ArgosyUniversity

COURSE SYLLABUS

PP 8300

Advanced Psychotherapy Practicum Seminar

Thursdays, 2009-2010, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Faculty Name:Scott Pytluk, Ph.D.

Campus: Chicago

Contact Information:x7693;

Office Hours:TBA

Short Faculty Bio:Dr. Pytluk is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and Coordinator of the Psychoanalytic Minor (Concentration). He serves on the Clinical Psychology Department’s Student Professional Development Committee and Steering Committee. He also maintains a private psychotherapy practice in downtown Chicago.

Course Catalogue Description:

This supervised field practicum provides the opportunity for students to gain additional experience beyond the required practicum. Students enrolled in this course will also meet regularly with the Director of

Clinical Training or a faculty member for additional supervision and input.

Course Pre-requisites: Successful completion of PsyD Diagnostic Practicum and Practicum Seminar

Required Textbook:None

Technology: ArgosyUniversity encourages the use of technology throughout the curriculum. This course uses some or all of the following: audio tapes, video tapes, CD’s, DVD’s, digital audio recorders, etc. Examples of hardware/software you might need access to for the course include: Pentium III CPU/ Windows 98; 128MB RAM printer; Microsoft Office: Acrobat (full version); Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 (PC), 5.0 (MAC), or Netscape Navigator 4.08; Norton Antivirus.

Course length: 30 Weeks (per entire academic year)

Contact Hours: 1.0 hours per week + practicum hours

Credit Value: 0.0

Program Outcomes:

PsyD Program Outcomes

The Doctoral program in Clinical Psychology at Argosy University Chicago Campus is an APA accredited program (APA, 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC20002, 202-336-5500). This program is designed to educate and train students so that they may eventually be able to function effectively as clinical psychologists. To ensure that students are prepared adequately, the curriculum provides for the meaningful integration of theory, training and practice. The Clinical Psychology program at Argosy University Chicago Campus emphasizes the development of attitudes, knowledge, and skills essential in the formation of professional psychologists who are committed to the ethical provision of quality services. Specific objectives of the program include the following:

  • Goal 1: Prepare professional psychologists to accurately, effectively, and ethically select, administer, score, interpret, and communicate findings of appropriate assessment methods informed by accepted psychometric standards and sensitive to the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.
  • Objective 1a: Accurately and ethically administer and score various psychodiagnostic instruments.
  • Objective 1b: Accurately interpret and synthesize assessment data in the context of diversity factors, referral questions, and specific objectives of the assessment, and organize and communicate results in writing and orally.
  • Objective 1c: Examine psychometric properties of psychological assessment instruments, and use that knowledge to evaluate, select, administer, and interpret psychological tests and measures appropriate for the client, the referral question, and the objectives of the assessment.
  • Goal 2: Prepare professional psychologists to select, implement, and evaluate psychological interventions consistent with current ethical, evidence-based, and professional standards, within a theoretical framework, and with sensitivity to the interpersonal processes of the therapeutic relationship and the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.
  • Objective 2a: Synthesize the foundations of clinical psychology, including psychopathology, human development, diagnosis, diversity, ethics, and various therapeutic models in clinical applications.
  • Objective 2b: Select, plan, and implement ethical and evidence-based interventions with sensitivity to the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.
  • Objective 2c: Demonstrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effectively implement and participate in psychological consultation and supervision.
    Objective 2d: Demonstrate personal development and self-reflective capacity, including growth of interpersonal skills, and therapeutic relationships.
  • Goal 3: Prepare professional psychologists to analyze the complexity and multidimensionality of human diversity, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to understand diverse worldviews and the potential meaning of social, cultural, and individual differences for professional psychological services.
  • Goal 4: Prepare professional psychologists to examine the historical context and the current body of knowledge of biological, cognitive, affective, developmental, and social bases of human functioning.
  • Goal 5: Prepare professional psychologists to critically evaluate the current and evolving body of scholarly literature in psychology to inform professional practice.

