The University of Maryland, College Park

EDCP 619 Practicum In Counseling - Term I-2

Marion D. Grothus-Magee, Ph.D., CPC, NBCCH, NCC

OFFICE HOURS

1 hr prior to class by appointment only.

Tel/Fax: 06201-57487. If you have a problem or a concern, please call.

German Address: Fruhlingsst 18, 69469 Weinheim/Ritschweier

TEXTS: REQUIRED:

__Alle-Corliss, L., & Alle-Corliss, R. (1999). Advanced practice in human service agencies: Issues, trends, and treatment perspectives. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

__American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.).Washington, DC: Author.

__Corey, G., Corey, M., & Callanan, P. (1998). Issues and ethics in the helping professions. (5th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. Sweitzer, H. F., & King, M. A. (1999). The successful internship: Transformation and empowerment. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole

__In addition, supplemental readings on assigned topics may be required. These readings will be handed out in class.

__An extensive film and book library will be available weekly for checkout. It is expected that students review as many as possible.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

EDCP 619 Practicum in Counseling is designed to accompany the student's initial supervised field placement at an approved practicum site. The course serves two related functions: it addresses the need for on-going group supervision during practicum and provides additional instruction on counseling skill acquisition and ethics to enhance practicum learning outcomes. In addition, it is a pre-requisite for EDCP 888 Internship in Counseling, and together, 619 and 888 complete the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) specified sequence for Clinical Instruction.

Class will focus on case studies but will also consist of brief lectures, peer role plays, demonstrations and consultation , and experiential exercises.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

The student is expected to be able to:

GROUP SUPERVISION

The effectiveness of the counseling process depends on the relationship between the counselor and client. One can only have an effective relationship if one is aware of one's own unfinished business, hooks, and resistances. Therefore a group process experience will be used to explore personal and interpersonal growth issues, and will be a significant part of each class. The development of group trust, self-awareness, and effective communication, to include appropriate critiquing of skills, will be major goals within the group. Expect to be challenged and to further challenge your peers, to be models and to teach each other with sensitivity and purpose.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1. ATTEND: All class sessions. You must notify the professor prior to any absence in order to make arrangements for makeup work.

2. FIELD PLACEMENT: Make a commitment to complete a minimum of 300 total clock hours of supervised practicum experiences on site and in the classroom including a weekly Log documented by clinical supervisor.

3. JOURNAL: A weekly journal of your clinical practice experiences. This will include, but is not limited to, reactions to site placement, staff interactions, client experiences, personal and professional insights. A standard form will be provided for this purpose. You will hand in a summary of your weekly journal entries, biweekly, following the format provided for this purpose.

4. READ all assigned material and handouts and review available films.

5. TAPES / TRANSCRIPTS: Submit 2 audio taped sessions with a client, with a 3 page transcript and a critique. A standard size audio cassette recorder and blank cassette tapes are needed for this purpose. MICRO AND MINI RECORDERS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. Tape sections will be reviewed by your peers in the seminar class and/or by the professor in the individual sessions. Information on the format of the transcripts will be provided. ALL TAPES MUST BE CLEARLY AUDIBLE. PLEASE BRING A TAPE RECORDER TO CLASS EVERY WEEK.

6. CASE STAFFINGS: Expect to conduct an extended case discussion, with taped and case summary handouts at least two times during the semester. Plan to brief the class on the client, the nature of the problem, and bring relevant questions and focus for the class to address during your demonstration.

7. ROLE PLAYS/CLASS TAPES & CRITIQUES: Students are expected to participate in experiential activities that will enhance their counseling ability and insight. You will team up in and outside of class for peer counseling sessions (approx. 30 min). You will tape your sessions, taking turns at being client/counselor. Together you will critique your work, evaluate your effectiveness at demonstrating the basic counseling skills according to what you have learned, and share your experiences with the class. As the counselor some questions that should be answered are: Did you hear the client¹s problem? What was frustrating for you? What did you do well? What areas could you improve in?

8. SITE VISITATIONS / EVALUATION: Each on-site supervisor will be asked to evaluate the student towards the end of the semester. Additionally, the practicum instructor will be visiting your placement site and will be in close contact with your site supervisor.

SYNOPSIS OF READINGS AND EXERCISES TAKEN FROM ASSIGNED TEXTS:

* Key ingredients for a successful fieldwork experience (Alle-Corliss)

* Key elements and challenges of counseling practice (Alle-Corliss)

* Micro level practice: Working with Individuals (Alle-Corliss)

* Messo level practice: Working with families and groups (Alle-Corliss)

* Macro level practice: Working with organizations and communities (Alle-Corliss)

* Diversity and cultural competency in counseling practice at all levels (Alle-Corliss)

* Ethical decision making models in practice (Alle-Corliss; Corey, Corey, & Callanan)

* Self awareness and self assessment in professional ethics (Corey, Corey, & Callanan)

* Values and the helping relationship (Corey, Corey, & Callanan)

* Client/counselor: Rights/responsibilities (Corey, Corey, & Callanan)

* Confidentiality (Corey, Corey, & Callanan)

* Boundaries and multiple relationships in perspective (Corey, Corey, & Callanan)

* Competence and training (Corey, Corey, & Callanan)

* Supervision and training (Corey, Corey, & Callanan)

* Ethical codes and standards of practice (Alle-Corliss; Corey, Corey, & Callanan)

* Transition to Internship (Sweitzer & King)

CLASS SESSIONS

Class will be devoted to relevant topics as assigned in the texts, integration of theory and practice, role plays, new skills, group dynamics, peer supervision, case reviews, and Ethics. Attention will also be directed to resolution of interpersonal issues as they relate to professional effectiveness, concerns with site supervision, colleagues and policy. The nature of the course is designed to be experiential.

CONFIDENTIALITY

It is important that all client information be shared only with appropriate classmates, clinical instructor, site supervisors and staff, and within the confines of the practicum site and practicum classroom. Audio/Video taping of all sessions will be done only after the client release form has been completed and signed, and the client has been briefed on the use of the information in class supervision. Paramount to the counselor's ability to help others is an understanding of one's own issues and how they affect one's counseling ability. Therefore, the right of privacy of practicum students must also be protected regarding personal information shared during peer counseling sessions and during class discussions.

FINAL GRADE:

1. Class participation, performance, and Site Eval ---- 25%

2. Audio-Tapes, Transcripts, and Critiques ---- 25%

3. Case Presentation and write-up ---- 25%

4. Journal, additional Assignments ---- 25%

**Individual appointments will be arranged with the professor

** Site Visitation will be made by the professor throughout the semester and will include a meeting with the site supervisor to discuss the students' progress.

PERSONAL NOTE FROM DR. MAGEE:

Welcome to one of the most rewarding classes of your life. It will be exciting, painful, frustrating, interesting and rewarding. There will be pain as you begin to stretch your abilities to meet your clients¹ needs, but also there will be incredible reward as you begin to transition from student to counselor. You will experience not only the growth of your clients but also your own personal growth. I promise to be there with you at every step of the way. See you in class.