M.S. in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling

Students in this course are introduced to Walden University and to the requirements for successful participation in an online curriculum. Students work toward building a foundation for academic and professional success as scholar-practitioners and social change agents. They assess the relationship of mission and vision to professional goals, and they develop a program of study, a professional development plan, and strategies for online success. Students also explore resources used throughout the program, such as the online Walden University Library. They engage in course assignments focused on the practical application of professional writing, critical-thinking skills, and the promotion of professional and academic excellence.

Counselors seeking to work with couples and families must understand the changing landscape of family dynamics and the diverse perspectives through which they must practice. Students in this course are introduced to the specialty area of marriage, couple, and family counseling and provides an orientation to professional organizations, preparation standards, credentials relevant to the specialty area, and legal and ethical issues. Students explore the history, philosophy, and trends in marriage, couple, and family counseling and examine a variety of theoretical perspectives, techniques, and related concepts, such as systems, family development, wellness, and family life cycle. Through topical literature, case studies, and shared experiences, students assess societal trends and treatment issues related to working with multicultural and diverse family systems. They also consider future trends and potential challenges in the field.

Students in this course are provided with an introduction to the field of professional counseling and the foundations of counseling. Students explore the history, philosophy, cultural dynamics, and trends in professional counseling. They examine consultation as well as client and counselor advocacy, focusing on the counselor’s role as social change agent. Students also examine and apply ethical standards of the counseling profession, including the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics and counselor ethical decision-making processes. Through a final reflective project designed to influence their future ethical framework, students define their ethical perspectives, including influences, values, and goals.

There are hundreds of therapeutic theories and techniques available to frame the practice of counseling and psychotherapy. An important skill for mental health counselors is to understand the strengths and limitations of these theories to determine which are most appropriate and work best in their own personal practice. In this course, students explore the history of counseling and psychotherapy theories. They examine the major approaches to counseling and psychotherapy in current use, including empirical foundations, advantages, and limitations. Students assess examples of theory-based applications and develop a personal theory of counseling based on theories and techniques assessed in the course.

Personal attitudes, values, and beliefs often affect a counselor’s ability to establish an appropriate relationship and rapport with clients. In this course, students learn to evaluate their personal attitudes and beliefs to positively influence their counseling approaches. They explore principles and skills related to interviewing and observation, and they examine related legal, ethical, and cultural issues. Students gain practice in conducting interviews, making behavioral observations, collecting and interpreting data during an interview, and developing written reports of findings. Synthesizing concepts, skills, and personal reflections, students demonstrate their ability to engage in a counseling session using techniques learned throughout the course.

Students in this course are provided with an advanced overview of human development through the lifespan, including prenatal, childhood, adolescent, adult, and late-adult phases. Students examine and apply basic processes and theories to developmental milestones that occur within these phases of development. They explore factors of heredity and environmental elements on human development, and they consider ethical issues, research considerations, and global perspectives as they assess strategies to promote optimal development. Students also engage in coursework and discussions that highlight themes of diversity and social change.

Students in this course are introduced to evaluation research and provided with a foundation in the design of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches to counseling research and evaluation. Students learn the strengths and limitations of each method and under what circumstances each design would be most appropriate. They consider the importance of scholarly writing and learn how to identify a topic for research and how to conduct a literature search. Students explore the history and theory underlying program evaluation, approaches to evaluation, and techniques used to perform the evaluation and demonstrate program effectiveness. Additionally, students explore the procedures involved in offering their evaluation services to a specific group or organization. They also examine strategies to gain stakeholder interest in developing appropriate standards, research progress, and evaluation outcomes.  Students gain hands-on experience developing a research proposal in which they address key elements, such as collecting and analyzing data, writing an introduction, stating a purpose for the study, identifying research questions and hypotheses, using theory, and communicating the significance of the study. Additionally, students consider the legal and ethical issues associated with human subjects’ protection.

Students are provided with the opportunity to increase their knowledge of multicultural counseling and the delivery of psychological services as well as related skills needed in professional practice. Students explore diversity and identity issues and discuss their impact on the therapeutic relationship. They examine the application of traditional theoretical orientations and current multicultural theories to culturally diverse groups. Through a variety of assignments designed to provide practical application of content, students also investigate counseling concepts related to race and ethnicity, sex and gender, sexual orientation, social class, age, and ability. (Prerequisites: Counseling Residency I.)

