COUN 5369:

Techniques in Child and Adolescent Counseling

Fall 2006

Instructor: Mary Morrison, PhD, LPC, NCC, RPT Meets: Wednesday, 3:00-6:30

Phone: 512-245-9071 Office: ED 4013

E-mail: mmorrison@txstate.edu Office Hours: W 1:30-5:30 pm,

Th 6:15-7:15pm and

by appointment (RRHEC)

Course Description:

Course focus is an overview of counseling interventions with children and adolescents in agency, school, and private practice. Group, individual, and systems techniques will be covered. Assessment of child psychopathology and techniques for consulting with parents will be included.

Prerequisites : COUN 5354 and COUN 5368.

Course Objectives:

Student will understand and practice the constructs of play therapy, sandtray therapy and activity therapy. (CACREP: Community Standards C.7, School Counseling Standards C.2.a, C.2.b, B.4.)
Students will articulate concepts and techniques of developmental and diversity issues of child and adolescent psychotherapy and psychopathology. (CACREP: School Counseling Standards C.2.a, C.2.h, A.7, Community Counseling A.5., IIK: 2c)
Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of appropriate ethical standards and an ability to exercise ethical, moral reasoning, in matters relative to the professional practice. (Community Counseling Standards A.4, School Counseling Standards A.6., IIK: 3e; 1h; 5g)
Students will demonstrate a commitment to becoming responsible and contributing members of the counseling profession. (CACREP IIK: 1b)
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the ongoing relationship between counselors’ self care and professional effectiveness. (CACREP IIK: 5b)
Students will be able to successfully construct appropriate intervention strategies with children and adolescents. (CACREP: School Counseling Standards C.2.a, C.2.h., B.4, B.7, Community Counseling C.7, IIK: 5c)
Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of the DSM-IV-TR and basic understanding of diagnostic issues. (CACREP: School Counseling Standards C.2.d, Community Counseling Standards C.5., IIK: 3c)
Students will demonstrate knowledge of effective consultation, advocacy, and counseling strategies with the significant others in a child's life. (CACREP: School Counseling Standards B.2., C.2.f, C.2.g, C.3.c, Community Counseling Standards B.1, C.3: IIK: 1g, 1f)
Students will understand and demonstrate knowledge of human development theory of children and adolescents. (CACREP: School Counseling Standards A.8, IIK: 3a, 3b)
Students will demonstrate an understanding of approaches used for group work with children and adolescents. (CACREP: School Counseling Standards C.2.b, IIK: 6e)
Demonstrate the ability to utilize electronic media to find standards of practice, research, and

professional resources helpful to the counseling profession. (CACREP IIK: 1.c)

Methods of Instruction:

Methods of instruction include (not exclusively) lecture, PowerPoint, in-class projects, group work (small & large), student presentations, audio-visual aides, experiential activities (at the prerogative of the instructor).

Required Texts:

Homeyer, L. & Sweeney, D. (1998). Sandtray: A Practical Manual. Canyon Lake, TX: Lindan Press.

Landreth, G. (2002). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship, 2nd ed. Munice, IN:

Accelerated Development.

Oaklander, V. (1998). Windows to Our Children. Highland, NY: The Gestalt Journal Press.

Thompson, C., & Rudolph, L. (2000). Counseling children, 5th edition. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) (4 th ed.). (2000). Washington D.C. American Psychiatric Association.

Recommended Text:

Axline, V. (1964). Dibs: In Search of Self. New York: Ballantine.

Course Requirements and Grading:

Reading Reaction Papers (10%)

Each class session students will turn in a reading reaction paper to all assigned readings due that class meeting. The reaction paper should be no more than two typed pages: ½ summary of the material and ½ what you found to be helpful or your reaction to it.

Suggested guidelines:

a summary of what you gained from the material,
difficulties you had with the material, and
thoughts on how you would see yourself using the material in therapy.

I will be looking forward to thoughtful class discussions from your analysis of the readings.

