EPSY 541 - THEORIES OF COUNSELING

541sylbus.htm

EPSY 541 - THEORIES OF COUNSELING

Tuesday 4:00 - 6:30 p.m.

WHAM 228

Instructor: Gail G. Mieling, Ph.D. Office Hours: T 1:30 -3:30 p.m.

Office: 223K Wham Education Building By appointment

Office phone: 536 - 7763

email: gmieling@siu.edu

homepage: http://mypage.siu.edu/gmieling/

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CONTENTS OF SYLLABUS:

Course Description/Objectives

Accommodations for Students With Special Needs

Required /Optional Texts

Course Grades

Attendance Policy

Suggestions for Getting the Most From This Course

Tentative Course Outline

Course Description

This course presents an overview of current theories of counseling with a special focus on the philosophical assumptions, key concepts, techniques, and practical applications of each approach. Each of the theories will be examined critically such that the student can begin to formulate an integrated personal theory of counseling.

Prerequisite: EPSY 493 or concurrent enrollment

Course Objectives

This course will provide you with the opportunity to:

1. Critically examine the basic philosophical assumptions which underlie your value system and ultimately your approach to counseling;

2. Acquire knowledge of the prevailing theories of counseling so they can be compared and contrasted;

3. Critically examine each of the major theories of counseling within the framework of your own background, values, and professional goals;

4. Examine social context – consider how gender, race, age, sexual identity, SES, physical ability, family history, and other characteristics influence your experience of yourself and others;

5. Explore multiple perspectives about a single issue – this course will challenge you to consider a variety of “stories” about problems, solutions, and counseling;

6. Begin to formulate a personal theory of counseling which is professionally defensible, internally consistent, and personally relevant; and

7. Consider applications of your theory in employment situations like mental health agencies and school counseling.

If you have any special need(s) or disability for which you require accommodations to promote your learning in this class, please contact your instructor as soon as possible to discuss your needs. The Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) offers various support services and can help you with special accommodations. You may wish to contact DSS at 453-5738 or in Room 150 at Woody Hall to verify your eligibility and options for accommodations related to your special need(s) or disability.

Required Texts

Corey, G. (2005). Theory and practice of counseling & psychotherapy (7^th ed.).

Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole – Thomson Learning.

American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological

Association (5^th ed.). Washington, DC: APA.

Optional Texts

Aaron, J.E. (1998). The little, brown compact handbook. New York: Addison Wesley Longman.

Frankl, V. (1984). Man’s search for meaning (3^rd ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster.

Zinsser, W. (1998). On writing well (6^th ed.). New York: harper Collins.

Course Grades

Exam 1

100 points

Exam 2

100 points

Final Exam

100 points

Reflection Papers (3 at 10 points each)

30 points

Reflection on a Novel

40 points

Self Evaluation

30 points

Personal Theory of Counseling

100 points

Total Possible Points

500 points

450 - 500 points A

400 - 449 points B

350 - 399 points C

300 - 349 points D

under 300 points F

Note: If you are in the Counselor Education program, you must receive an A or B in this course to continue on to any practicum. If you receive a C or below, you will be required to successfully retake this course (by receiving a grade of A or B) before beginning any practicum.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is necessary and expected. Investing in your learning minimally requires that you attend class, attend class on time, and be prepared for class. A daily record of attendance will be maintained.

Students who are tardy should notify the instructor after class so that their tardiness is not marked as an absence. If you must be absent, it is you responsibility to acquire material covered in class and be knowledgeable of any student expectations discussed when you were absent. Because the assignments in this course require the application of concepts presented in class, it is extremely difficult to achieve a passing grade when attendance is irregular. Students who cannot attend regularly due to other commitments should consider taking this course at a more appropriate time.

Note that attendance will be taken. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that she/he sign the attendance roster each week. Attendance and participation will be considered when grades are “borderline” (e.g., between “A” and “B”).

Suggestions for Getting the Most From This Course

1. Decide at the outset if you are willing to devote the time and energy needed to do a quality job for this important course in your major.

2. Look through all of the required material the first week to get a general idea what the course considers. Read this outline carefully to be sure that you understand what is expected of you in this course.

3. Keep up-to-date in all your reading, and come to class prepared to ask questions or raise issues form the readings.

4. After each class session, make and organize your notes for the topic of the day.

5. Come to class with an open frame of mind and be willing to take some risks. If you generally don’t participate much in class, think about making a contract for participating actively and verbally in each session.

