limited to):
 Dream analysis for children with attachment issues
 Adlerian therapy for children adjustment in school
 Adlerian therapy in dealing with racial conflicts
 Graded exposure in CBT for phobia
 Flooding in REBT for phobia
 Relaxation in chronic pain management
 CBT for depression (changing negative schema)
 Systematic desensitization for panic disorder
 Reality therapy with the delinquent population
 Reality therapy with alcohol abuse
 Systems therapy for children of divorce
Step 5: Presentation
Each student will share with the class their relevant findings. Each presentation should be
approximately 5 minutes long. A rubric will be provided. I am not looking for regurgitation of the
information and it’s theory but rather, your critical interpretation of it, a synthesis of the existing
literature and your knowledge of it. Creativity encouraged. Powerpoints discouraged. When grading I
will focus on the breadth, depth, and accuracy of your presentation as well as presentation delivery
skills (i.e., preparation, class participation, use of presentation aids etc.
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5. Articulation of Your Counseling Theory or Approach (5 Points)
Each student will meet individually with the instructor for 6 minutes to articulate his or her personal or
preferred counseling theory or approach to working with clients. Essentially the student must discuss
his/her theory or approach to working with clients in an informed and intelligent way. The verbal
articulation will include, but not be limited to:
a) the nature of people and people’s problems (why they come into counseling),
b) counseling process and counseling techniques,
c) counseling outcomes,
d) client populations or problems or settings most amenable to the approach
e) evidence to support the theory or approach
This course requirement will be discussed more fully in class.
GRADING
Final course grades will be assigned as follows:
95 – 100 = A
88 – 89 = B+
83 – 87 = B
90 – 94 = A-
80 – 82 = B-
*A grade of “C” is not accepted for graduation
UBLEARNS
BLACKBOARD WEBPAGE & EMAIL
You must be enrolled in the course to access the Internet (Blackboard-based) course materials hosted
by the UBLearns server. The course’s webpages provide a variety of materials such as the syllabus,
lecture outlines, handouts, and study guides. Additionally, you will be able to participate in discussion
boards, send email to classmates, check your grades, and get important class announcements. Students
are responsible for being familiar with all of the information posted on the course webpage (some
items may be obtained in class such as the syllabus, but many things will only appear on the webpage
such as selected readings, PowerPoint slides, study guides). Therefore students are expected to check
the webpage for information and announcements at least weekly. To access the web page, set your
Internet browser to http://ublearns.buffalo.edu/ and select the CEP653 link after logging-in; or you
may follow the link provided to you at your UB portal “MyUB” located at: http://myub.buffalo.edu/
You will need to know your UB user name and password to access MyUB, the UBLearns server and
Blackboard webpages (if you don’t know this information go to: http://www.cit.buffalo.edu/ubitname/
It is also vital that you activate and use your UB email account because email will be used for out-ofclass communication. If you have not yet activated your UB email account go to:
http://www.cit.buffalo.edu/students/. If you prefer to continue to use another type of email account
(e.g., Gmail, AOL, Yahoo) you can have your UB email automatically forwarded to this account. To
forward or otherwise manage your UB email go to: http://www.cit.buffalo.edu/mail/
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TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
Session/Date
Topic
Assignments Due/Readings
Wk 1: Aug 29 & Introduction & Course
N/A
30
Overview/Objectives
Expectations
Wk 2: Sep 5 & 6 Counselor & Professionalism
Ethical Issues in Counseling
Practice
Corey Chapter 2 & 3
ACA code of ethics (read the Preamble, Purpose, and
Section A). You can download the ACA code of ethics
link below:
Quiz 1 Chapter 2 & 3 and Ethics http://www.counseling.org/Resources/CodeOfEthics/TP
/Home/CT2.aspx
Code section A only
Wk 3: Sep 12 & Overview of Counseling Theory Corey Chapter 15 – Tables 15.1 to 15.10
13
Psychoanalytic Therapy
Corey Chapter 4; Case of Stan Psychoanalytic
Quiz 2 on Corey Chapt 4 Only
Wk 4: Sep 19 & Jungian Therapy
Boeree (2006)
20
Adlerian Therapy
Corey Chapter 5; Case of Stan Adlerian
Quiz 3 Chapt 5 Only
Wk 5: Sep 26 &
27* Yom Kippur
Wk 6: Oct 3 &4 Existential Therapy
Corey Chapter 6; Case of Stan Existential
Quiz 4 All Readings
Wk 7: Oct 10 & Person-Centered Therapy
Corey Chapter 7, Rogers (1957);
11
Case of Stan Person-Centered
Quiz 5 – All Readings
Wk 8: Oct 17 & Gestalt Therapy
Corey Chapter 8; Case of Stan Gestalt
18
Reality Therapy/Choice Theory
Corey Chapter 11; Case of Stan Reality Therapy
Quiz 6 All Readings
DUE: Interview Summaries Paper
Wk 9: Oct 24 & Behavior Therapy
Corey Chapter 9; Case of Stan Behavior
25
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Corey Chapter 10; Case of Stan Cognitive
Quiz 7 All Readings
Wk 10: Oct 31 & Post Modern Approaches
Corey Chapter 13; Case of Stan Brief Solution
Nov 1
Wk 11: Nov 7 & Post Modern Approaches
Corey Chapter 13; Case of Stan Narrative
8
All Readings
Quiz 8 (week 9 & week 10)
Wk 12: Nov 14 Feminist Therapy
Corey Chapter 12; Case of Stan Feminist
& 15
Diversity
Cross Cultural Competencies, AMCD
Quiz 9 All Readings
Wk 13: Nov 21 & No class – Fall Recess
NA
22
Wk 14: Nov 28 Case conceptualization
Chapter on Case Conceptualization (Meier, 2003)
& 29
DVD Case of Stan Section 1. Intake and Assessment;
Quiz 10 -Meier Chapter Only
*DUE: Annotated Bibliography and Presentation
Wk 15: Dec 5
Course summary –
Course Evaluation
*DUE: Annotated Bibliography and Presentation
Final Week
Individual meetings with
NA
instructor to articulate personal
counseling theory
**Instructor reserves the right to make adjustment to syllabus as necessary.
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Class and Small Group
Participation
Behaviors
Attendance
10
Total Possible Points: 10
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Rubric for Class Attendance & Participation
Exceeds
Adequate
Emerging
Attends all
Misses one full Misses two full
classes, arrives
class; or comes classes; or
on time and
late twice;
comes late 3 or
stays for the
and/or leaves
more times;
entire class. (5) early twice. (3) and/or leaves
early three or
more times
(1)
Regularly
Occasionally
Rarely
asks/answers
asks/answers
asks/answers
questions and/or questions and/or questions or
makes
makes
makes
observations
observations
comments that
that indicate
that indicate
indicate
reflection
reflection
familiarity
and analysis
and analysis
with topic,
appropriate to
appropriate to
lecture, or
topic, lecture, or topic, lecture, or assigned
assigned
assigned
readings.
readings. (5)
readings. (3)
(1)
Not Present
Misses more
than two
classes and
must withdraw
from the
course. (0)
Never
asks/answers or
makes
comments that
indicate
familiarity with
the topic,
lecture, or
assigned
readings.
(0)