Seminar Description & Objectives

Similar to your previous diagnostic and therapy seminars, this advanced seminar’s purpose is to supplement the supervision you receive on practicum with further peer and instructor feedback on your clinical work. Given the advanced nature of our meetings, the focus will be on:

Course Objective / Program Goal / Method of Assessment
Reinforce and further develop your assessment, conceptualization, and psychotherapeutic skills / Goal 2 – Intervention (objectives 2a and 2b) / Clincial presentations and particiation in group consultation and feedback process
Explore the nuances of clinical process, including attending to latent intrapsychic material and intersubjective/transference-countertransference dimensions / Goal 2 – Intervention
(objectives 2a, 2b, 2d) / Clincial presentations and particiation in group consultation and feedback process
Apply advanced theoretical concepts to your work / Goal 2 – Intervention (objective 2a) / Clincial presentations and particiation in group consultation and feedback process
Identify and cultivate your ability to self-reflect and to recognize the impact of both intrapsychic and intersubjective phenomena on your work / Goal 2 – Intervention (objective 2d) / Clincial presentations and particiation in group consultation and feedback process
Present clinical material, share constructive peer consultative feedback, and discuss professional issues relevant to your current activities and future goals in an increasingly sophisticated manner / Goal 2 – Intervention (objectives 2a, 2c, 2d) / Clincial presentations and particiation in group consultation and feedback process
Integrate an understanding of the role of human diversity in all aspects of clinical work / Goal 3 - Diversity / Clincial presentations and particiation in group consultation and feedback process
Further professional development, particularly in the areas of critical thinking, integration/synthesis of conceptual material, and verbal articulation of critical questions and subjective points of view. / Goal 1 – Assessment;
Goal 2 – Intervention;
Goal 3 – Diversity;
Goal 4 – Scientific Foundations;
Goal 5 - Scholarship / Clincial presentations and particiation in group consultation and feedback process

Given this, it is critical that we work effortfully towards maintaining a safe and open environment in which we can get to know each other’s work and one another personally.

The orientation of the seminar discussions will be predominantly psychoanalytic, highlighting contemporary relational, object relations, intersubjective, and self psychology perspectives, and evidence-based short-term models. Tracing the history of contemporary thinking and its foundation in classical psychoanalysis will be emphasized. Theory is relevant in its applications both to content and process, to subjective content and the complexities of the therapeutic relationship. Despite the specific theoretical bent, critical questioning and commentary are highly encouraged.

Format

Each session will be organized with two purposes in mind. First, we must take some time to consider relevant issues that may not emerge directly from the clinical sessions you will present. In other words, we might consider particular theoretical questions that are on your mind on a given day, practicum-related issues, professional issues, ethical concerns, internship anxieties and questions, mini-discussions of readings seminar members request that the group read, and group process issues that may come up.

Next, we will move onto the formally scheduled work of the day: session presentations. Each member of the seminar will have three consecutive weeks devoted to their work each term (unless the group decides on another format; for instance, students may present one session for one meeting each, to be followed by the three-consecutive-week model). Students will share audiotapes and/or transcripts of sessions to the group. We should aim to get through the entire session by the end of the third meeting in a given student’s segment or we can move onto subsequent sessions for which you also provide transcripts or audiotapes. Students should select sessions that present particular clinical challenges or focused areas of clinical interest. These foci will guide the group’s listening of the material. Students are strongly encouraged to read pieces from the literature relevant to their presentation and to refer to these during their presentations. In addition to theoretical and case study-based readings, students should consider reading research-based pieces. A good regularly updated bibliography of such pieces can be found on the website of the American Psychoanalytic Association. (

Often, it is advisable to alter this format for the Spring term to provide a different experience. For instance, students can present an article the group has read in advance related to the case they plan to present in the first of the three consecutive weeks allotted for their presentations.

