Foundations of Family Therapy I



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I. Course and Instructor Information

CEP 670: Foundations of Family Therapy I

Instructor: Thomas Harrison, Ph.D., MFT

University of Nevada, Reno

Office: WRB 3040 Phone: 775.682.7318 email: tch@unr.edu

Office Hours: Summer: After class and by appointment

II. Time and Place: Summer, M-TR, 1010-1210; Room Raggio Ed Bldg 4050

III. Texts: Hoffman, L. (1981). Foundations of family therapy. New York: Basic Books.

Suggested Text

Henggeler, S. W. & Borduin, C. M. (1990). Family therapy and beyond: A multi-systemic approach to treating the behavior problems of children and adolescents. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

IV. Course Description:

This course examines the principles of general systems theory as it applies to working with multi-person client systems in therapy. This course aims to introduce the systemic orientation to therapy and help transition counselors-in-training orientations from individual to family systems treatment perspectives. This course will be a lecture-discussion format.

V. Philosophy.

This course is designed to examine the history, philosophical principles, concepts, and methods of working with diverse couples and families from a systems perspective. It has been the experience of this instructor that shifting orientations from individual to systems perspectives takes several weeks. Material will be presented from three perspectives: personal, professional, and in vivo. It is the belief of this instructor that deepened learning takes place when there is an atmosphere of trust, openness, commitment, and enthusiasm.

This course is taught only during the summer, and the main reason is that I believe total emersion into family systems is a very good way to learn it. Thus, we will meet for an intensive two hours, four consecutive days of the week. I believe that you will really come to see how systemic perspectives are powerful paradigms

.

VI. Goals and Objectives

A. Personal and Professional Growth

• Develop an awareness of your own strengths and challenges through reflective

practice as a counselor for learning ways to enhance your strengths and reduce your challenges;

• Integrate your personal and professional knowledge base of counseling to become a more democratic and effective counselor who can understand and address client systems of differing age, gender, and personal characteristics, traits, capabilities and life circumstances; and

• Develop ethical and professional standards that effectively address client systems of diverse backgrounds.

Knowledge and Skills

Enhance assessment and conceptualization skills using systems a perspective;

Enhance skills in the application of concept to therapeutic situations and interventions; and

Enhance your understanding of the differences between an individual orientation and a systems orientation to treating marital, couple, and family issues.

CACREP 2001 Standards for Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling/Therapy addressed:

A.1

History of marital, couple, and family therapy including philosophical, etiological premises that define that practice of marital, couple, and family therapy;

B1.

Marital, couple, and family life cycle dynamics, healthy family functioning, family structures, and development in a multicultural society, family of origin and intergenerational influences, cultural heritage, socioeconomic status, and belief systems;

C.1

Family systems theories and other relevant theories and their application in working with couples and families, and other systems (e. g. legal, legislative, school and community systems and with individuals; and

C.5

Research and technology applications in marital, couple, and family counseling/therapy.

VII. Course Content Areas

• Early research on family groups

• Dynamics of social fields

• Second cybernetics

• Typologies of family structure

• Family paradigms

• Pathological triads

• Rules for congruence in triads

• Triads and the management of conflict

• Simple binds and discontinuous change

• Breaking the symptomatic cycle

• Therapeutic binds

VIII. Student Expectations and Accommodations and Services for Students with Disabilities

“Students are expected to:

A. Attend class and complete all assignments in accordance with the expectations established by their instructors and programs of study to reflect a love of learning.

B. Conduct oneself in the classroom in a manner that contributes to a positive learning environment for demonstrating democratic values and respect for diversity.

