Department of Educational Foundations and Counseling Programs

HUNTER COLLEGE

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS AND COUNSELING PROGRAMS

COCO 725: INTERNSHIP IN COUNSELING

Fall 2008

Instructor: Latoya C. Conner, Ph.D.

Office Location: W1131

Telephone: 212-772-4732

E-mail:

Course Hours: Wednsedays 5:30 – 7:10 PM

Office Hours: Mondays 5-7pm & Wednesdays 2-4/by appointment

NOTE: This course meets at the Campus Schools at 71 E. 94th Street b/w Park and Madison (Rm 210)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is designed for students to gain additional counseling skills and self-awareness about how their personal qualities, needs, motivations, and values can either facilitate or interfere with effectiveness as a counselor.

PREREQUISITES/COREQUISITES

All courses except COCO 726, COCO 711, and COUNS 720.

STUDENT PRIVACY STATEMENT

At times, students may disclose personal information through class discussions. It is expected that the class will respect the privacy of their classmates. The information disclosed in the class will not be repeated or discussed with other students outside of the course.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1.  Students should develop an awareness of self as a helping professional, including an ability to critically examine your own clinical work, as well as provide appropriate feedback to your peers.

2.  Students should be able to conceptualize client cases, including possible cultural factors, generate theoretically grounded hypotheses, and utilize micro-counseling skills most appropriate for your clients and setting.

3.  Students should demonstrate an awareness of how to assess for and address critical clinical issues, including depression, suicidality, neglect, and abuse.

4.  Students should demonstrate an awareness of the professional and ethical codes of conduct in mental health and an understanding of how the codes relate to themselves and their clients.

5.  Students should demonstrate an awareness of how racial and cultural factors might impact their clients and culturally appropriate clinical interventions for diverse populations.

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

The course is taught in a seminar-type format. The course instructor will facilitate discussion among students and each week a different student will present a clinical case from their fieldwork site.

REQUIRED READINGS

American Counseling Association Code of Ethics: www.counseling.org

Ethical Standards for School Counselors: www.schoolcounselor.org

Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors: www.crccertification.com

Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct: www.apa.org

Almeida, R.V. (Ed.). (1998). Transformations of gender and race: Family and
developmental perspectives. New York: Hawthorn Press.

Freire, P. (1982). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.

RECOMMENDED READINGS

Baird, B. N. (2005). The Internship, Practicum, and Field Placement Handbook: A Guide for the Helping Professions (4th edition). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

DeSole, L. M., Nelson, A., & Young, L. L. (2006). Making Contact: The Therapist’s Guide to Conducting a Successful First Interview. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Students will simultaneously be enrolled in the Internship course at Hunter and engaged in counseling at a fieldwork site for at least twenty hours each week for a total of 300 on site hours per semester. At the fieldwork site students must have at least 120 client hours each semester, that is, on average 8 hours of client sessions per week in addition to other site activities such as supervision, meetings, observation, trainings, case note writing, etc… Students are also required to have at least two tape-recorded counseling sessions each semester. The site supervisor must provide weekly individual supervision to the student. In addition, the supervisor will complete a written evaluation of the student by the end of the semester. Please refer to the Hunter College field work manual to review domains being evaluated. In addition to graded assignments at the end of the semester the following items must be submitted: supervisor evaluation, student evaluation, log of site hours, log of clinical hours into EDIMS. You will not receive a grade unless these items are completed.

EVALUATION/GRADE ASSIGNMENT

1. Attendance Policy

Students who incur more than two absences could have their grade lowered, could be asked to repeat the course, or could fail the course. These penalties are at the discretion of the professor. Attendance and participation shall count as 20% of the final grade.

2. Class Participation

Active participation is required and is an additional way for the instructor to evaluate students’ learning. Participation includes the following:

(a) Open discussion within the group regarding theory, content and process of the counseling sessions, as it relates to the reading material.

(b) Disclosure of client issues for which you need assistance from the instructor and peers

(c) Facilitate the growth and development of self and others by providing and accepting regular constructive feedback.

3. Case Presentation and Transcription

Two transcriptions are required: one in the beginning of the semester (week 6) and one towards the end of the semester (week 10). Students are required to present a client case and should be prepared with the following: 1) a tape recorder, 2) audio-tape to be handed into the Professor, 3) copies of the transcription for the class (without analysis), 4) 1 copy of the transcript with analysis for the Professor. Students should transcribe a segment of an audio-taped session that is approximately 10 pages in length (including all three parts). Students must sign-up for two separate presentations when the course professor provides a time line. The short presentation should not exceed 45 minutes.

