PSY 400 Counseling Theories

PSY 400 Counseling Theories Spring II 2008

INSTRUCTOR: Mohammad Ali Ghoncheh

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REQUIRED TEXTS:

Title Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (including the Student Manual) Author(s) Corey, G. Copyright (2005). Publisher Brooks/Cole ISBN 0534536050 Edition 7th

This Course Requires the Purchase of a Course Packet: YES NO Argosy University COURSE SYLLABUS PSY400 Counseling Theories

Faculty Information Faculty Name: Mohammad Ali Ghoncheh Campus: Contact Information: Office Hours: Short Faculty Bio:

Course description: The basic theory, principles, and techniques of counseling and its application to professional counseling settings are explained. Also considered are the various theories of counseling and issues in the practice of professional counseling.

Course Pre-requisites: PSY101

Required Textbook:

Corey, G. (2005). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (including the Student Manual).(7th Edition). Brooks/Cole. ISBN: 0534536050

Course length: 7.5 Weeks

Contact Hours: 45 Hours

Credit Value: 3.0

Program Outcomes:

1. Cognitive Abilities 1.1. Critical Thinking - Given a psychological issue, employ skeptical inquiry and a scientific approach to respond to the issue. 1.2. Information Literacy - Given a research question related to psychology, access information from a variety of sources and select appropriate sources to respond to the question. 2. Research 2.1. Understanding Research Methods – Given an article about research findings in the field of psychology from a scholarly journal, identify the research methods used and the findings of the article. 2.2. Identifying Research Methods – Identify the appropriate statistical tools and basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation. 3. Communication Skills 3.1. Oral - Effectively present psychological concepts orally as appropriate to the audience. 3.2. Written - Effectively present psychological information, in writing, using software and style appropriate to the audience. 4. Ethics/Diversity 4.1. Ethics - Identify the issues and challenges related to ethics in the field of psychology. 4.2. Diversity - Identify the issues and challenges related to diversity in the field of psychology. 5. Knowledge of the Field 5.1. Foundations – Recognize the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, applications, and historical trends in psychology. 6. Knowledge of Applied Psychology 6.1. Apply psychological principles to personal, social, and/or organizational issues. 7. Interpersonal Effectiveness Students will develop and improve positive relationship skills via effective communication, respect for others, appreciation of diversity and cultural sensitivity, and awareness of their impact on others. 7.1 Apply active listening communication skills in interpersonal and organizational scenarios to establish empathetic, collegial relationships that facilitate consensus building in working toward common goals and are appreciative of diversity and culture. 7.2 Analyze the importance of effective nonverbal communication skills in developing strong interpersonal and organizational relationships that are culturally sensitive and respectful of diversity. 7. 3 Solicit and utilize feedback to develop adaptable strategies of facilitating dynamic interpersonal and organizational relationships. 7. 4 Analyze the impact of technological advances on communication within interpersonal and organizational relationships. 7. 5 Utilize effective communication and relationship skills in order to promote the growth of others and effect change.

Course Objectives:

1. Understand and appreciate different theoretical approaches to counseling and demonstrate an ability to integrate multiple counseling techniques. (Program Outcome(s): 4.1, & 5) 1.1. Describe the key concepts that make each theoretical approach unique to counseling. 1.2. Examine the similarities and differences in these theoretical approaches. 1.3. Analyze how different theoretical approaches fit into the various stages of therapy and/or the process of change with clients. 2. Explore key ethical topics in the counseling profession. (Program Outcome(s): 4.1) 2.1. Discuss the APA ethical code for psychologists. 2.2. Examine the common and unintentional ethical breaches associated with the counseling profession. 2.3. Analyze the solutions to situations involving ethical dilemmas. 3. Examine the value and belief assumptions held by both clients and psychotherapists and how these are used during counseling. (Program Outcome(s): 1.1, 5, & 6) 3.1. Analyze the influence of the counselor’s own beliefs and values on the counseling process. 3.2. Analyze the impact of the counselors’ personal strengths and weaknesses on their performance. 3.3. Analyze the impact that clients’ beliefs and assumptions have on their life choices and decisions and how counselors can use this information in therapy to facilitate client growth. 4. Learn how diverse cultural values affect the counseling process. (Program Outcome(s): 3.1, 4.2) 4.1. Discuss the influence of counselor’s own culture on therapy. 4.2. Discuss the influence of the client’s culture, such as age, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, and sexual orientation, on therapy. 5. Examine the individual needs, motivations, and personal characteristics that may help or hinder a profession in human services. (Program Outcome(s): 1.1, & 5) 5.1. Analyze the reinforcements the counselors elicit from clients to feed their ideas/images about themselves. 5.2. Analyze the personal characteristics of a successful counselor and ways in which they can be developed or strengthened.