The impact of substance abuse on the lives of people with addictions, and the lives of their families, makes for a highly complex and challenging area of mental health counseling. Counselors working with these individuals must possess a comprehensive understanding of the background, controversies, and current approaches in regard to the treatment of substance abuse. In this course, students examine psychological aspects of addictions involving alcohol, prescription medications, and illegal substances. They also examine current research in the field of dependency and addiction. Students engage in a variety of conceptual and application-based assignments on diagnosing patients, choosing among models of treatment, planning treatment, using group and family treatment plans, and ensuring treatment efficacy. They also consider strategies to promote change, including the trans-theoretical model of behavior change.

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the personal and systemic impact of crises, disasters, and other trauma-causing events on individuals, couples, families, and communities. Students examine theories and response models as they relate to sexual trauma, crisis in individuals and families, crisis in the community, and crisis in the nation and in the world. They explore and discuss topics related to counselor competencies, vicarious trauma and counter transference, specific diagnoses, and advocacy. Students also engage in assignments designed to provide practical application of crisis assessment. Through contemporary articles and case studies, they consider and discuss cultural, legal, and ethical issues related to crisis, trauma, and disaster events and response.

In this course, students examine empirically supported theories and techniques for working with children and adolescents in the counseling process. Students work toward enhancing their theoretical and practical understanding of the systemic interplay among children, adolescents, families, and the stakeholders in their lives. They engage in coursework and readings focused on a family-systems view of intervention, and they devote special attention to developmental, cognitive, behavioral, educational, multicultural, and environmental issues. Students assess a distinct group of empirically supported interventions aimed at improving individual and family functioning. They also explore the legal and ethical issues related to counseling children and adolescents.

In this course, students are provided with the opportunity to gain an advanced understanding of theories and techniques for working with couples, marriages, and families as well as to acquire skills for theory integration and theory-based treatment. Through video demonstrations and other topical materials, students witness and examine empirically supported treatments and techniques in prevention, intervention, development, and promoting the well-being of marriages, couples, and families. They explore systemic implications for conceptualization, assessment, treatment planning, and interventions. Students also learn how to assess procedures for critically evaluating relevant research and how to apply these findings to their counseling practices. Additionally, they explore methods of adapting models to meet the needs of a diverse society and the legal and ethical issues related to working in this specialty area.

Students in this course are provided with the opportunity to develop practical skills in career and vocational assessment as well as functional knowledge of how career assessment can assist in the exploration and understanding of the interrelationship among work, family, and life roles. They examine major sources of career and work information available on the Internet as well as through printed material and computer-based guidance systems. Gaining practical career counseling experience, students administer, score, and interpret printed and computer-based assessments of career interests, beliefs, and values. Students learn how to integrate career development theory and assessment results with career clinical interventions. They also examine clinical and assessment issues, devoting attention to computer-based applications and multicultural implications.

Group work is an increasingly popular, effective counseling method that allows group members to share perspectives and provide useful feedback and information in a structured setting. Students are provided with a comprehensive review of counseling approaches to group therapy in this course. Students examine the theoretical bases of different approaches to group therapy, including psychoanalytic, existential, person-centered, gestalt, transactional, behavioral, rational-emotive, and reality therapy. They engage in a variety of practical application assignments and discussions, focusing on counseling of different types of groups, the efficacy of using group therapy as the treatment method with multicultural and diverse populations, and the stages of group development.

Assessments are important tools that counselors use to gain information about clients and to aid practice. Therefore, counselors must know what assessment tools are available; have the ability to read, interpret, and analyze results of tests; and keep abreast of changing trends in working with assessments as well as new assessment tools and changes in technology. Students in this course are provided with an overview of assessments used in counseling and education as well as the responsibilities of counselors using assessments. Students learn about the different types of tests used in clinical, educational, and organizational settings, and they examine the psychometric properties used to develop and evaluate these instruments. They also explore normative sampling and standardization, reliability and validity, test score interpretation, and test development. Additionally, students assess and discuss ethical, legal, and sociocultural issues, including cultural bias and fairness. Professional standards for testing provide a foundation for the course.

