Department of Counseling, Administration, Supervision, and Adult Learning
College of Education
Cleveland State University
CNS 620:  Laboratory in Counseling Skills
3 Semester Credits
Fall, 2008

Program knowledge base for Community Agency Counseling:
Community agency counselor as a facilitator of healthy development and adaptive functioning in emotional, social, and career domains.

Program knowledge base for School Counseling:
This course follows the NCATE model of school counselor as a facilitator of human development and as a professional program manager.  As such, human development will provide the context in which the counseling skills are applied.

Instructor:	
Dr. Kathryn MacCluskie 				
1305 Rhodes Tower				
(216) 523-7147					 
e-mail:  k.maccluskie@csuohio.edu		 
Office Hours:
Mondays 		1:30 – 4					
Wednesdays 	1:30 - 4
Other times by appointment			

Course Description:
	This is a laboratory experience in counseling skill application.  Students learn basic counseling skills and conduct role-played counseling sessions with each other and with coached clients.  Students are further expected to understand the application of these skills with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.  This course must be taken first in the sequence of courses in both school and agency counseling.  It should be noted that students will be evaluated not only with regard to their performance in the course, but also with regard to their suitability to enter the counseling profession.

Course Objectives:
1.	To provide students with an overview of the School Counselor and Community Agency Counselor Programs at Cleveland State University
2.	To learn about the nature of the counseling process
3.	To provide an opportunity for students to practice basic counseling skills
4.	To learn to provide effective feedback to peers on their counseling interventions
5.	To understand the stages of the counseling process and the importance of confidentiality in counseling
6.	To encourage self-reflection through the use of a personal reaction log
7.	To understand the application of counseling skills in a culturally diverse society
8.	To understand basic ethics in counseling
9.	To observe students early in training for their capacity to counsel effectively
10.	To become familiar with the use of technology in counseling
11.	To become familiar with the local and national professional counseling organizations

Text:  
MacCluskie,  K. C.  (In press). Acquiring Counseling Skills:  Integrating 
Microskills, Multiculturalism, Theory, and Self-Awareness.  Pearson 
Merrill Prentice-Hall.

Reserve Reading on Electronic Course Reserve:
Williams, M.B.  (2006).  How schools respond to traumatic events:  Debriefing 
interventions and beyond, pp.57 – 81.  In Trauma Treatment Techniques:  
Innovative Trends, J. Garrick & M. B. Williams, Eds.  Haworth Press.

Accommodations for persons with documented disabilities:
Services are available to those who might need some extra help because of a physical disability, communication impairment, or learning disability.  Students in this program may not need developmental courses, yet they may receive assistance until they graduate.  The CSU campus is significantly barrier free. Interested students should call (216) 687-2015.  For inquiries, contact Kate Yurick:  r.c.yurick@csuohio.edu  I am happy to discuss your accommodation needs as well, and want to assist you in any way that will help you be successful in this course.

Methods of instruction:  The content of this course will be covered by lecture, experiential activities, small and large group discussion, role plays, demonstrations, simulated counseling sessions, and through the use of audio and video recording.

Equipment Required:

1.  Equipment for one audio recording (audiotape recorder or digital voice recorder

2.  Your preferred technology for submitting digital video recordings.   

The Counseling Lab uses digital video recorders and encodes the data on an SD Card.  Then you will need to decide on the means by which you will view your own recorded counseling session, and also the means by which you will submit that recorded session to the instructor.   You have several options:

Option 1
You can have the Lab Worker transfer the digital video data from the flashcard onto the Lab Computer and then burn a DVD.  If you choose this option, you will need to provide the writable DVDs (3 of them).  

Advantage of this option:
Lowest cost
You can sit and watch your session as it is being burned onto the DVD

Disadvantage of this option:
Time inconvenience and potential scheduling hassles.  You will need to wait until the flash card for the camera you used is not being used by other students, and then the data transfer from the flash card to the computer is in real time, meaning that if you have a 20 minute session, it will take a minimum of another 20 minutes to transfer the data.