Assignment Table

Topics Readings Assignments 1  Counselor: Person and Professional Corey Discussion Questions:  Counseling and Psychotherapy Chapter 2  Expectations/Assumptions of Chapter 3 1. The United States is becoming increasingly diverse in terms of race and Counseling ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and religious identity.  Informed Consent and Confidentiality Consider an interaction either with a friend, an acquaintance, or a colleague who is of a different ethnicity than you. Your friend or colleague has a marital problem and wants your help. Your friend’s husband expects her to manage the house and their children, without any support from him. He does not want to help financially or make time for her and the children. He thinks that this is a woman’s job and that he is too “macho” to help her. He barely talks to her and doesn’t think she should be heard or seen around his friends and colleagues. He also does not want people to know that she draws a higher salary than he. a. Identify the ethnic identity of your friend from the information provided above. b. Discuss the stereotypes you may have formed from the culture you identified your friend to be from. c. Discuss some instances and situations that may encourage you to form stereotypes about other people. d. Discuss how stereotypes can affect the counseling process.

2. In an ideal world, the values of the therapist would not influence therapy or the therapist’s reactions to clients. However, when therapists deny their values during interactions with clients, the clients can often sense the therapist’s disapproval. a. Do you think therapists reveal their values in therapy? If so, discuss the circumstances in which this happens. If not, why? b. Clients are often confused about their own values. Discuss one strategy with which clients can explore their values. c. Assume that you have a friend who tested HIV positive and had no intention of informing his partner. d. In reference to this situation, state the differences between exposing and imposing your values.

3. Erika is 17 years old and visits a therapist. She is happy with her therapist and feels increasingly more comfortable talking to the therapist about her problems. She trusts her therapist and feels that confidentiality will be maintained. Erika keeps thanking her therapist for being there and not telling anyone else about her problems.

So far, Erika has told her therapist that she is unhappy at home and at school, likes to stay alone all the time, and has no friends. She also stays away from men and says it is because she is shy. Her therapist suspects that Erika is holding something back.

During her third session, Erika begins talking about having sexual intercourse with her cousin who lives down the street. Her cousin is 25 years old. Erika says that, at first, her cousin forced her to have sex with him, but now she does it on her own accord. Erika also claims that this relationship has been going on for three months now, but it makes her feel unclean and wrong. a. In your opinion, what do you think Erika’s therapist should do after hearing about Erika’s sexual relationship with her cousin? Why? b. If the therapist breaks confidentiality, how would it affect the counseling relationship? Give reasons. Assignments:

1. Effective Counselors George is a 28-year-old male, currently pursuing a degree in psychology. He wants to be a counselor for people with adjustment difficulties. However, George’s supervisors think he should change his career because of a misfit between his personality and his job and role characteristics. George has a tendency to be judgmental and narrow-minded about people different from him. He is very guarded and defensive with people and typically thinks that other people are trying to put him down. He usually forces his opinions on people. a. Do you think these characteristics will prevent him from being a good counselor? b. What are the characteristics that counselors should have to be effective in their field? c. What can George do to develop the characteristics he needs to be a therapist?

Psychological health is important to be effective therapists. Therapists need to consciously use strategies to help themselves through periods of distress and stress. Psychological health impacts both the personal and professional life of a therapist. d. What would you look for to determine the psychological health of a person?