Students are provided with a framework for understanding human sexuality in the context of couple, marriage, and family counseling in this course. Students explore empirically supported counseling approaches related to sexual functioning, intimacy, gender, and sexual orientation. They use a systemic framework for understanding the role and impact of sexuality on couples, marriages, and families. Students also explore and discuss specific topics related to issues of sexual diversity, gender identity,

In this course, students prepare for their roles as counselors in areas of prevention, intervention, and consultation with specific populations in different settings. Students assess these three areas of mental health counseling, including the relationships among them, methodological applications, and related ethical and legal considerations. They also discuss a variety of topics with their peers, such as applications for social change, needs of specific populations, iatrogenic harm, professional approaches and challenges, program evaluation, and future trends. Using an action-research model, students develop a blueprint for a project to address a contemporary mental health issue through the context of prevention, intervention, or consultation.

Students in this course focus on experiential learning, which is an essential component of applied professional training. Students complete a supervised practicum experience at an approved site for a minimum of 100 hours, allowing them to develop their counseling skills and professional knowledge while under supervision. Students communicate with the class and the practicum faculty members at least twice a week during the quarter to discuss cases and present videos of student-client sessions.  Through these exchanges, students demonstrate learning and acquire feedback and additional knowledge in regard to clinical practice. This course requires students to engage in a face-to-face residency. (Prerequisites: Approval of the field experience coordinator.)

Students in this course focus on experiential learning, which is an essential component of applied professional training. Students complete a supervised practicum experience at an approved site for a minimum of 100 hours, allowing them to develop their counseling skills and professional knowledge while under supervision. Students communicate with the class and the practicum faculty members at least twice a week during the quarter to discuss cases and present videos of student-client sessions.  Through these exchanges, students demonstrate learning and acquire feedback and additional knowledge in regard to clinical practice. This course requires students to engage in a face-to-face residency. (Prerequisites: Approval of field experience coordinator.)

This course is a continuation of COUN 6682a Internship I. During this second term of internship, students focus on refining clinical and professional skills while working to complete their 600 hours of clinical instruction. Under clinical supervision, students continue to perform a variety of counseling activities, including but not limited to counseling individuals and groups, keeping records, writing reports, and administering referrals. Students also complete weekly assignments and attend weekly group supervision teleconferences to further refine their clinical and professional skills. (Prerequisites: COUN 6682a.)

Students in this course are introduced to Walden University and to the requirements for successful participation in an online curriculum. Students work toward building a foundation for academic and professional success as scholar-practitioners and social change agents. They assess the relationship of mission and vision to professional goals, and they develop a program of study, a professional development plan, and strategies for online success. Students also explore resources used throughout the program, such as the online Walden University Library. They engage in course assignments focused on the practical application of professional writing, critical-thinking skills, and the promotion of professional and academic excellence.

Counselors seeking to work with couples and families must understand the changing landscape of family dynamics and the diverse perspectives through which they must practice. Students in this course are introduced to the specialty area of marriage, couple, and family counseling and provides an orientation to professional organizations, preparation standards, credentials relevant to the specialty area, and legal and ethical issues. Students explore the history, philosophy, and trends in marriage, couple, and family counseling and examine a variety of theoretical perspectives, techniques, and related concepts, such as systems, family development, wellness, and family life cycle. Through topical literature, case studies, and shared experiences, students assess societal trends and treatment issues related to working with multicultural and diverse family systems. They also consider future trends and potential challenges in the field.

Students in this course are provided with an introduction to the field of professional counseling and the foundations of counseling. Students explore the history, philosophy, cultural dynamics, and trends in professional counseling. They examine consultation as well as client and counselor advocacy, focusing on the counselor’s role as social change agent. Students also examine and apply ethical standards of the counseling profession, including the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics and counselor ethical decision-making processes. Through a final reflective project designed to influence their future ethical framework, students define their ethical perspectives, including influences, values, and goals.

There are hundreds of therapeutic theories and techniques available to frame the practice of counseling and psychotherapy. An important skill for mental health counselors is to understand the strengths and limitations of these theories to determine which are most appropriate and work best in their own personal practice. In this course, students explore the history of counseling and psychotherapy theories. They examine the major approaches to counseling and psychotherapy in current use, including empirical foundations, advantages, and limitations. Students assess examples of theory-based applications and develop a personal theory of counseling based on theories and techniques assessed in the course.

