EDCO 645 B: Field Work in Counseling
Spring 2012, Mon: 4:15-6:55 PM
WPH 203
Instructor: Soni Kim, Psy.D.E-mail:
Phone: (562) 988-3162Office Hours: by appt.
Masters Office: WPH 600Phone:(213) 740-3255Hours: 9-5 Mon-Fri
Rossier School of Education Theme:
“The Rossier School of Education focuses on redefining excellence in urban education through research, teaching and service in the areas of leadership, learning, accountabilityanddiversity.”Course Overview
The practicum is a Credit/No Credit course which requires at least a "B" average to obtain Credit. This course is designed for advanced practice in counseling adults, couples, families with mental/emotional/behavioral problems through professional supervision and weekly consultation with counseling faculty. Format includes casework consultation, video tape instruction, role playing, and some directed teaching. Course topics include, but not limited to case conceptualization, treatment planning, phases and stages of the counseling process, case management, note-keeping, confidentiality, legal and ethical issues, termination, and working with culturally diverse individuals.Course Objectives
This course will provide students with:1. Clinical supervision and didactic instruction to both guide and support the development of professional practice with adults, couples and families
2. Discussion, examination, and instruction in the primary counseling procedures used in the counseling setting, including intake interview, diagnostic assessment, developing therapeutic relationships, case conceptualization, case management, and termination.
3. Experience in meeting the mental health needs of adults, couples, families, and children who come from culturally/ethnically diverse backgrounds
4. Training in a variety of counseling modalities, strategies, and interventions
5. Training in the effective use of supervision sessions
6. Professional experience in the practical application of ethical and professional guidelines for counseling
7. Supervision for the development of self in the counseling process.
Course Requirements
Prerequisites: Classified Standing: completion of EDCO 645A; completion or concurrent enrollment in EDUC 503 (Ethics & Law) and 546 (Psychopathology); consent of MFT Director; signed "4-way" contracts with agency; proof of malpractice insurance.1.Prompt attendance and class participation:Since this class is primarily a lab, regular, timely attendance is essential. Students are expected to attend all sessions of all classes. Students with more than two unexcused absences may risk failure. This policy exists because the MFT program is one of professional preparation. In addition to acquiring theoretical knowledge, students are expected to acquire professional values, to integrate knowledge from a range of courses, to develop professional skills and be socialized into the profession. The faculty of this School of Education are convinced that this cannot be accomplished through independent study alone. Thus, attendance at classes is required unless legitimate and special reasons exist for absences or tardiness. Any such absences or tardiness should be discussed directly with the course instructor prior to the class time. In some circumstances, extra credit can be completed to help the student not lose points. These arrangements should be made prior to absences whenever possible.
University of Southern California policy permits students to be excused from class, without penalty, for the observance of religious holy days. This policy also covers scheduled final examinations that conflict with students’ observance of a holy day. Students must make arrangements in advance to complete class work which will be missed, or to reschedule an examination, due to holy days observance.
2. Video or audio tape presentation and Case conceptualization paper: The oral presentation shall be approximately 10 minutes in length and include only the relevant aspects of the following information. However, prepare a written summary of the following information and either email at least a week in advance to your classmates, or bring hard copies to class:
- Identifying data
- Chief complaint(s)
- Relevant history of problem(s)
- Relevant personal/family history
- Health/medical history
- Employment history
- Mental health/drug and alcohol history
- Relational/sexual history
- Mental status exam
- Theoretical Conceptualization of the Case (overview of theory as needed)
- Diagnostic impression (all 5 Axes)
- Tentative treatment plan
- Consultation Question
Note: If you are audiotaping a session, please include a transcription of at least 20-25 consecutive responses.
A paper that conceptualizes the client from a specific theoretical perspective will be submitted at the time of presentation. The conceptualization should include how you understand your client’s presenting problems from a particular theoretical perspective, what approaches or techniques you employed with this client to establish rapport and enhance the therapeutic relationship, how treatment proceeded from the specific chosen perspective, along with a genogram (if relevant). Include a treatment plan, estimating the phases of treatment including the stages of change and plans for termination. Write a termination note (hypothetical if ongoing case) and suggest follow-up referrals as appropriate. The paper should not exceed 4 pages.