2. Final Project This is your first week with the client. You are apprehensive about meeting the client for the first time and don’t want to do anything that will hinder the counseling process. For this meeting, you are only meant to watch how your supervisor, Jim, handles the client and take notes of your observations about the interaction between Jim and Sabina. a. What do you think are the important skills that Jim should have to ensure that the client comes back next week? b. What do you think are the initial issues or anxieties that you will face while establishing rapport with your clients? c. Sabina is from a different culture. What aspects of her life do you think may be normal in her country but may be seen as maladaptive or unhealthy in the U.S. d. The lecture indicates that explaining to the client the various aspects of confidentiality and informed consent is one of the first tasks in counseling and therapy. Which specific aspect of confidentiality or informed consent do you think would be difficult to explain or talk about with a client? Give reasons for your answer. 2  Intake Interview Corey Discussion Questions:  Psychoanalytical Therapy Chapter 4  Adlerian Therapy Chapter 5 1. Think about an incident in which you were torn between what you wanted  Multicultural Implications to do and what you should have done — for example, cheating on a test or telling a friend about her boyfriend cheating on her. a. Discuss this incident in terms of a conflict between your id, ego, and superego, and explain what choice you implemented. Were you happy with your decision? b. If you felt bad about what you did, did you resolve it in order to not feel guilty? How? c. Explain the defense mechanisms you used in your situation. If you did not, discuss why.

2. Adlerians emphasize birth order and relationships among siblings. a. What position did you occupy in your family? If you could change your birth order, which birth order would you choose? Provide reasons for your answer. Comment on the choice and reasons of your classmates. b. To what degree do you see your childhood experiences in your family as a factor shaping the person you are now? Substantiate your response with reasons and examples.

3. Client resistance is a normal and protective function in therapy. Therapists need to honor client resistance because it serves to safeguard clients from pain in the past. However, it provides useful information to the therapists about the clients and helps determine the degree to which the clients are willing to change. a. Consider instances when you did not want to hear what was said to you. Explain the ways in which you resisted people and feedback in your personal life. b. According to you, why is client resistance such an important tool of insight for a therapist? Support your viewpoint with examples.

Assignments:

1. Johari Window by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham

The following activity is to help you understand the psychoanalytic principles of conscious, subconscious, and unconscious motivations.

The Johari Window table has four quadrants: Open, which refers to what you and everyone else knows; Blind, which refers to what others know but you don’t; Hidden, which refers to what you know about yourself but hide from others; and Unknown, which refers to what is unknown to yourself and others. Fill out the quadrants known to yourself that is the Open and Hidden quadrants. Next, ask the people closest to you about the aspects of your person that you are not aware of and fill out the Blind quadrant. The Unknown quadrant will be empty because those are the aspects of you yet to be discovered. a. What aspects of yourself in the Open, Blind, and Hidden quadrants surprised you? Provide reasons for your answer. b. Compare the open and hidden aspects of yourself with what you are blind to. On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you know yourself? c. What theories of psychoanalytic theory relate to the Johari Window? d. Consider Freud’s iceberg theory and his concepts of the level of consciousness. e. How would you recategorize the aspects of yourself from the four quadrants of the Johari Window into the three levels of consciousness?

To view the Johari Window table, please refer to the following Web site: www.noogenesis.com/game_theory/johari/johari_window.html

2. Final Project Describe how a counselor or therapist will use the Psychoanalytic and Adlerian approaches in Sabina’s case. Based on this model: a. What would the counselor believe about Sabina? b. What would be the goal of therapy? c. What would be the relationship between the therapist and Sabina? d. How would the counselor function in the therapy sessions? e. Which counseling techniques or procedures would the therapist use? f. What is Sabina likely to experience during counseling? g. What would be the desired outcomes of therapy? 3  Person-Centered Therapy Corey Discussion Questions:  Advanced Accurate Empathy Chapter 7  Other Client-Centered Strategies Chapter 8 1. Rogers believed that in appropriate conditions, an acorn will  Gestalt Therapy “automatically” grow in positive ways, pushed naturally toward its  Diagnosis in Therapy actualization as an oak. Broadley (1999) describes the actualizing tendency as a directional process of striving toward realization, fulfillment, autonomy, self-determination, and perfection.

Maslow says that few people reach self-actualization. He named prominent world figures, such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., as having actualized their potential. a. Discuss the characteristics of self-actualization, and express your opinion about whether it is easy to achieve self-actualization. b. Refer to any well-known public figure who you think came close to self-actualization. Describe the characteristics that you saw in or heard about that individual, which made the individual self-actualized. c. Did the person you refer to have optimal conditions in which to become self-actualized?