Personal attitudes, values, and beliefs often affect a counselor’s ability to establish an appropriate relationship and rapport with clients. In this course, students learn to evaluate their personal attitudes and beliefs to positively influence their counseling approaches. They explore principles and skills related to interviewing and observation, and they examine related legal, ethical, and cultural issues. Students gain practice in conducting interviews, making behavioral observations, collecting and interpreting data during an interview, and developing written reports of findings. Synthesizing concepts, skills, and personal reflections, students demonstrate their ability to engage in a counseling session using techniques learned throughout the course.

Assessments are important tools that counselors use to gain information about clients and to aid practice. Therefore, counselors must know what assessment tools are available; have the ability to read, interpret, and analyze results of tests; and keep abreast of changing trends in working with assessments as well as new assessment tools and changes in technology. Students in this course are provided with an overview of assessments used in counseling and education as well as the responsibilities of counselors using assessments. Students learn about the different types of tests used in clinical, educational, and organizational settings, and they examine the psychometric properties used to develop and evaluate these instruments. They also explore normative sampling and standardization, reliability and validity, test score interpretation, and test development. Additionally, students assess and discuss ethical, legal, and sociocultural issues, including cultural bias and fairness. Professional standards for testing provide a foundation for the course.

Students are provided with the opportunity to increase their knowledge of multicultural counseling and the delivery of psychological services as well as related skills needed in professional practice. Students explore diversity and identity issues and discuss their impact on the therapeutic relationship. They examine the application of traditional theoretical orientations and current multicultural theories to culturally diverse groups. Through a variety of assignments designed to provide practical application of content, students also investigate counseling concepts related to race and ethnicity, sex and gender, sexual orientation, social class, age, and ability. (Prerequisites: Counseling Residency I.)

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the personal and systemic impact of crises, disasters, and other trauma-causing events on individuals, couples, families, and communities. Students examine theories and response models as they relate to sexual trauma, crisis in individuals and families, crisis in the community, and crisis in the nation and in the world. They explore and discuss topics related to counselor competencies, vicarious trauma and counter transference, specific diagnoses, and advocacy. Students also engage in assignments designed to provide practical application of crisis assessment. Through contemporary articles and case studies, they consider and discuss cultural, legal, and ethical issues related to crisis, trauma, and disaster events and response.

Students in this course are provided with an advanced overview of human development through the lifespan, including prenatal, childhood, adolescent, adult, and late-adult phases. Students examine and apply basic processes and theories to developmental milestones that occur within these phases of development. They explore factors of heredity and environmental elements on human development, and they consider ethical issues, research considerations, and global perspectives as they assess strategies to promote optimal development. Students also engage in coursework and discussions that highlight themes of diversity and social change.

In this course, students examine empirically supported theories and techniques for working with children and adolescents in the counseling process. Students work toward enhancing their theoretical and practical understanding of the systemic interplay among children, adolescents, families, and the stakeholders in their lives. They engage in coursework and readings focused on a family-systems view of intervention, and they devote special attention to developmental, cognitive, behavioral, educational, multicultural, and environmental issues. Students assess a distinct group of empirically supported interventions aimed at improving individual and family functioning. They also explore the legal and ethical issues related to counseling children and adolescents.

Students in this course are provided with the opportunity to develop practical skills in career and vocational assessment as well as functional knowledge of how career assessment can assist in the exploration and understanding of the interrelationship among work, family, and life roles. They examine major sources of career and work information available on the Internet as well as through printed material and computer-based guidance systems. Gaining practical career counseling experience, students administer, score, and interpret printed and computer-based assessments of career interests, beliefs, and values. Students learn how to integrate career development theory and assessment results with career clinical interventions. They also examine clinical and assessment issues, devoting attention to computer-based applications and multicultural implications.

In this course, students are provided with the opportunity to gain an advanced understanding of theories and techniques for working with couples, marriages, and families as well as to acquire skills for theory integration and theory-based treatment. Through video demonstrations and other topical materials, students witness and examine empirically supported treatments and techniques in prevention, intervention, development, and promoting the well-being of marriages, couples, and families. They explore systemic implications for conceptualization, assessment, treatment planning, and interventions. Students also learn how to assess procedures for critically evaluating relevant research and how to apply these findings to their counseling practices. Additionally, they explore methods of adapting models to meet the needs of a diverse society and the legal and ethical issues related to working in this specialty area.

