Theories & Techniques of Familly Counseling



PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Education

Department of Psychology & Counseling

Spring 2009

PSYC 817.01 Theories & Techniques of Family Counseling Mon. 6:30-9:20pm

INSTRUCTOR: Harriet A. Bachner, Ph.D.

Office: WH 205F hbachner@pittstate.edu

CATALOG DESCRIPTION OF COURSE: The study of the full scope of marriage & family therapy including its history in the field of psychology/counseling, classic schools of thought, & latest developments in practice

COURSE PURPOSE: The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a survey in marriage & family therapy that provides a sound basis in theory & exposure to practical practice applications.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: After completion of this course the students will be able to:

1. Identify the principles & strategies of the major theories in relationship & family counseling.

2. Apply the theories in understanding their own family dynamics, values, beliefs, feelings, & behaviors.

3. Apply the theories, understanding of family dynamics, & techniques to counseling couples, individuals, & families

4. Begin to develop a personal theory of relationship & family counseling.

5. Select the appropriate theory & strategies congruent with the family theory and apply to the variety of relationship & family situations that people present in family or relationship counseling.

REQUIRED TEXT:

Gladding, S. T. (2007). Family therapy: History, theory, and practice. Upper Saddle River,

NJ: Pearson, Merrill Prentice Hall.

Selected readings as assigned & resources posted on ANGEL

Videos & DVDs are in the IRC in Hughes Hall

Optional text:

Perrin, R. (2007). Pocket guide to APA style, 2nd edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

You can go to this site for assessment of your learning style:

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES: The expected course outcomes are accomplished through a variety of instructional strategies to complement students’ life experiences. Those strategies include, but are not limited to, the following: lecture, experiential activities, small group discussion, case role play, student presentations of research, theory models, & review of the literature, & use of multi-media technology.

INCOMPLETE POLICY: The grade of incomplete in normally not given. If you are unable to attend a substantial portion of the course, then you should withdraw or drop from the course. Incomplete is considered only if some urgent unforeseen event prevents you from completing one of the assignments or the final exam & you notify your instructor before the final exam. See pp. 43 & 62 of the PSU Catalog for additional explanation of the incomplete policy.

The last day to drop with a grade of W is April 10, 2009.

REMINDER TO CHECK CATALOG for information on withdrawals, incompletes, & academic honesty. See p. 39-41 in the PSU catalog for more information regarding academic honesty.

Academic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism, collusion, & falsifying academic records. When quoting or paraphrasing you must give credit (reference) to your source using APA style. Plagiarism is quoting 5 or more words in sequence without giving credit to the source. If you have been found to have plagiarized an assignment, at the very least, 0 point is given for that assignment.

STUDENT PERFORMANCE ACTIVITIES: Satisfactory completion of this course depends upon regular attendance & participation. If for some reason, you cannot attend & participate regularly, then perhaps you need to drop the course. Participation includes not only attendance, but also contributing to the discussions & class activities. You are responsible for the work even if you are not in attendance for a particular class session.

STUDENT EVALUATION: The course grade is based upon the following learning activities:

1. Attendance: You are expected to attend class & participate in class discussion &

activities. After 3 or more absences, your grade is lowered by one letter grade.

Therefore, your final grade would be no higher than a B. If you are absent, I

assume that you must have a good reason for not attending, otherwise you would be

in class. Therefore do not bring me any kind of written excuse. I am not going to

evaluate the quality of your absence: an absence is an absence, no matter what the

reason. Consistent & punctual class attendance is required since this is partially an

experiential class. Death, grave illness in the family, childbirth, & impassible

roads are, of course, beyond your control. Whereas, decisions to celebrate

anniversaries, for example, or attend concerts, go on hunting safaris, or participate

in a variety of extra-curricular activities are not.

If you miss 4 or more classes, it is recommended that you drop the

course. The last day to drop with a grade of W is April 10, 2009. Some class

activities are completed in class & these cannot be made up. If you are absent for

any reason you are still responsible for the assigned work, so therefore contact

your instructor if you have questions about assignments that you may

have missed or check ANGEL.

2. All papers are expected to have correct grammar, structure, spelling, & style.

After evaluating your 1st assignment paper, I may recommend that you use the

writing center to assist you in making corrections on any subsequent paper that

you submit. Assignments submitted late do not receive point value

above a B & are not accepted more than 1 week late.

3. ANGEL on-line resource: The ANGEL system is used as a supplemental

resource for this course. You are provided with an orientation to this system

during the 1st class. Handouts, class notes, resources, & power point presentations

are available for the various topical areas discussed in the course.

It is the your responsibility to print handouts & to have read the text chapters as

indicated on the course schedule prior to class.

Make sure your email address is correct in ANGEL personal information

Class time is dedicated to discussion, presentations by class members, experiential &

group activities, in addition to lecture.

Course information, announcements, & emails are communicated through ANGEL.

The on-line gradebook on ANGEL is used, so you can regularly check your earned

points .

4. Submission of 1 class activity assignment worth 35 points: There are a variety of assignments from which to choose one. Detailed instruction is given during class as needed.