6. Realize this is a beginning survey course in counseling theories. You are not expected to have extensive counseling experience before this class. Don’t let limited experience inhibit in-class participation. Give some thought to what you’d like to have emphasized in each meeting. What concerns, issues, and questions are raised for you from the readings?

7. If you are experiencing difficulty in the course, don’t wait until the end of the course to come in and discuss it. You don’t have to be having problems in the course to come in during office hours. Come in, if you like, to discuss or explore any issues that are an outgrowth of your being in the course. We can discuss your papers during office hours, but be sure to bring your papers with you.

8. Please be sure that beepers, cell phones, etc. are turned off or in “silent” mode, and respond to them only in emergency situations.

9. Most of all, enjoy the course. I’m excited about the issues and content, and my hope is you will also get excited about your learning. I hope you won’t view this as “just another course,” but as one you will see as extremely important both personally and professionally

TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE

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August 22 Introduction to course

Readings for next class: Ch. 1 – Introduction and Overview

Ch. 2 – The Counselor: Personal and Professional

Ch. 3 – Ethical Issues in Counseling Practice

_____________________________________________________________________ August 29 Overview of Counseling

ASSIGNMENT DUE – REFLECTION PAPER ONE

Readings for 9/05: Ch. 4 – Psychoanalytic Therapy

Explore “The New York Psychoanalytic Institute” website

(especially links to “about psychoanalysis” and “history”)

http://psychoanalysis.org/

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September 5 Theories and Techniques of Counseling - Psychoanalytic Therapy

Readings for next class: Ch. 5 – Adlerian Therapy

Read Basic Principles of Classical Adlerian Psychology and Adler on Social Feeling http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/hstein/principl.htm

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September 12 Adlerian Therapy

Readings for next class: Ch. 6 – Existential Therapy

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September 19 Existential Therapy

Readings for next class: Ch. 7 – Person-Centered Therapy

Read An Analysis of Carl Rogers’ Theory of Personality

http://www.wynja.com/personality/rogersff.htlm

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September 26 Person-Centered Therapy

ASSIGNMENT DUE – REFLECTION PAPER TWO

October 3 EXAM # 1 (exam will cover through Person-Centered Therapy)

Readings for next class: Ch. 8 – Gestalt Therapy

Read menu items on the About Gestalt Therapy page

http://www.aagt.org/html/chapter.HTM

Ch. 9 – Behavior Therapy

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October 10 Gestalt Therapy & Behavioral Therapy (if time allows)

Readings for next class: Ch. 10 – Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

Explore the Albert Ellis Institute website

http://www.rebt.org/

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October 17 Behavioral Therapy & REBT (if time allows)

Readings for next class: Ch. 10 – Cognitive Therapy

Explore Cognitive Therapy Pages and read Cognitive Therapy and

Depression at this site http://www.cts.com/cash/habtsmrt/cogtitle.html

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October 31 REBT & Cognitive Therapy

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November 7

EXAM TWO (exam will cover through Cognitive Therapy)

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Readings for next class: Ch. 11 – Reality Therapy

Explore the website of The William Glasser Institute. Go to Articles

and read Reality Therapy in the Year 2000.

http://www.wglasser.com/

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November 14

Reality Therapy

Ethical issues in counseling

Rent and review “Good Will Hunting”

Read the ACA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practices

www.counseling.org/Content/NavigationMenu/RESOURCES/ETHICS/ACA_Ethics.pdf

ASSIGNMENT DUE – REFLECTION PAPER THREE

Readings for next class: Ch. 12 – Feminist Therapy

Ch. 13 - Post-Modern Approaches

Read about Narrative Therapy

http://www.narrativeapproaches.com/

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November 21 Thanksgiving Break!! _____________________________________________________

November 28

Feminist Therapy

Post-Modern Therapy

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Readings for next class: Ch. 14 – Family Therapy Approaches

Check out “Handouts” and “Short Essays” links at the Brief Family

Therapy Center web site

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December 5 Family Therapy - Ch. 14

ASSIGNMENT DUE – PERSONAL THEORY OF COUNSELING

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Week of December 11

Final Exam - day and time TBA

ASSIGNMENT DUE – SELF EVALUATION (bring to final)