Group work is an increasingly popular, effective counseling method that allows group members to share perspectives and provide useful feedback and information in a structured setting. Students are provided with a comprehensive review of counseling approaches to group therapy in this course. Students examine the theoretical bases of different approaches to group therapy, including psychoanalytic, existential, person-centered, gestalt, transactional, behavioral, rational-emotive, and reality therapy. They engage in a variety of practical application assignments and discussions, focusing on counseling of different types of groups, the efficacy of using group therapy as the treatment method with multicultural and diverse populations, and the stages of group development.

In this course, students prepare for their roles as counselors in areas of prevention, intervention, and consultation with specific populations in different settings. Students assess these three areas of mental health counseling, including the relationships among them, methodological applications, and related ethical and legal considerations. They also discuss a variety of topics with their peers, such as applications for social change, needs of specific populations, iatrogenic harm, professional approaches and challenges, program evaluation, and future trends. Using an action-research model, students develop a blueprint for a project to address a contemporary mental health issue through the context of prevention, intervention, or consultation.

The impact of substance abuse on the lives of people with addictions, and the lives of their families, makes for a highly complex and challenging area of mental health counseling. Counselors working with these individuals must possess a comprehensive understanding of the background, controversies, and current approaches in regard to the treatment of substance abuse. In this course, students examine psychological aspects of addictions involving alcohol, prescription medications, and illegal substances. They also examine current research in the field of dependency and addiction. Students engage in a variety of conceptual and application-based assignments on diagnosing patients, choosing among models of treatment, planning treatment, using group and family treatment plans, and ensuring treatment efficacy. They also consider strategies to promote change, including the trans-theoretical model of behavior change.

Students in this course are introduced to evaluation research and provided with a foundation in the design of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches to counseling research and evaluation. Students learn the strengths and limitations of each method and under what circumstances each design would be most appropriate. They consider the importance of scholarly writing and learn how to identify a topic for research and how to conduct a literature search. Students explore the history and theory underlying program evaluation, approaches to evaluation, and techniques used to perform the evaluation and demonstrate program effectiveness. Additionally, students explore the procedures involved in offering their evaluation services to a specific group or organization. They also examine strategies to gain stakeholder interest in developing appropriate standards, research progress, and evaluation outcomes.  Students gain hands-on experience developing a research proposal in which they address key elements, such as collecting and analyzing data, writing an introduction, stating a purpose for the study, identifying research questions and hypotheses, using theory, and communicating the significance of the study. Additionally, students consider the legal and ethical issues associated with human subjects’ protection.

Students in this course focus on experiential learning, which is an essential component of applied professional training. Students complete a supervised practicum experience at an approved site for a minimum of 100 hours, allowing them to develop their counseling skills and professional knowledge while under supervision. Students communicate with the class and the practicum faculty members at least twice a week during the quarter to discuss cases and present videos of student-client sessions.  Through these exchanges, students demonstrate learning and acquire feedback and additional knowledge in regard to clinical practice. This course requires students to engage in a face-to-face residency. (Prerequisites: Approval of the field experience coordinator.)

Students are provided with a framework for understanding human sexuality in the context of couple, marriage, and family counseling in this course. Students explore empirically supported counseling approaches related to sexual functioning, intimacy, gender, and sexual orientation. They use a systemic framework for understanding the role and impact of sexuality on couples, marriages, and families. Students also explore and discuss specific topics related to issues of sexual diversity, gender identity,

Students in this course focus on experiential learning, which is an essential component of applied professional training. Students complete a supervised practicum experience at an approved site for a minimum of 100 hours, allowing them to develop their counseling skills and professional knowledge while under supervision. Students communicate with the class and the practicum faculty members at least twice a week during the quarter to discuss cases and present videos of student-client sessions.  Through these exchanges, students demonstrate learning and acquire feedback and additional knowledge in regard to clinical practice. This course requires students to engage in a face-to-face residency. (Prerequisites: Approval of field experience coordinator.)

In this course, students gain the foundational knowledge necessary to evaluate and subsequently treat many different forensic populations, such as sex offenders, substance abusers, and white-collar criminals. Students analyze the use of traditional forms of intervention, including individual and group psychotherapy, as well as recent developments in intervention, such as restorative justice. Applying concepts and theories learned in the course, students develop a project scenario in which they feature an offender and describe treatment approaches as well as related ethical, legal, and multicultural factors that may impact treatment. Reflecting on the course, students also consider and discuss professional identity and goals.