Option 2
You can purchase your own card and card reader.  You would then use your own SD card in the Counseling Lab digital video recorder, and then take the SD card with you at the conclusion of your counseling session.  With your card reader, you could watch your video on the computer of your choice, and then either submit to me the SD card itself, or a burned DVD that you have made.

Advantage of this option:
Convenience
The cards and card readers could be re-sold if you had no future need for them

Disadvantage of this option:
More expensive
Hassle of finding and buying the equipment

Option 3
You can come to the Counseling Lab with a flash drive.  After your session has been recorded, you can have the Lab Worker transfer the data from the memory card to your flash drive, watch your video on the computer of your choice, and then submit to me either your flash drive or a DVD that you have burned from the flash drive.
Advantage of this option:
Moderate cost

Disadvantage of this option:
You need to wait for the Counseling Lab assistant  to transfer your data 
from the card onto your flash drive.

Course Requirements and Evaluation Criteria:

1.  Attendance and Participation
On time attendance in class is mandatory.   On the days students are in attendance, completion of assigned readings and participation in class discussions is expected.  Students who are habitually late for class will have points deducted. Habitual tardiness will also be interpreted as an unwillingness to honor your commitment to the field of counseling and as a reflection of your suitability for the field. Four (4) points will be deducted for each missed class.  In addition to attending class, participation in class discussions and activities is also expected.  Please come to class having read the assigned material for that evening.

2.  Philosophy of Human Functioning Paper
Baseline - DUE September 3
This paper must be typed, double-spaced, with 1" margins, about 3 to 5 pages in length.  The topic is an explanation of your current thoughts about human functioning.  It should answer the following questions:
•	What is your view of people?  
•	How do you define "healthy" from an emotional and a psychological point of view?  
•	When a person is emotionally disturbed, or in distress, what is your current thinking about why and how disturbance occurs?  
•	What is the best way to help that person? 
The grading criteria for this paper will be as follows:

3 - Outstanding
2 – Needs more expansion of ideas
1 – Marginal
0 – Completely unacceptable

Each of 3 subtopics addressed: ______ (9 possible)
	_____  Philosophy
	_____  Emotional health/wellness
	_____  Best way to help

Overall thoughtfulness and quality _____(6 possible)

	_______ Proper grammar, coherent language
	_______ Logical, reflective thought process

Total Score  _______  (15 possible)

3.  Retrospective Paper - DUE November 29

First,  listen to your first baseline audio tape.  Re-read your baseline philosophy of human functioning paper.  
•	How have your views about health and disturbance changed since you completed those two projects?  
•	What changes in your skills and in your self-perception of yourself as a counselor have you experienced over this semester, and how are those changes reflected in the work you're doing with your "clients"?
The grading criteria for this paper will be similar to the criteria for the baseline paper.
4.  Quizzes and Reaction Papers
	At the beginning of some class meetings students will take quizzes on the 	assigned readings or be asked to write personal reaction papers
5.  Video tapes and critiques:
Tape critiques must be typed, double-spaced, 3-5 pages in length, and include the following information and also a transcripted excerpt of the session:  
•	Background information about the client, including the presenting problem.  Here you will also include significant demographic information such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, employment, family unit, as well as history that is relevant to the presenting problem.
•	Observations about the client.  Here you will include verbal and nonverbal observations.  What are your impressions of the client?
•	Observations about yourself.  This should include a self-evaluation of the microskills that you felt you used effectively, and those you felt that you used ineffectively; implications about developmental goals for yourself.

•	TRANSCRIPTION DIRECTIONS
On tape 2 you must also transcribe a 10 minute segment of the tape.  

The transcription should be a verbatim account of every utterance made by you and your client.  

Following each counselor response, identify what microskill is represented by the verbalization.  