2. Kera is a 22-year-old woman. She comes for counseling because she feels dissatisfied with who she is. She is the younger daughter in a family of four. Her sister is two years older than her and is popular among their family and friends. Kera has always been in awe of her older sister who seems to have an easy life. However, Kera feels that her parents criticize her when they tell her that she should be more like her sister. Kera says that she feels inferior to most people and absolutely worthless. She wishes she was more like her sister. Kera also says that she hates her family and wishes that she never had them. a. Discuss some of the advantages of using the Client-Centered Approach with Kera. b. Explore how unconditional positive regard would benefit Kera. Provide reasons for your response, and give statements that would bring this strategy to light.

3. Unfinished business involves unexpressed feelings such as resentment, rage, hatred, pain, anxiety, grief, guilt, and rejection. Because these feelings are not expressed, they are carried into the present in ways that interfere with effective contact with the self and with others.

Imagine a counseling situation:

Ron Levin is a 21-year-old Jewish boy whose parents do not approve of his girlfriend, Ghulan, a 21-year-old white Lutheran girl. Ron’s parents want him to date only Jewish girls.

Ron’s therapist is from Vietnam. In her country, marriages are arranged for economic and financial reasons. The therapist, as a young girl, was pressured to marry men she could not date in Vietnam. However, she resisted the pressure from her family and pursued her education instead. She came to the United States and built a life to avoid some of the expectations of her own family and culture. She currently dates U.S. men, but her parents still ask her to meet young, successful Vietnamese men.

Both Ron and the therapist are angry with their families for interfering in their personal lives. a. Discuss how the unfinished business in this scenario can influence the therapist. Provide examples to substantiate your answer. b. Discuss how the unfinished business can influence the counseling relationship and Ron. Provide examples to substantiate your response.

Assignments:

1. Confrontation and Ron Let’s continue with Ron’s situation mentioned in DQ 3. The same therapist continues to work with Ron Levin. Ron is so angry with his parents that he ignores the possibility that he may not be happy with Ghulan, his girlfriend. He talks as though he wants to spend the rest of his life with her even though he knows that he is too young to think about getting engaged and married. Ghulan has attempted to slit her wrists two times in the past year. She lives with her parents and works dead-end jobs. a. How would a Gestalt therapist confront Ron with gentleness and respect? b. What statement would help Ron realize that he is making decisions about Ghulan only to spite his parents? c. What are some of the dangers of using confrontation with Ron when he is not ready to hear what the therapist has to say? d. If the therapist confronts Ron and he dodges the therapists attempt to increase his insight into his own behavior, what should the therapist do? Provide reasons for your response.

2. Final Project Describe how a counselor or therapist will use the Person-centered and Gestalt approaches in Sabina’s case.

Based on this model: a. What would the counselor believe about Sabina? b. What would be the goal of therapy? c. What would be the relationship between the therapist and Sabina? d. How would the counselor function in the therapy sessions? e. Which counseling techniques or procedures would the therapist use? f. What is Sabina likely to experience during counseling? g. What would be the desired outcomes of therapy? 4  Behavior Therapy Corey Discussion Questions:  Cognitive Behavior Therapy Chapter 9  Multicultural Issues Chapter 10 1. Assume that you work in a day care center and take care of four 6-year  Goals of Therapy olds. One of the boys, Ethan disrupts work in the classroom. He disobeys  Treatment Plans in Therapy your orders, bullies and pushes the other children in your care, and throws tantrums when he does not get what he wants. a. Discuss how behavior modification techniques might be useful while working with Ethan. b. Discuss how cognitive behavior therapy can be used with Ethan? Substantiate your responses with reasons.

2. John and Mary have been married for two years. John approaches a therapist because he wants help to resolve some of his marital difficulties. John says that Mary is stubborn and wants him to fall in line with decisions that concern them both—from the type of house they should buy to the number of children they should have. John says that Mary takes it personally when he stands up for himself. Sometimes he feels that she thinks she “owns’ him. He personally does not see why she thinks that their relationship has to be smooth and compliant all the time. Her failure to convince him to support her all the time could be the end of the relationship.

a. State which of the following irrational beliefs applies to Mary. ____(a) “I must be thoroughly competent in everything I do.” ____(b) “Others must treat me fairly and in ways that I want them to.” ____(c) “I must have universal approval, and if I don’t get this approval from everyone, it’s horrible and I feel depressed.” ____(d) “Life must be the way I want it to be, and if it isn’t, I can’t tolerate it.” ____(e) “If I fail at something, the results will be catastrophic.” ____(f) “I should feel eternally guilty and rotten and continue to blame myself for all of my past mistakes.” ____(g) “Because of all my miseries are caused by others, I have no control over my life, and I can’t change things unless they change.” b. How might the therapist use the ABC model of personality and attempt to change Mary’s irrational beliefs? c. What rational statements and beliefs would you suggest Mary should have to help the situation between John and her?