This course is a continuation of COUN 6682a Internship I. During this second term of internship, students focus on refining clinical and professional skills while working to complete their 600 hours of clinical instruction. Under clinical supervision, students continue to perform a variety of counseling activities, including but not limited to counseling individuals and groups, keeping records, writing reports, and administering referrals. Students also complete weekly assignments and attend weekly group supervision teleconferences to further refine their clinical and professional skills. (Prerequisites: COUN 6682a.)

Mental health counseling professionals in all areas, especially criminal forensic psychological practice, may encounter various conflicts regarding psychological and legal approaches to treatment. Therefore, it is important for counselors to have a firm understanding of mental health law to avoid conflicts, such as issues of liability and malpractice. Students in this course are provided with the opportunity to examine several different aspects of the law related to mental health issues, including those constituting forensic psychological practice, such as civil matters (personal injury and civil competency issues) and criminal matters (competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, diminished capacity, and death-penalty issues). Students employ recent court decisions and laws, such as the Tarasoff ruling, mandated reporting, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), to examine how mental health law influences the practice of psychology and mental health counseling.

Students in this course are introduced to Walden University and to the requirements for successful participation in an online curriculum. Students work toward building a foundation for academic and professional success as scholar-practitioners and social change agents. They assess the relationship of mission and vision to professional goals, and they develop a program of study, a professional development plan, and strategies for online success. Students also explore resources used throughout the program, such as the online Walden University Library. They engage in course assignments focused on the practical application of professional writing, critical-thinking skills, and the promotion of professional and academic excellence.

Counselors seeking to work with couples and families must understand the changing landscape of family dynamics and the diverse perspectives through which they must practice. Students in this course are introduced to the specialty area of marriage, couple, and family counseling and provides an orientation to professional organizations, preparation standards, credentials relevant to the specialty area, and legal and ethical issues. Students explore the history, philosophy, and trends in marriage, couple, and family counseling and examine a variety of theoretical perspectives, techniques, and related concepts, such as systems, family development, wellness, and family life cycle. Through topical literature, case studies, and shared experiences, students assess societal trends and treatment issues related to working with multicultural and diverse family systems. They also consider future trends and potential challenges in the field.

Students in this course are provided with an introduction to the field of professional counseling and the foundations of counseling. Students explore the history, philosophy, cultural dynamics, and trends in professional counseling. They examine consultation as well as client and counselor advocacy, focusing on the counselor’s role as social change agent. Students also examine and apply ethical standards of the counseling profession, including the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics and counselor ethical decision-making processes. Through a final reflective project designed to influence their future ethical framework, students define their ethical perspectives, including influences, values, and goals.

There are hundreds of therapeutic theories and techniques available to frame the practice of counseling and psychotherapy. An important skill for mental health counselors is to understand the strengths and limitations of these theories to determine which are most appropriate and work best in their own personal practice. In this course, students explore the history of counseling and psychotherapy theories. They examine the major approaches to counseling and psychotherapy in current use, including empirical foundations, advantages, and limitations. Students assess examples of theory-based applications and develop a personal theory of counseling based on theories and techniques assessed in the course.

Personal attitudes, values, and beliefs often affect a counselor’s ability to establish an appropriate relationship and rapport with clients. In this course, students learn to evaluate their personal attitudes and beliefs to positively influence their counseling approaches. They explore principles and skills related to interviewing and observation, and they examine related legal, ethical, and cultural issues. Students gain practice in conducting interviews, making behavioral observations, collecting and interpreting data during an interview, and developing written reports of findings. Synthesizing concepts, skills, and personal reflections, students demonstrate their ability to engage in a counseling session using techniques learned throughout the course.

Assessments are important tools that counselors use to gain information about clients and to aid practice. Therefore, counselors must know what assessment tools are available; have the ability to read, interpret, and analyze results of tests; and keep abreast of changing trends in working with assessments as well as new assessment tools and changes in technology. Students in this course are provided with an overview of assessments used in counseling and education as well as the responsibilities of counselors using assessments. Students learn about the different types of tests used in clinical, educational, and organizational settings, and they examine the psychometric properties used to develop and evaluate these instruments. They also explore normative sampling and standardization, reliability and validity, test score interpretation, and test development. Additionally, students assess and discuss ethical, legal, and sociocultural issues, including cultural bias and fairness. Professional standards for testing provide a foundation for the course.