Schedule

We will meet for a total of 30 weeks this academic year. This will be broken down into thirteen meetings spread out through the Fall Semester, thirteen through the Spring Semester, and four through Summer Semester I.

FALL: Meet weeks 1-7, 9-14

SPRING: TBD

SUMMER I:TBD

Week 1—Introduction

  • Review seminar goals, format, and evaluation criteria
  • Clarification of purpose of seminar and roles of seminar leader and site supervisor
  • Introductions: leader, students (including description of current practicum, previous psychotherapy experience, theoretical orientation, goals for training year, future plans)
  • Presentation Schedule
  • Determine Week 2’s agenda (i.e., choose particular reading and discuss it, open discussion on topic of group’s choice, discussion of particular theoretical question, etc.)

Remaining Weeks for the Fall, Spring, and Summer I semesters

  • Student Presentations
  • Open Discussions
  • Group Event (attend lecture together, see film and discuss it, discussion of reading over dinner, etc.)

Evaluation

There are no formal reading or writing assignments required for this seminar. Evaluation will be based solely on student participation in seminar. Participation must be regular, active, and reflective of critical thinking, respect, appropriate peer interaction, self-reflection, non-defensiveness, clinical sophistication, honesty, and thoughtfulness. Attendance and punctuality is required. Missing more than one session per trimester will result in no credit for the seminar. Please inform the seminar leader in advance if you must miss a session. This is a Credit/No Credit course.

Library Resources

ArgosyUniversity’s core online collection features more than 21,000 full-text journals, 23,000 electronic books and other content covering all academic subject areas including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers, Engineering & Applied Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and Social & Behavior Sciences.All electronic resources can be accessed through the library’s website at User IDs and passwords are distributed during orientation, but can also be obtained at the circulation desk, calling 312-777-7653, or by e-mail at .

In addition to online resources, ArgosyUniversity’s onsite collections contain a wealth of subject-specific research materials searchable in the Library Online Catalog. Catalog searching is easily limited to individual campus collections.Alternatively, students can search combined collections of all Argosy University Libraries. Students are encouraged to seek research and reference assistance from campus librarians.

Information Literacy: ArgosyUniversity’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach fundamental and transferable research skills, including selecting sources appropriate for academic-level research, searching periodical indexes and search engines, and evaluating and citing information. In the tutorial, students study concepts and practice them through interactions. At the conclusion of each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Please view the tutorial at

Academic Policies

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity during the learning process, ArgosyUniversity requires that the submission of all course assignments represent the original work produced by that student. All sources must be documented through normal scholarly references/citations and all work must be submitted using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition (2001). WashingtonDC: American Psychological Association (APA) format. Please refer to Appendix A in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition for thesis and paper format. Students are encouraged to purchase this manual (required in some courses) and become familiar with its content as well as consult the ArgosyUniversity catalog for further information regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

Scholarly writing: The faculty at ArgosyUniversity is dedicated to providing a learning environment that supports scholarly and ethical writing, free from academic dishonesty and plagiarism. This includes the proper and appropriate referencing of all sources. You may be asked to submit your course assignments through “Turnitin,” ( an online resource established to help educators develop writing/research skills and detect potential cases of academic dishonesty. Turnitin compares submitted papers to billions of pages of content and provides a comparison report to your instructor. This comparison detects papers that share common information and duplicative language.

Americans with Disabilities Act Policy

It is the policy of ArgosyUniversity to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with disabilities needs accommodations, the student must notify the Director of Student Services. Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodations will be provided to the student upon request.

Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form. To receive accommodation in class, it is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her discretion) to the instructor. In an effort to protect student privacy, the Department of Student Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with instructors. Faculty may not make accommodations for individuals who have not been approved in this manner.

The ArgosyUniversity Statement Regarding Diversity

ArgosyUniversity prepares students to serve populations with diverse social, ethnic, economic, and educational experiences. Both the academic and training curricula are designed to provide an environment in which students can develop the skills and attitudes essential to working with people from a wide range of backgrounds.