3. Skinner acknowledged that feelings and thoughts do exist, but he denied that they were caused by our actions. Skinner maintained that too much attention is given to internal states of mind and motives. He stressed the cause and effect links between objective, observable environmental conditions and behavior. Do you agree with Skinner’s contention that the role of feelings, thoughts and behavior are overestimated in psychology’s view of human nature? Provide your reasons, with examples or case illustrations from your life or from the people in your life.

Assignments:

1. Identifying Themes in Client’s Lives Codrina is a 40-year-old, divorced, white female seeking counseling at a university counseling center. She is seeking counseling because she has been unable to sleep well and has lost her appetite after her girlfriend left her for her best friend. Codrina was raised in a state orphanage in Russia and her childhood years were of isolation, hunger and scarcity. She describes spending many days just staring at the wall and rocking back and forth. Once she left the orphanage at 16 years, she worked in Moscow for a few years until she met her American girlfriend. She lived with her for a couple of years in Moscow and then moved to the US. However, her partner started to verbally abuse her once they moved to the US and stopped having sexual relationships with her. One day, Codrina discovered that her girlfriend was having sex with her best friend. In session, Codrina claimed that this breakup was her partner’s loss and that anyone would be lucky to have her. However, even six months after the divorce, she is unable to sleep (she had trouble sleeping as a child as well) at night. She wants help for insomnia from her therapist. Codrina also complains about a male friend who she hangs out with, who, she reports is rude and insensitive to her. She is thinking of starting a business with this friend, but does not trust him to be fair to her in his business dealings. She wants to know from the therapist if it would be better to not work with this friend at all only because she does not trust him. a. What themes do you see in Codrina’s life? Provide reasons. b. Based on Beck’s theory on cognitive therapy, what cognitive distortions can you infer that Codrina has because of her past? c. What goals would Codrina’s therapist, want for her? Why do you think so?

2. Final Project Describe how a counselor or therapist will use the Behavioral and Cognitive Behavioral approaches in Sabina’s case.

Based on this model: a. What would the counselor believe about Sabina? b. What would be the goal of therapy? c. What would be the relationship between the therapist and Sabina? d. How would the counselor function in the therapy sessions? e. Which counseling techniques or procedures would the therapist use? f. What is Sabina likely to experience during counseling? g. What would be the desired outcomes of therapy? 5  Ethical Issues in Counseling Practice Corey Discussion Questions:  Theories of Ethical Reasoning Chapter 6  HIPAA Training: Ethical Awareness 1. Derek Breech, Ph.D, and his client Carol have been interacting as therapist  Ethics in Multicultural Counseling and client for a number of years. Last year, they tentatively acknowledged a mutual attraction. However, Derek informed Carol that because of professional ethics, they could not have an affair. Otherwise, he would get into big trouble. Nevertheless, during his final session with Carol, Derek provocatively suggested to Carol that she should not give up on him. a. Discuss whether this is an appropriate termination with the client? Give your reasons. b. Based on the APA ethical codes, what is the ethical breach in this case study? c. What are the negative aspects of saying or behaving in sexually inappropriate ways with current as well as former clients? d. Describe the array of reactions that psychologists may experience when treating clients who have reported being sexually abused by previous therapists.

2. Rita is a 26-year-old, married, Caucasian woman seeking therapy to resolve a relationship dilemma. She has been married for the past two years. Her husband usually travels during the weekdays and returns home during the weekends. Rita is dissatisfied with her marriage. Her husband has an erectile dysfunction, and it has been six months since they last had sex. Her husband is a good man but is emotionally distant. He considers himself the breadwinner, and Rita is expected to take care of everything else. She works as a secretary and is strongly attracted to her employer. They have not acted upon their mutual attraction. Rita is confused about her feelings toward her husband and her employer and hopes that therapy will sort out her confusion.