4. Written Fieldwork Site Report

This report shall be a 2 or more paged double-spaced typewritten paper that includes mission, philosophy, population, services, assessments provided, issues of confidentiality, and your role in the site. The report should also include the procedure for handling clinical crises. You may be presenting this information in class.

5. Weekly Journal

Students are expected to write journals that should include the following:

(a)  Feelings, thoughts, and reactions to your sessions/site/supervisor/classmates, including an exploration of why you might have the aforementioned feelings, thoughts, and reactions.

(b)  How your feelings, thoughts, and reactions might influence your counseling style and counseling relationships.

(c)  Other people’s reactions to you and how that might relate to your style and personal characteristics such as racial/ethnic group, gender, social class, sexual orientation etc.

(d)  Clinical interpretations of student clients/families and other ancillary individuals involved in child’s life (ie., principal, teacher, psychologist)

(e)  Questions for supervision.

The journal entries may include discussion of client’s transference phenomenon and how the client dealt with them during the session, as well as discussion of the counselor’s counter-transference phenomenon and how the counselor understood and dealt with them in the session. The instructor will read and may provide feedback about these journals. The ideal journal entry will exhibit self-reflection and indicate that you are continuing to increase your competence as a school counselor in training in the form of self-awareness, knowledge and skills.

6. Written Clinical Case Report

Students are required to write a clinical intake report based on a client that they have seen for multiple sessions. Use the required readings to guide your theoretical/ clinical framework. The written report will be graded based on :

(a) The depth of the report (e.g., does it give a thorough picture of the client and client dynamics?)

(b) Writing style and grammar. Your report should be well written. You should proofread all written work carefully before turning in, and the report should be written in the third person.

(c) Attention to process (e.g., self-awareness, relationship dynamics)

EVALUATION/GRADE ASSIGNMENT

Attandance & Class Participation 20%

Fieldwork Site Report 5%

Journals/Session Notes 15%

Tape and Transcript #1 20%

Tape and Transcript #2 20%

Case Report 20%

Total Percentage 100%

The grading system used by Hunter College will be used for final grades:

A+ 97.5-100% B+ 87.5-90% C+ 77.5-80%

A 92.5-97.4% B 82.5-87.4% C 70-77.4%

A- 90-92.4% B- 80-82.4% F 69.9% and below

EXPECTATIONS FOR WRITTEN PROFICIENCY

Students must demonstrate consistently satisfactory written English in coursework. The Hunter College Writing Center provides tutoring to students across the curriculum and at all academic levels. For more information, see http://rwc.hunter.cuny.edu/. In addition, the Teacher Placement Office in the School of Education offers a writing workshop during the semester and a series of free writing classes are offered to students who are in need of additional support in improving their writing skills. In both cases, stop by room 1000 West for information and dates of workshops.

INTEGRITY AND PLAIGARISM

Hunter College has subscribed to the online company, Turnitin.com. Turnitin.com allows faculty to compare student papers with extensive databases of billions of documents in order to detect and verify material that has been plagiarized. In this course, Turnitin.com is used to deter students from plagiarizing material. Please be aware that student papers will be examined from time to time. Students who plagiarize will be punished.

“Hunter College regards acts of academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on examinations, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of records and official documents) as serious offenses against the values of intellectual honesty. The college is committed to enforcing the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity and will pursue cases of academic dishonesty according to the Hunter College Academic Integrity Procedures.”

STATEMENT OF REASONABLE ACCOMDATION

In compliance with the American Disability Act of 1990 (ADA) and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Hunter College is committed to ensuring educational parity and accommodations for all students with documented disabilities and/or medical conditions. It is recommended that all students with documented disabilities (Emotional, Medical, Physical and/ or Learning) consult the Office of AccessABILITY located in Room E1124 to secure necessary academic accommodations. For further information and assistance please call (212- 772- 4857)/TTY (212- 650- 3230).