Here is an example of how your transcription should look when you turn it in:

	Counselor:  It’s been awhile since we last met; what’s been going on lately?
		(Open-ended question)
	Client:  Well, alot.   For one thing my husband announced he’s filing for divorce.
	Counselor:  I can see from your face and hear in your voice that this is very sad for you.
		(Client observation, feeling reflection)

Grading: 
Final grades for this course are S/F (Pass or Fail).  Students must earn a minimum of 88% of the total possible, (123 points out of 140) in order to have a passing grade for this course.

Requirement					Point Value
Attendance and participation at
all class meetings						10
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Philosophy Baseline Paper					15
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Retrospective Paper					15
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Quizzes							20
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Reaction Papers						20
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Video tapes and critiques – 20 points each		60
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Total	           140

This course is a prerequisite for most other counseling courses.  It is designed to help you decide if you want to continue in the Counselor Education Program and to provide the Counselor Education Section faculty an opportunity to view your personal and professional potential to become a counselor.  Should the instructor have a question about your potential, a conference will be scheduled to discuss this with you.

Overall Evaluation Criteria
Please note that students will be evaluated not only with regard to their academic performance on the course assignments, but also with regard to their suitability to enter the counseling profession.    Thus, student performance in the course will be evaluated with regard to 2 components:

1.  Skills required for effective counseling, as demonstrated by the graded activities listed above.

2.  Potential to fulfill the appropriate professional roles and functions of counselors.  

The instructor will observe and assess each student’s ability to consistently demonstrate conduct consistent with the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.  Each  student will also be assessed on his or her ability to demonstrate competence in the following areas:
	Capacity for empathy
	Capacity for insight
	Level of self-awareness in interactions with peers and clients
	Ability to engage in self-reflection and personal and professional 
growth
Willingness to explore personal issues related to the practice of 
counseling (countertransference issues)
Openness and receptivity to feedback
Ability to integrate feedback into subsequent practice counseling
 sessions
Sufficient emotional stability to consistently attend to the needs of 
clients
Ability to accurately assess own strengths and weaknesses
Commitment to the profession as exhibited by timely attendance, 
timely completion of assignments, coming to class prepared 
to participate and having completed assigned readings

Reading and Topic Schedule

Date			Topic					Reading Assignment

Aug. 27		Course Introduction
			Ethics

Sept. 3		Baseline audio recording due		Preface
			Overview of Counseling Process		Ch. 1, 2
			Multiculturalism and Diversity		
			
Sept. 10		HUMAN FUNCTIONING PAPER DUE
Attending					Ch. 3, 4
			Practice

Sept. 17		Observation Skills				Ch. 5
			Practice

Sept. 24		VIDEO 1 AND CRITIQUE DUE
Encouraging, Paraphrasing, 
			Summarizing					Ch. 6
			Practice

Oct. 1			Questions					Ch. 7
			Practice							

Oct. 8			Reflection of Feelings			Ch. 8
			Practice

Oct. 15		Reflection of Meaning			Ch. 9
			Practice					

Oct. 22		VIDEO 2, CRITIQUE, & TRANSCRIPTION DUE
Challenging & Confrontation		Ch. 10
			Immediacy
Practice 

Oct. 29		Intake Interviews & Initial			Ch. 12, 13
				Assessment	
			Readiness for Change
			Practice

Date			Topic					Reading Assignment

Nov. 5			Person-centered Theory			Ch. 11
			Practice

Nov.  12		Cognitive Behavioral Theory		Ch. 11
			Practice
		
Nov. 19		VIDEO  3  AND CRITIQUE DUE 
Gestalt					Ch. 11
			Practice

Nov. 26		RETROSPECTIVE PAPER DUE
			Individual Student Meetings 

Dec. 3		  	Crisis Intervention				Ch. 16						Suicide Assessment 			Williams*
Student Handbook review			Student Handbook
			Counselor Wellness and Self-Care	
			
Dec. 10		Course review