The therapist’s goal is to help Rita come to a decision by using Rest’s stages of moral reasoning (look at the lecture notes). a. Brainstorm and identify a list of options available for Rita. b. Discuss how each of these options will affect Rita’s husband, Rita’s boss, and Rita. c. In an ideal therapy situation, the therapist would help the client identify the morally right course of action. However, indicate an action that Rita should take. Provide reasons for your choice.

3. Tom Jones is the only practicing therapist in a small town in Minnesota with a population of 10,000 people. One day, he recognizes on his appointment list, the name of his mechanic. He is aware from the local gossip, that his mechanic Eric Mech has been diagnosed with cancer. Later in the day, during the appointment hour, Eric Mech tells Dr. Jones that he wants to talk about dealing with cancer and the possibility of his own death. Dr. Jones is aware of the APA policies on dual and multiple relationships and is conflicted by it. a. Should Tom Jones accept Eric Mech as a client or not? Support your answers with reasons. b. What are some options for Eric that can reduce the risk of dual relationship without denying him the psychological services that he needs? c. What can Dr. Jones do to avoid the dilemma of a current dual relationship?

Assignments:

1. Existential Therapy Assume that an existential therapist gives a client the following statements: a. If I make no major changes, then I expect ______.” b. Describe some things, situations, or people that you see as preventing change or making change difficult:______c. If you could make one significant change in your personality or behavior now, what would it be? ______d. How would you make that change now? e. ______f. Write your own epitaph:______g. The client is meant to complete these statements so that the therapist can analyze the client better. h. Discuss some reactions that clients may have when the therapist asks them to do this exercise. i. Discuss the significance of the existential belief that we are not victims of our circumstances. How can it be used in therapy? j. With the help of examples, discuss which theoretical perspective already studied is the existential perspective most similar to?

2. Final Project This week, you face ethical dilemmas regarding your interaction with Sabina. You are in the grocery store when you see Sabina and her husband. Sabina spots you behind your grocery cart and your eyes meet. a. What are your options or choices in this situation? b. What would you do if Sabina acknowledges you? Peruse the APA, ACA, and AAMFT ethical codes and determine the ethical principle you should consider in this situation. What is the right course of action and why? c. Keeping in mind Sabina’s cultural background, do you think she would feel ashamed if acknowledged in public? d. Identify some other ethical issues that could arise when you are dealing with clients from different ethnicities. 6  Existential Therapy Corey Discussion Questions:  Reality Therapy Chapter 11  Feminist Therapy Chapter 12 1. You notice a clique of girls who seem to do everything together and who  Involuntary Clients appear to be very supportive of each other. The following descriptions are  Theory on Change: Prochaska of the four girls in the clique. Karla is 17 years old and, in the past six months, has been suspended for smoking pot in the school restrooms. Her parents, both of whom are physicians, are in the middle of a bitterly fought divorce. Karla is torn between the two and feels forced to choose between them. She feels unable to fight them but is not able to tell them so.

Cindy is also 17 years old and dates Tom, one of the popular boys in school. Tom is in the basketball team and has many female admirers. Cindy is sure that she wants to marry Tom and devote her life to him from the moment she can legally do so.

Jessica, at 17 years, is sure she wants to study medicine. She stays up most days of the week working on her course. She drives 15 miles every two days to attend her college courses. These credits will count to both her high school and college credits.

Lola, also 17, on the other hand, has no idea of what she wants to do. She does not believe in planning for the future. She parties most days and has been failing her courses.

Do you think any of these girls can be categorized into groups based on reality therapy’s theory on encoded needs? If so, name the girls and explain why you think so.

2. Reality therapy proposes concepts that are unconventional and typically not accepted by other approaches. Here are some of these concepts:

Glasser states that whatever mistakes were made in the past are not pertinent now. We can only satisfy our needs in the present. On a scale of 1 to 10, state to what degree you agree with this premise? State your reasons with examples.

Reality therapy has also challenged the traditionally accepted views of mental illness and treatment by use of medication.

Glasser also states that psychiatric drugs have a negative side effect both physically and psychologically.

State on a scale of 1-10 to what degree you agree that the usage of psychiatric medication should be extremely restricted.

Describe some of the negative aspects of the use of psychotropic medication.

If you agree with Glasser, what implications would this have in therapy?