COURSE CONTENT

SESSION TOPIC & ASSIGNMENT DUE CACREP

STANDARD

Week 1: 8-27-08 / Introduction to Course
Professional Issues: Roles and Affiliations
Review of syllabus and selection of presentation dates
Assignment:
1. Written fieldwork site report due next week, 9-3-08.
2. Chapter readings and journals due weekly, starting the third week of class on 9-10-08. / 1b, 1d, 1h, 2h
Week 2: 9-3-08 / Connecting Theory & Practice
Read ACA Guidelines and prepare questions for today.
Written Fieldwork site report due / 1b, 1h, 2a, 2h, 5a, 5b, 7h, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 3: 9-10-08 / Ethical and Professional Issues: Crisis intervention, safety, suicide, duty to inform
Case Management/ Presentation
Weekly Journal due / 1b, 1h, 2a, 2h, 3c, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 4: 9-17-08 / Ethical and professional Issues: Case records, issues of privacy, competence and record-keeping
Case Management/ Presentation
Weekly Journal due / 1h, 3c, 2h, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 5: 9-24-08 / Ethical and Professional Issues: Dual relationships and conflicts of interests
Case Management/ Presentation
Weekly Journal due / 1h, 2h, 3c, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 6: 10-15-08 / Case Management
Assignment: Case Presentation/ Tape & Transcript #1 due
Weekly Journal due / 1b, 2h, 3c, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 7: 10-22-08 / Ethical and Professional Issues: Termination
Case Management/ Presentation
Weekly Journal due / 1b, 1h, 2a, 3c, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 8: 10-29-08 / Case Management/ Presentation
Weekly Journal due / 1b, 1h, 2a, 3c, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 9: 11-5-08 / Case Management/ Presentation
Weekly Journal due / 1b, 1h, 2a, 3c, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 10: 11-12-08 / Case Management/ Presentation
Assignment: Case Presentation/ Tape & Transcript #2 due
Weekly Journal due / 1b, 1h, 2a, 3c, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 11: 11-19-08 / Case Management/ Presentation
Weekly Journal due / 1b, 3c, 2a, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 12: 11-26-08 / Case Management/ Presentation
Weekly Journal due / 1b, 3c, 2a, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 13: 12-3-08 / Case Management/ Chapter Presentation
Assignment: Clinical Case Report due today
Weekly Journal due / 1b, 2a, 3c, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 14: 12-10-08 / Case Management/Presentation
Weekly Journal due / 1b, 2a, 3c, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d
Week 15: 12-17-08 / Termination and Closure of Class / 1b, 2a, 3c, 5a, 5b, A7, A8, B1, C2d

Note: According to the HUNTER 2008 CLASS SCHEDULE, there are no classes on the following days on October 1, 2008 and October 8, 2008. Any additional changes will be announced in class.

CACREP STANDARDS MET BY THIS COURSE

K1.b. professional roles, functions, and relationships with other human service

providers;

K1.d. professional organizations, primarily ACA, its divisions, branches, and affiliates,

including membership benefits, activities, services to members, and current emphases;

K1.e. professional credentialing, including certification, licensure, and accreditation

practices and standards, and the effects of public policy on these issues;

K1.g. advocacy processes needed to address institutional and social barriers that impede

access, equity, and success for clients; and

K1.h. ethical standards of ACA and related entities, and applications of ethical and legal

considerations in professional counseling.

K2.a. multicultural and pluralistic trends, including characteristics and concerns between

and within diverse groups nationally and internationally;

K2.b. attitudes, beliefs, understandings, and acculturative experiences, including specific

experiential learning activities;

K2.c. individual, couple, family, group, and community strategies for working with

diverse populations and ethnic groups;

K3.c. human behavior, including an understanding of developmental crises, disability,

exceptional behavior, addictive behavior, psychopathology, and situational and environmental factors that affect both normal and abnormal behavior;

K3.d. strategies for facilitating optimum development over the life span; and

K5.a. counselor and consultant characteristics and behaviors that influence helping

processes including age, gender, and ethnic differences, verbal and nonverbal behaviors and personal characteristics, orientations, and skills;

K5.b. an understanding of essential interviewing and counseling skills so that the student

is able to develop a therapeutic relationship, establish appropriate counseling goals, design intervention strategies, evaluate client outcome, and successfully terminate the counselor-client relationship. Studies will also facilitate student self-awareness so that the counselor-client relationship is therapeutic and the counselor maintains appropriate professional boundaries;