Quiz’s (40%)

Quiz #1: Working with Parents & Ethics, (10%)
Quiz #2: Play Therapy, (10%)
Quiz #3: Sandtray, (10%)
Quiz #4: Final Exam: Psychopathology, (10%)

Counseling Theory and Development Paper (15%) Due Sept. 28th
It is important that your counseling theory have an integrated approach and considers the development of the client. A developmentally appropriate intervention is critical for all clients and therapists must justify the chosen intervention to parents and managed care.
Write a 3-5 page paper describing the age of children/adolescents with whom you desire to work and their emotional and cognitive developmental levels.
From your chosen theoretical framework discuss the emphasis placed on (a) verbalization by the child, (b) role of the counselor, (c) purpose of using play, talk, sandtray, or expressive arts (whichever applies to your developmental level)
Discuss why this counseling theory fits best for you as well as why it is developmentally appropriate for your target population.
APA format is required- no abstract.

Research Paper (15%) Due Oct. 19th

This paper is designed to give you the opportunity to become familiar with the literature published in a particular subject area of your choice.

The topic of your choice should focus on a particular aspect of one expressive therapy (play therapy, activity therapy, sandtray, expressive arts) and a specific area within that modality (a specific population, theory of therapy, etc.) The topic should be approved by the instructor prior to choosing a topic.
APA format is required- no abstract.
Length: Maximum 6 pages

Dyad Presentation on Psychopathology (20%) Due Nov. 30 th & Dec. 7th

In groups of two, 20-minute presentation
Sign-up sheet will be handed out a few weeks into the semester
Presentation will be graded on the following:

Client Behavior presentation; Diagnostic criteria; On-line sources of information for parents and/or teachers; Interventions; Prognosis; use of video (if possible) to highlight any of the above
Copies of handouts to share are required (If you email them to me the day before I can make the copies for you)

Attendance is mandatory, as a majority of the class is experiential in nature. (5 points will be deducted for each class absence regardless of the reason. Please do not ask for exceptions).

Failure to interact with peers, facilitators, clients, or faculty in a manner consistent with the performance expectations of a professional counselor may result in a failing grade in the course and a referral to a faculty review committee for remaining in the counseling program.

Tentative Course Schedule:

Date	Topic	Due
8/24	Syllabus, Child Development Lecture, Video Clips of Child’s play	Ethics & LPC worksheet TRH Pg 11-28 Landreth Ch 8
8/31	Intro to TRACS, Cont. Development, Culture of Children, Ethics- Confidentiality, dual relationships, record keeping, Family Law, Working with parents & Teachers	Landreth Ch 2, 4-6, TRH Ch 14 Worksheet due
9/7	Why Play?, Elements Typical of Play Behavior, Therapeutic uses of play, Entering the Child’s world, What children learn in play therapy, Role of the Therapist, Be With Attitudes Quiz 1 on TRACS	Landreth Ch 7 Read Meta Analysis of Play Therapy Literature (Bratton, et al, 2006)
9/14	Toys and Materials Visit playroom- play with toys, APT Website, Meta Analysis of play therapy research- Discuss efficacy of play therapy	Landreth Ch 9-10 Quiz 1 – on TRACS Due
9/21	Building the Relationship, Child’s perception, Entering the child’s world, Facilitative Responses (Reflection of Feeling, Tracking, Reflection of Content)	Landreth Ch 11 O Ch 10 Reflecting Feelings worksheet
9/28	Review Facilitative Responses (Tracking/Drawing activity) Limit Setting (Justin Clip, Ian Clip), Practice in play room, Special Populations	O Ch 4 Limit Setting worksheet
10/5	Activity Therapy- Intro to Activity, Developmentally appropriate, Clip of Ian & Elijah, Art media spectrum- test all media, Quiz 2- on TRACS	O Ch 2
10/12	No Class- Research Day	Quiz 2- on TRACS DUE

10/19	Rosebush, Creature, KFD, KSD, Mondala collage,	Research Paper Due
10/26 Sandtray- History, Rationale, Development of Sandtray	O Ch 8 TRH Ch 13
11/1	Group Sandtray, Family Sandtray Quiz 3 on TRACS	TRH Ch 11 O Ch 10 Landreth Ch 17
11/9	Parent Consultations, Intake, Family Art Assessment, Puppetry, CPRT, DSMIV GAF Scale for Children, Special Education Introduction	Quiz 3 on TRACS Due
11/17	Psychopathology Presentations	DSM-IV TRH Ch 18 & 19 (Reference in presentations if helpful no response paper necessary) Dyad Presentations
11/30	Psychopathology Presentations	Dyad Presentations
12/7- Final Exam	Final Exam Quiz 4 on TRACS	Quiz 4 on TRACS- Due

Texas State University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with Disability Support Services and to contact the faculty member in a timely manner to arrange for appropriate accommodations.