3. Uncritical acceptance of traditional roles can greatly restrict the range of freedom to define the kind of person you want to be. a. On a scale of 1 to 10, state the degree to which you agree with the preceding statement. Provide reasons and examples to support your position. b. If people were more interested in defining their own identities than in following the gender roles prescribed by society; what will be the repercussions for those people with their friends and families? c. The principle “the personal is political” holds that client’s problems have social and political causes. If this premise is true, how would it influence a person’s interactions with others?

Assignments:

1. Gender and Culture Bias Debrah’s son Anthony who is 13 years old has an East Indian friend called Chaya. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kapoor object to their daughter being friends with Anthony. They tell Debrah that they think Anthony is a fine boy, but that they think it is inappropriate for Chaya to be playing football with other boys. They say that even though they live in America, they cannot forget their own culture and that it is time for Chaya to stop being a child and to start being a girl. a. Identify any gender and cultural biases in the provided case scenario.

A feminist would say, “Women have been restricted by their cultural conditioning and by accepting gender-role stereotypes that keep them in an inferior position.” b. How do you think Mrs. Kapoor would react to this statement? c. What are the implications of Mr. and Mrs. Kapoor’s attitude to their daughter in the long run?

2. Final Project Describe how a counselor or therapist will use the Existential approach in Sabina’s case.

Based on the Existential model: a. What would the counselor believe about Sabina? b. What would be the goal of therapy? c. What would be the relationship between the therapist and Sabina? d. How would the counselor function in the therapy sessions? e. Which counseling techniques or procedures would the therapist use? f. What is Sabina likely to experience during counseling? g. What would be the desired outcomes of therapy? 7  Post-Modern Approaches Corey Discussion Questions:  Family Systems Therapy Chapter 13  Working with Children Chapter 14 1. David Peterson is a 46-year-old engineer. Over the past 20 years, he has  Psychopharmacology in Therapy risen to the position of a senior executive in a multinational company. He  Common Themes Across Approaches has now been offered the position of Director of Regional Operations. He has come for therapy because he is not sure if this would be a good career move for him. He also reports that if he does not take up this offer, he might regret it in the future. David is an introvert who enjoys the technical aspects of his job. He is not sure if he can perform the networking and public relations that will be a part of his work as director.

According to solution-focused therapy (SFT) of Waller and Peller, the therapeutic process involves four steps: (1) Find out what clients want. (2) Do not try and identify any pathology. (3) Encourage the clients to experiment with something different. (4) Treat each session as if it were the last and only session.

This information is presented in your textbook. a. According to you, which therapeutic techniques of SFT would be most useful with David? Substantiate your responses with reasons and examples. b. Discuss the usefulness of SFT in terms of another post-modern approach such as the narrative therapy.

2. Kimberly is your close friend. Recently, her fiancé broke her heart by not showing up for their wedding. a. As a person familiar with narrative therapy, what meanings could Kimberly construct from this incident? Why do you think so? b. How would Kimberly act and be if she started to believe that she is intrinsically unlovable? c. As a friend, you want Kimberly to move away from absolutist judgment to identify both the good and bad elements of this situation. d. Why do you think it would be good for Kimberly to see the good and bad elements of her fiancé abandoning her? e. Discuss the good and bad elements of her fiancé abandoning her.

3. Rhonda is the third child in an African-American family. Her father always berates her for her weight. He says hurtful things to her such as, “Don’t eat dessert. You will become fatter, and no one will want to date you.” Rhonda also overhears her father tell his friends that he loves his other children more. She suspects that her father tries to avoid her in public. Rhonda is 22 years old, is 5 feet and 7 inches tall, and weighs 200 pounds. Her other siblings are all slim and successful. Rhonda is the only child living at home. Her mother feels sorry for her and sneaks in a piece of dessert at night when the others are asleep. Her mother thinks that her actions convey her unconditional support of and love for her child. a. What are the alliances you see among the members of this family? How do the alliances in the family impact Rhonda? b. What role do you think triangulation plays in a family’s level of functionality? Discuss the triangulation in Rhonda’s family. c. Discuss the advantages, if any, that a family systems therapist may have over any other therapist who counsels just one individual in the family.