3. Personal Journal:Journal at least once a week online following time at your placement. Include thoughts, reactions, reflections, feelings regarding the work with clients and colleagues. The assignment is not a chronological account, but rather a tool for reflection about your professional development. Utilize the themes in “Therapist’s Guide to Self Care” to guide your reflections as it is prescribed in the syllabus. You may consider addressing the following concerns:
- Family dynamics
- Working cross-culturally and diverse populations
- Normal versus psychopathological functioning
- The process of change
- Relevant legal and ethical issues
- Countertransference
- Your strengths and growth edges
- Development and articulation of theoretical orientation
4. Book Review and Discussion: Read Love’s Executioner & Other Tales. Select a specific chapter and write a 2 page review, focusing on your analysis and critiques of the author’s approach to the case. Include how you understand the author’s approach from his theoretical perspective, if you would’ve used a different approach, and how well you think the approach worked. Be prepared to discuss your paper in class.
5. Weiss Discussion: Be prepared to discuss in class a particular chapter or points that you found to be useful and how you plan to implement them into your practice and life.
Textbooks:
YALOM, I. LOVE'S EXECUTIONER & OTHER TALES.
WEISS, L. THERAPIST GUIDE TO SELF-CARE.
Course Competencies:
Students will be expected to demonstrate the following by the end of the semester:
- Establish and maintain a safe, therapeutic environment for clients and
- Maintain a confidential and supportive atmosphere in this supervision group
- Demonstrate well-developed case management skills, diagnostic and observational skills
- Assess client(s) for diagnostic information, potential risk factors, and for possible referral to other health professionals
- Demonstrate well-developed termination and referral skills
- Demonstrate increased awareness, sensitivity and competency to address the concerns of difficult client situations/problem areas, as well as gender, ethnic, and culturally diverse concerns
- Assess for risk of suicidality, homicidal ideation or intent, child and elder abuse. Be familiar with reporting requirements.
- Participate in the process of revealing one’s work, seeking and giving feedback
- Demonstrate well-developed engagement and intervention skills with clients
- Conduct behavior in a professional manner
Grading
Unlike other graduate courses that emphasize the accumulation of knowledge through active reading and discussion, fieldwork is a performance-based course. Students are evaluated according to demonstrated learning of appropriate professional skills. Thus, the timely completion of all required work does not necessarily insure a Pass. Input from the onsite supervisor in both oral and written forms, as well as class assignments, participation and review of clinical skills will be used to determine satisfactory progress and credit for this class. The intent of this standard is an ethical duty for the integrity of the marriage and family profession.Note: Consistent use of poor therapeutic judgment, direct emotional harm to clients, and involvement in dual relationships or other major ethical, legal, or moral infractions will be cause for immediate disciplinary action.
Attendance at all class meetings is required. Professional demeanor requires that students be on time for class. Case discussion/presentations can be frequently disrupted if students are late for class. Course grades will be based on the combination of participation, video tape presentations, depth of journal entry, self evaluation, and overall evaluation of therapeutic skills, and professionalism.
Students cannot receive a passing grade in this course if they are discharged from their practicum placement or if they cannot complete their practicum during the semester for personal reasons. A total of 240 hours of face-to-face client contact is required for practicum. It would be best to accomplish this evenly in three semesters, although it is understood that the intensity will increase progressively as time passes. Please keep your instructor informed of your progress toward this goal.
Confidentiality: You are reminded that the content of all class discussions, case presentations, and small group discussions are confidential and you should be sensitive about respecting and maintaining both client and colleague confidentiality.Be sure to black out or use pseudonyms for all submitted work.