Students are provided with the opportunity to increase their knowledge of multicultural counseling and the delivery of psychological services as well as related skills needed in professional practice. Students explore diversity and identity issues and discuss their impact on the therapeutic relationship. They examine the application of traditional theoretical orientations and current multicultural theories to culturally diverse groups. Through a variety of assignments designed to provide practical application of content, students also investigate counseling concepts related to race and ethnicity, sex and gender, sexual orientation, social class, age, and ability. (Prerequisites: Counseling Residency I.)

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the personal and systemic impact of crises, disasters, and other trauma-causing events on individuals, couples, families, and communities. Students examine theories and response models as they relate to sexual trauma, crisis in individuals and families, crisis in the community, and crisis in the nation and in the world. They explore and discuss topics related to counselor competencies, vicarious trauma and counter transference, specific diagnoses, and advocacy. Students also engage in assignments designed to provide practical application of crisis assessment. Through contemporary articles and case studies, they consider and discuss cultural, legal, and ethical issues related to crisis, trauma, and disaster events and response.

Students in this course are provided with an advanced overview of human development through the lifespan, including prenatal, childhood, adolescent, adult, and late-adult phases. Students examine and apply basic processes and theories to developmental milestones that occur within these phases of development. They explore factors of heredity and environmental elements on human development, and they consider ethical issues, research considerations, and global perspectives as they assess strategies to promote optimal development. Students also engage in coursework and discussions that highlight themes of diversity and social change.

In this course, students examine empirically supported theories and techniques for working with children and adolescents in the counseling process. Students work toward enhancing their theoretical and practical understanding of the systemic interplay among children, adolescents, families, and the stakeholders in their lives. They engage in coursework and readings focused on a family-systems view of intervention, and they devote special attention to developmental, cognitive, behavioral, educational, multicultural, and environmental issues. Students assess a distinct group of empirically supported interventions aimed at improving individual and family functioning. They also explore the legal and ethical issues related to counseling children and adolescents.

Students in this course are provided with the opportunity to develop practical skills in career and vocational assessment as well as functional knowledge of how career assessment can assist in the exploration and understanding of the interrelationship among work, family, and life roles. They examine major sources of career and work information available on the Internet as well as through printed material and computer-based guidance systems. Gaining practical career counseling experience, students administer, score, and interpret printed and computer-based assessments of career interests, beliefs, and values. Students learn how to integrate career development theory and assessment results with career clinical interventions. They also examine clinical and assessment issues, devoting attention to computer-based applications and multicultural implications.

In this course, students are provided with the opportunity to gain an advanced understanding of theories and techniques for working with couples, marriages, and families as well as to acquire skills for theory integration and theory-based treatment. Through video demonstrations and other topical materials, students witness and examine empirically supported treatments and techniques in prevention, intervention, development, and promoting the well-being of marriages, couples, and families. They explore systemic implications for conceptualization, assessment, treatment planning, and interventions. Students also learn how to assess procedures for critically evaluating relevant research and how to apply these findings to their counseling practices. Additionally, they explore methods of adapting models to meet the needs of a diverse society and the legal and ethical issues related to working in this specialty area.

Group work is an increasingly popular, effective counseling method that allows group members to share perspectives and provide useful feedback and information in a structured setting. Students are provided with a comprehensive review of counseling approaches to group therapy in this course. Students examine the theoretical bases of different approaches to group therapy, including psychoanalytic, existential, person-centered, gestalt, transactional, behavioral, rational-emotive, and reality therapy. They engage in a variety of practical application assignments and discussions, focusing on counseling of different types of groups, the efficacy of using group therapy as the treatment method with multicultural and diverse populations, and the stages of group development.

In this course, students prepare for their roles as counselors in areas of prevention, intervention, and consultation with specific populations in different settings. Students assess these three areas of mental health counseling, including the relationships among them, methodological applications, and related ethical and legal considerations. They also discuss a variety of topics with their peers, such as applications for social change, needs of specific populations, iatrogenic harm, professional approaches and challenges, program evaluation, and future trends. Using an action-research model, students develop a blueprint for a project to address a contemporary mental health issue through the context of prevention, intervention, or consultation.