Assignments:

1. Understanding Family Structure Debbie is 18 years old and has come in to see a counselor because she knows that she needs help urgently. Debbie says that she sleeps 14 to 15 hours a day and would probably sleep the whole day if her mother did not wake her up to go to college. She says that she has lost interest in everything. Her parents want her to be a doctor, but she feels that this is not what she wants to be. She prefers to be alone all the time. The future seems hopeless to her, and she often thinks about committing suicide. She has thought of cutting her wrist but has not been able to do so. She keeps hoping that she will feel the next day. Her counselor has diagnosed that Debbie has depression. a. Discuss how medication can help Debbie cope with her depressive symptoms. Provide reasons for your answer. b. Discuss how the cognitive behavior therapy would benefit Debbie. Provide reasons.

2. Final Project a. Analyze the information you have about Sabina. b. Analyze some key themes that represent the core struggles in Sabina’s life. c. Examine some statements in her biography that reveal the themes in her life. d. Determine her position on the GAF score, also known as DSM-IV TR, and provide reasons for your decision. 8  Integrative Perspective Corey Discussion Questions:  Case Illustration with Stan Chapter 15  Termination of Therapy 1. In this course, we have studied various approaches to therapy and explored the utility of each orientation with reference to the client. a. Do you think there is one approach that every therapist should use? Provide reasons for your answer and illustrate them with examples. b. Is any approach not necessary for working with clients? State reasons for your answer and provide examples to substantiate them.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of practicing within the framework of one specific theory as opposed to developing a more integrative approach consisting of several therapies?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of practicing within an integrated framework? What are some common denominators among therapies?

3. For the past year, Jose has been seeing Dr. Richards for depression. They have formed a strong therapeutic alliance and a productive working relationship. Dr. Richards knows that Jose is doing fine now and that he should plan the termination of the counseling session. However, Jose keeps bringing up minor problems in daily living that have nothing to do with mental health. He also keeps hinting that he may worsen if Dr. Richards doesn’t monitor him. Dr. Richards thinks it is a good idea to be sure that Jose is strong enough to face the world without him. a. Explore what motivates Jose to bring up minor problems in his sessions with Dr. Richards. b. What could be Dr. Richards’ emotions and thoughts during this last phase of therapy with Jose? c. Discuss helpful behaviors that Dr. Richards could engage in to ensure that the termination of the relationship with Jose is smooth and gradual.

Assignments:

1. Final Project Describe how a counselor or therapist will use the Integrative approach in Sabina’s case. The Integrative approach is the utilization of the best of the seven theories analyzed in this case: Psychoanalytic, Adlerian, Existential, Person-centered, Gestalt, Behavior, and Cognitive Behavior.

Based on the Integrative model: a. What would the counselor believe about Sabina? b. What would be the goal of therapy? c. What would be the relationship between the therapist and Sabina? d. How would the counselor function in the therapy sessions? e. Which counseling techniques or procedures would the therapist use? f. What is Sabina likely to experience during counseling? g. What would be the desired outcomes of therapy? Grading Criteria Grading Scale Grading requirements

A 100 -93 Attendance/participation 25% Weekly Assignments 20% A- 92 – 90 Final paper 35% B+ 89 – 88 Optional 10% B 87 – 83 Optional 10% B- 82 – 80 100% C+ 79 – 78 C 77 – 73 C- 72 – 70 D+ 69 -68 D 67 – 63 D- 62 – 60 F 59 and below

Library:

All resources in Argosy University’s online collection are available through the Internet. The campus librarian will provide students with links, user IDs, and passwords.

Library Resources: Argosy University’s core online collection features nearly 21,000 full-text journals and 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. Many titles are directly accessible through the Online Public Access Catalog at http://library.argosy.edu. Detailed descriptions of online resources are located at http://library.argosy.edu/misc/onlinedblist.html.

In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of subject-specific research materials searchable in the Online Public Access 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: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach students fundamental and transferable research skills. The tutorial consists of five modules where students learn to select sources appropriate for academic-level research, search periodical indexes and search engines, and evaluate and cite 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 http://library.argosy.edu/infolit/

Academic Policies

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity during the learning process, Argosy University 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). Washington DC: 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 Argosy University catalog for further information regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

Scholarly writing: The faculty at Argosy University 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,” (www.turnitin.com), 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 Argosy University 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 Argosy University Statement Regarding Diversity

Argosy University 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.