Grading Criteria and Process: Points/Percentage
Consistent participation ……………………………………………..20
Video or audio tape presentation
(with transcriptions as needed) and accompanying paper…………….30
Book Review and discussions of Yalom & Weiss………………………20
Evaluation of therapeutic skills and
Interventions (ongoing) ………………………………………10
Personal journal ……………………………………………………...20
Points/Percentage ………………………….…………………. 100
Late Assignments
In order to be fair to everyone in class, assignments should be turned in within the first 10 minutes of class on the date they are due. Any assignments turned in after that point will lose one full letter grade (10%), and an additional 10% for every week they are late, unless the student has been excused by the instructor. Please inform the instructor before class if you must miss class or if an assignment will be late, due to an emergency. Whenever possible, students should arrange to have their work turned in on time by one of their colleagues or via e-mail. If this is not possible, in the case of documented excusable absence, students may make arrangements with the instructor to make up missed work or turn in late assignments. If an emergency situation prevents students from completing all requirements in the course, students should see the instructor about how to proceed with retaking the course at a better time. Students should provide written documentation to validate emergencies (e.g., doctor’s note).Students must hand in all assignments by the end of the final exam time in order to receive a passing grade for this course. If all assignments are not handed in, students will receive a failing grade for the course regardless of how they well they did on other assignments.
Academic Accommodations
Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-7766.Incompletes
IN – incomplete (work not completed because of documented illness or some other emergency occurring after the twelfth week of the semester; arrangements for the IN and its removal should be initiated by the student and agreed to by the instructor prior to the final exam); IX – lapsed incomplete.Conditions for Removing a Grade of Incomplete. If an IN is assigned as the student’s grade, the instructor will fill out the Incomplete (IN) Completion form which will specify to the student and to the department the work remaining to be done, the procedures for its completion, the grade in the course to date and the weight to be assigned to the work remaining to be done when computing the final grade. A student may remove the IN by completing only the portion of required work not finished as a result of documented illness or emergency occurring after the twelfth week of the semester. Previously graded work may not be repeated for credit. It is not possible to remove an IN by re-registering for the course, even within the designated time.
Time Limit for Removal of an Incomplete. One calendar year is allowed to remove an IN. Individual academic units may have more stringent policies regarding these time limits. If the IN is not removed within the designated time, the course is considered “lapsed,” the grade is changed to an “IX” and it will be calculated into the grade point average as 0 points. Courses offered on a Credit/No Credit basis or taken on a Pass/No Pass basis for which a mark of Incomplete is assigned will be lapsed with a mark of NC or NP and will not be calculated into the grade point average.
Academic Dishonesty (
Plagiarism is the use of others’ ideas, writings, research, drawings, etc. in a paper without appropriate acknowledgment. Paraphrasing (putting the material in your own words, etc.) is usually acceptable as long as the original reference is cited, and you do not imply that the ideas or thoughts are your own. You must always use quotation marks and a citation when using someone else’s words verbatim.Cheating is defined as the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain academic credit for work by the use of any dishonest, deceptive, or fraudulent means. Action will be taken if an instructor suspects a student of cheating.
When working with other students, be sure you turn in your own original work with your own original thoughts. Each student’s work should be unique and reflect his/her own thought processes.
Course Schedule
Week / Date / Topic / Assignments due1 / 1/9 / Class introduction and check in / Begin reading Weiss
2 / 1/16 / Martin Luther King’s Birthday / No Class
3 / 1/23 / Combined Class: WPH B28
Crisis Response to Trauma by Dr. Andres / Journal #1
4 / 1/30 / Case Presentations
5 / 2/6 / Case Presentations / Journal #2
6 / 2/13 / Case Presentations
7 / 2/20 / President’s Day / No Class
8 / 2/27 / Weiss Discussion / Journal #3
Mid-Semester Site Eval Due
Begin reading Yalom
9 / 3/5 / Case presentations
10 / 3/12 / SPRING BREAK / No Class
11 / 3/19 / Combined Class: WPH B28 / Journal #4
12 / 3/26 / Yalom Discussion / Book Review
13 / 4/2 / Case presentations / Journal #5
14 / 4/9 / Case presentations
15 / 4/16 / Case presentations / Final Journal Due
16 / 4/23 / Case presentations
17 / 4/30 / Wrap Up / Final Site and Supervisor
Evaluations and Record of hours due