C. Familiarize themselves with all university policies and procedures to be a knowledgeable student.

D. Ask questions and seek clarification, direction and guidance to any class assignment, university policy or procedure that is unclear. Students may be expected to complete class requirements beyond the published meeting times. This varies by course and instructor." (University of Nevada, Reno 1997-98 General Catalog, p.8)

E. "The Disability Resource Center (DRC) offers a wide range of support services and accommodations for students with specific documented disabilities. The DRC believes that you will find the students, staff, and faculty at the University of Nevada, Reno to be sensitive to your needs and eager to make every reasonable accommodation to assist you in attaining your academic goals. Sometimes, however, you may encounter a situation or concern that requires assistance. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT OUR OFFICE. YOUR NEEDS ARE OUR CONCERN. The DRC is located in room 107, Thompson Student Services Center. 784-6000."

Academic Honesty

Specific to the academic pursuits of students, the University of Nevada, Reno, believes the maintenance of academic standards is a joint responsibility of the students and faculty of the university. Freedom to teach and to learn are dependent upon individual and collective conduct to permit the pursuit and exchange of knowledge and opinion. Faculty have the responsibility to create an atmosphere in which students may display their knowledge. This atmosphere includes an orderly testing room and sufficient safeguards to inhibit dishonesty. Students have the responsibility to rely on their knowledge and resources in the evaluation process. The trust developed in the maintenance of academic standards is necessary to the fair evaluation of all students.

Academic dishonesty is against university as well as the system community standards. Academic dishonesty is defined as: cheating, plagiarism or otherwise obtaining grades under false pretenses. Plagiarism is defined as submitting the language, ideas, thoughts or work of another as one's own; or assisting in the act of plagiarism by allowing one's work to be used in this fashion. Cheating is defined as (l) obtaining or providing unauthorized information during an examination through verbal, visual or unauthorized use of books, notes, text and other materials; (2) obtaining or providing information concerning all or part of an examination prior to that examination; (3) taking an examination for another student, or arranging for another person to take an exam in one's place; (4) altering or changing test answers after submittal for grading, grades after grades have been awarded, or other academic records once these are official

IV. Student Performance Assessments

A. Submit a GRID at the end of the course focused on identifying salient issues in systemic approaches to therapy versus individual orientations. Write an 8 page essay in which you describe what you included in your grid and its significance to your learning.

X. Student Performance Criteria

Final Paper GRID

This paper should identify and explicate differences and similarities between individual and systemic approaches to therapy, and how you have begun to change your perspectives. The most important element of the assignment is “how you have begun to change your perspectives from individual to systems. You may choose the dimensions along which this analysis can be made. So, I am expecting to receive a grid and a paper. The paper should not be any shorter than 8 pages (12 is the maximum). The paper needs to be submitted in APA style format and includes a Reference list, if appropriate. DUE on the TUESDAY, July 8.

Course Grade

Your grade for the course will be comprised of your grade on the GRID and accompanying paper.

GRID and Paper = 100 points

• (20 points) Presentation of the Grid (typed v. computer generated, for e.g.; attractiveness, etc.)

• (30 points) The relevancy and appropriate articulation of dimensions

for analysis

1. Example #1: you might want to include a topic on “handling of family relationships” in counseling. Individual approaches would deal with these one way, a systems approach would deal with these another way. I would like to see you describe both ways.

2. Example #2: You might want to include a topic on “the issue of personal responsibility in families. Individual approaches would suggest responsibility is considered this way, while systems approaches consider responsibility this way.

• Paper:

1. (30 points) Describe in more detail the dimensions identified in your grid

2. (20 points) Discussion of your process in embracing a systems perspective. This includes identifying your struggles and challenges, etc.

In an effort to be clear, use these points to guide the amount of effort in your work. For example, there are two dimensions that are worth 30 points, and two dimensions that are worth 20 points. Be sure to allocate effort across and within each dimension. In other words, your paper should reflect “equal” time, (number of words?) across dimensions. Therefore, I would expect a bit more on “the relevancy of dimensions” in your grid and equal effort/time/words in your paper descriptions. There should be a tad more effort on the 30 points than on the 20 pointers.

Thus, there is a total of 100 points available for this course. Your FINAL COURSE GRADES will be assigned along the following structure:

A = 90-100

B = 80-89

C= 70-79

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