CNSL 5361 INTERNSHIP IN COUNSELING
Summer, 2009
INSTRUCTOR: Mee-Gaik
Lim, Ph.D.
830-620-7142
TEXT: There
is no text for the class, but various books and materials will be required to
master the elements of this class and to prepare for the comprehensive exams to
follow.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Experience in performing the
activities that a regularly employed community counselor/school counselor is
expected to perform in a professional counseling setting under the direct
supervision of the program faculty and the site supervisor. Weekly site supervision is provided for
observed, recorded, and reported experiences from the field setting. Additional faculty supervision is provided
during 4 weekends throughout the duration of this semester.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The major function/role of
counseling is to facilitate individual and interpersonal development throughout
the life span. There are many approaches
to promoting the individual’s development, no one of which may serve all.
A. Accept and use supervisory feedback to improve
counseling effectiveness.
B. Actively and constructively participate in
peer group supervision.
C. Demonstrate appropriate use of core counseling
skills (e.g., attending, empathy, respect, concreteness, genuineness, and
confrontation.)
D. Use
counseling skills and competencies
E. Conduct initial client assessments and make
recommendations for counseling
services.
F. Demonstrate ability to appropriately prepare
clinical documentation.
G. Learn to integrate theory with practice.
H. Continue to develop a coherent personalized
counseling approach that is adequately based on accepted counseling theory and
research.
I. Critically evaluate their in-session
counseling behaviors.
J. Accurately assess their own counseling
strengths and weaknesses.
K. Engage in professional and ethical conduct at
all times.
L. Demonstrate
awareness, knowledge and skills in counseling clients who are culturally
different, including racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation and
socioeconomic differences.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
A) Two Case Presentations: (40 points).
You will be required to videotape an actual counseling
session with a client. Over the course
of
this semester, you will sign up and present two cases
to the classroom for discussion and
constructive feedback.
Your video is to be at least 35 minutes long. However, we may only
have time to review a portion of the video in
class. The class will view this videotape (either
in VHS or DVD format) with you and will ask questions,
offer feedback and provide
suggestions.
The purpose of this assignment is to help you polish your counseling
skills. If your
agency or school will not allow for videotaping or if
you cannot find a client who will give
consent, then you should find someone (such as a
friend, or relative, or neighbor, or another
classmate) who would be willing to participate. Be sure to get a consent form signed by the
client indicating that you are a graduate student who
is serving as a counselor intern and that they
are aware that a graduate class and the professor will
be reviewing this tape and information.
Also, please alter, mask, or blacken out any
identifying information on all written documentation
to protect and maintain the confidentiality of the
client. You will be graded on your
counseling skills, your ethics, your ability to
discuss and conceptualize your case, and the quality
of your written documentation. Your file should include the following:
Transcribe
any 20 consecutive responses ONLY (not the entire session)
Ct: "I
can’t seem to get along with my son these days. When I talk to him, we usually
end up arguing and being mad at each other. This has been going on for six
months now and I feel like I am loosing contact with him.
Co: Sounds like
you are extremely frustrated and discouraged about the frequent arguments
between you and your son.
Label: Reflection of
feeling.
Better: It
appears that you are highly discouraged about your ability to get along with
your son and it is important to you to maintain a close connection with him.
B) Student Log Review,
Accrual of minimum required internship hours, and turning in evaluation forms
as scheduled: (30 points)
During
each weekend that we meet, your professor will ask each student to turn in
their log to sign off on their hours accrued.
The site supervisor should sign off on the student’s hours on a weekly
basis. Half of your grade in this class
is determined by your ability to turn in the evaluation forms and log books as
scheduled as well as complete the required 125 hours of supervised internship
hours (including the minimum number of both direct and indirect client contact
hours) as well as your ability to turn in your log book for review each Friday
that we meet for class. Students must
complete supervised internship experiences that total a minimum of 125 clock hours (these hours include 60 hours of direct client
contact hours at a
minimum). Your site supervisor’s comments will also be considered
as well. You cannot take an “incomplete”
for this course because this will prevent you from being able to sign up for
the advanced internship course.
Therefore, in some unforeseen instance that you will not be able to
accrue the required minimum hours, please consult with your professor and/or
division chair on how best to address your situation.
C) Book Review: (30
points).
You will read and review:
Kottler, J. A. (2003). On being a therapist.
Upon completion of reading
the book, write 5-6 pages review of the book.
SCHEDULE OF CLASSES:
Classes will meet the following weekends during the
semester:
May 29-30
June 19-20
July 17-18
July 31-August 1
ATTENDANCE:
Attendance is critical to success in this class as
well as mastery of the material and
subject.
Regular attendance and participation will play a part in determining the
final grade.
Only emergency situations will be considered as possible exceptions.
According to the student catalogue, “Any student who
misses 25% or more of the
regularly scheduled class meetings will receive a
grade of F in the course.”