The impact of substance abuse on the lives of people with addictions, and the lives of their families, makes for a highly complex and challenging area of mental health counseling. Counselors working with these individuals must possess a comprehensive understanding of the background, controversies, and current approaches in regard to the treatment of substance abuse. In this course, students examine psychological aspects of addictions involving alcohol, prescription medications, and illegal substances. They also examine current research in the field of dependency and addiction. Students engage in a variety of conceptual and application-based assignments on diagnosing patients, choosing among models of treatment, planning treatment, using group and family treatment plans, and ensuring treatment efficacy. They also consider strategies to promote change, including the trans-theoretical model of behavior change.

Students in this course are introduced to evaluation research and provided with a foundation in the design of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches to counseling research and evaluation. Students learn the strengths and limitations of each method and under what circumstances each design would be most appropriate. They consider the importance of scholarly writing and learn how to identify a topic for research and how to conduct a literature search. Students explore the history and theory underlying program evaluation, approaches to evaluation, and techniques used to perform the evaluation and demonstrate program effectiveness. Additionally, students explore the procedures involved in offering their evaluation services to a specific group or organization. They also examine strategies to gain stakeholder interest in developing appropriate standards, research progress, and evaluation outcomes.  Students gain hands-on experience developing a research proposal in which they address key elements, such as collecting and analyzing data, writing an introduction, stating a purpose for the study, identifying research questions and hypotheses, using theory, and communicating the significance of the study. Additionally, students consider the legal and ethical issues associated with human subjects’ protection.

Students in this course focus on experiential learning, which is an essential component of applied professional training. Students complete a supervised practicum experience at an approved site for a minimum of 100 hours, allowing them to develop their counseling skills and professional knowledge while under supervision. Students communicate with the class and the practicum faculty members at least twice a week during the quarter to discuss cases and present videos of student-client sessions.  Through these exchanges, students demonstrate learning and acquire feedback and additional knowledge in regard to clinical practice. This course requires students to engage in a face-to-face residency. (Prerequisites: Approval of the field experience coordinator.)

Students are provided with a framework for understanding human sexuality in the context of couple, marriage, and family counseling in this course. Students explore empirically supported counseling approaches related to sexual functioning, intimacy, gender, and sexual orientation. They use a systemic framework for understanding the role and impact of sexuality on couples, marriages, and families. Students also explore and discuss specific topics related to issues of sexual diversity, gender identity,

Students in this course focus on experiential learning, which is an essential component of applied professional training. Students complete a supervised practicum experience at an approved site for a minimum of 100 hours, allowing them to develop their counseling skills and professional knowledge while under supervision. Students communicate with the class and the practicum faculty members at least twice a week during the quarter to discuss cases and present videos of student-client sessions.  Through these exchanges, students demonstrate learning and acquire feedback and additional knowledge in regard to clinical practice. This course requires students to engage in a face-to-face residency. (Prerequisites: Approval of field experience coordinator.)

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding and awareness of vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue for trauma-response helping professionals. Students examine intervention strategies and models of treatment and prevention of vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue through the lens of counselor educator, supervisor, and clinician. Assignments include conducting a needs assessment and examining the use of standardized instruments. Students propose social change recommendations related to vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue to promote informed and competent trauma-response helping professionals. This course places an emphasis on the ethical, legal, multicultural, and spiritual implications for wellness and self care, including personal, professional, and organizational elements. As a final project, students interview a trauma-response helping professional and develop an organizational wellness plan for their setting.

This course is a continuation of COUN 6682a Internship I. During this second term of internship, students focus on refining clinical and professional skills while working to complete their 600 hours of clinical instruction. Under clinical supervision, students continue to perform a variety of counseling activities, including but not limited to counseling individuals and groups, keeping records, writing reports, and administering referrals. Students also complete weekly assignments and attend weekly group supervision teleconferences to further refine their clinical and professional skills. (Prerequisites: COUN 6682a.)

Small- and large-scale disasters of all types continue to abound. Communities need trained individuals who are prepared to respond to such incidents and who can help plan for future disasters as well as train others to plan and respond. In this course, students learn the fundamentals of crisis management and crisis leadership. They develop an understanding of the theories and models related to crises, disasters, and other events caused by trauma. Students also learn about ethical, legal, and diversity considerations in crisis and trauma response. Through analyses of topical literature, applications, and discussions, students gain a practical understanding of the models for training and supporting other counselors in the areas of crisis response applicable to community, national, and international crises. Employing concepts learned in the course, students develop a crisis management plan for their own community.