University of Maryland University College – Europe

EDCP 625 – Counseling the Chemically Dependent (3 semester hours credit)

Term 5 – June-July 2001 – Kapaun

Instructor: Dr. Jim Calvin, who: took over 100 undergraduate semester hours (and got B.A. degree) and took two graduate EDCP courses, from UMUC, on Okinawa; got Ph.D. at Kent State; Board Certified in Chemical Dependence treatment; served 27 years in the United States Navy – 9 years enlisted and 18 years as a clinical psychologist and health care manager; and has been teaching undergraduate and graduate courses since 1990. e-mail – jcalvin@faculty.ed.umuc.edu

Class Hours: Mon/Wed 1845-2130 Office Hours: before/after class/by appointment

Text: E.T. Dowd & L. Rugle (Eds.) (1999). Comparative Treatments of Substance Abuse. New York: Springer. (Also – Handouts)

Course Description - This Course will guide students to examine/evaluate the key elements of chemical dependency (CD) counseling, including: counselor attitude, behavior, and ethics; mechanisms of psychoactive drugs; major psychoactive drug categories, and their physical and psychological effects; assessment of substance abuse and chemical dependence; the major modes of CD treatment – psychoanalytic, behavioral, 12-step, cognitive, REBT/SMART, client-centered, holistic, harm reduction, family, community, & Eriksonian; and research – on effectiveness of CD treatment. Most important – to seek out and understand those issues and concepts which are most important to YOU!

Course Objectives – Students will be expected to demonstrate theoretical knowledge of major CD concepts and use of practical applications, including: relationship of counselor skills and behavior to that of the addicted person; psychoactive actions of drugs and alcohol; methods of CD assessment; the various modes of treatment and their effectiveness; and the relationships between all those concepts and applications. Students will further understand the resources and methods available to conduct research.

Evaluation - Grades will be given based on mastery of course objectives, class participation, a 12-step project, and a research paper.

Mastery of objectives will be tested by two examinations, a Midterm, on Wednesday, June 27th; and a Final, on Wednesday, July 25th. Each exam will be worth 30 points. Exams will consist of fact-based essay, true-false, multiple choice, and definition questions - based on readings AND lectures.

Attendance and class participation are significant!! If you miss class, you are responsible for obtaining class notes and making up work as appropriate. During the second half of the course, students will be expected to role play the coun- seling techniques being studied. This (& other) participation is 20 points.

Wednesday, July 4^th, is a holiday. We will MAKE UP this class time by adding some extra minutes to other classes, and the "12-step project" – below:

The "12-step project" involves doing ONE (and only ONE) of THREE options:

Option 1 – Write a TWO page paper on "How Alcoholics Anonymous works"; OR

Option 2 – Write a TWO page paper on "How effective is Alcoholics Anonymous, as a treatment option"; OR

Option 3 – Attend ONE "Open" Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, and write a ONE page paper on YOUR experience and views, of attending that AA meeting.

This project is worth 5 points.

There is ONE written project, a 10-12 page ("double spaced") research project - a paper on ANY topic that relates to counseling chemical dependence. Your written project should be APPROVED by Dr. Calvin – by June 13^th. The project is DUE on Wednesday, July 18^th; and is worth 15 points. Because effective writing is a critical part of your education, appropriate essay work should be clear and concise, with proper grammar and spelling. It should also be in proper "APA" format and properly referenced.

Students are reminded of UMUC’s policies on academic dishonesty and plagiarism, and UMUC’s penalties for same – including course failure and/or dismissal.

Course GRADES will be given as follows: 90-100 points - A; 80-89 - B; 70-79 – C

Students seeking accommodation for special needs are requested to discuss their situation with the Instructor well in advance, so that reasonable accommodation may be addressed.

***QUESTIONS?? about this syllabus or about ANYTHING - ASK!!