5. A mid-term exam worth 75 points: Consists of multiple choice, true/false, & essay questions from the designated text chapters in the course schedule & information discussed in class from lectures, activities, & videos

6. A final exam worth 70 points: Consists of multiple choice, true/false, & essay questions from the designated text chapters in the course schedule & information discussed class from lectures, activities, videos, & student presentations.

7. A report worth 80 points: Integrates your understanding of a major theory &/or its application in a practical situation. You are required to write one report integrating your understanding of a major theory & technique associated with that MFT theory &/or its application in a practical situation. Details of this assignment are discussed in class & evaluation criteria are at the end of this syllabus. This report is an aspect of your group project & presentation. Topic ideas are discussed in class & are submitted no later than the 2nd class meeting.

8. A presentation to the class worth 20 points per student: Each student contributes information from his/her above report. You may be placed with 1or 2 other students based upon similarity of topic selected for report. Each person’s class presentation is evaluated individually based upon his/her own contribution to the group presentation in class.

9. An annotated log of at least 5 videos/DVDs worth 30 points that have been viewed during the semester. It would be most helpful for you to watch those media which are related to the topic of the report discussed in # 6

10. Additional points may be earned for other activities: i.e., research, attending professional conferences or workshops in the field of marriage & family therapy, These activities for points are contingent upon approval from instructor.

A pupil from whom nothing is ever demanded which he cannot do, never does all he can.

John Stuart Mill

Below is a list of assignments & exams for this course. Assignments must be submitted on time in order to receive full credit.

Assignment or exam Point value Points earned

Assignment 35 __________

Mid-term exam 75 __________

Research/theory report 80 __________

Class presentation with group based upon 20 __________

above report

Annotated log of videos viewed from IRC 30

Final exam 70 __________

Total 300 __________

300 – 270 = A 269 –240 = B 239 – 221 = C 220 – 180 = D

The above list of point values is an optimistic projection & the points available on the mid-term & final exams may vary due to the extent to which material is discussed in class.

ADA COMPLIANCE: Students with specific needs or a diagnosed disability should let the instructor know as soon as possible. If additional arrangements are needed, the student may also check with the Kelly Hieskell, Learning Center Director.

STUDENT EVALUATION OF COURSE & INSTRUCTOR: At the conclusion of the semester, you will have an opportunity to evaluate the instructor & the course PSYC 817. This is done anonymously & used as a means to improve instruction, course content, & the PSU Counseling program. Your suggestions & comments are taken seriously & hopefully contribute to the improvement of the course & the program.

INCLEMENT WEATHER / DISASTER POLICY:

The following are basic premises for the inclement weather policy at Pittsburg State University:

1. Classes are to be held if at all possible.

2. It is the student's responsibility to seek the information when weather conditions are questionable.

3. Neither students nor faculty are expected to risk life or limb. Your instructor will

notify you by email if class is cancelled due to weather conditions.

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?

V. Van Gogh

Course Schedule: Check ANGEL for additional information about course topics, lecture notes, updates on assignments or quizzes. Regularly check your email for messages that are sent about class activities.

Date Topic Assignment/Reading

1/19 Introductions, identify family life cycle Select topic

Discuss course requirements, problems/situations, for report

MFT publications & professional organizations Chap. 1

1/26 Foundations & leading figures in MFT, Intro. for research

Evolution of family therapy, early models paper due Chap. 2, 3

2/2 Concepts in family therapy, systems theory Chap. 4

2/9 Bowenian & transgenerational family therapies, Chap. 6

genogram discussion, Adler & birth order theory

Psychoanalytic family therapy, case analysis

2/16 Structural family therapy; draw family map Chap.9 Assignment due

See pp. 6-8 of syllabus

2/23 Strategic family therapy, role plays Chap. 10

Milan systemic therapies & collaborative Notes on angel

models

3/2 Experiential family therapy, role plays, Chap. 7 guided imagery

3/9 Cognitive behavioral family therapy Chap. 8 & 11

Solution focused & narrative family therapies Take-home midterm

3/16 SPRING BREAK RELAX & CELEBRATE SPRING

3/23 Sexual dysfunction & sex therapy Selected readings &

notes on angel

Midterm due

3/30 Emotionally focused therapy Chap. 5

Couple therapy, infidelity PP. 355-357 Marriage enrichment, premarital counseling

4/6 Special populations in family therapy Chap. 12 & 13 Single parent & remarried families

4/13 Culturally diverse families Chap 14

Research paper due

4/20 Domestic violence, substance abuse Chap. 15

4/27 Outcome research in family therapy Chap. 17 Annotated

video log due

5/04 Ethical & professional issues Chap. 16, Take-

home final given

5/12 Final due

Group presentations of theory, techniques, or reviews are scheduled throughout the semester as each report relates to the topics on the above schedule. Since there many students enrolled in this class, each individual’s presentation should be no longer than 10 minutes.

To check on students staying current with the readings in the text, there may be an occasional unannounced quiz to evaluate knowledge of the reading material.

Videos that demonstrate various styles of MFT are shown throughout the semester or assigned for students to view on their own time in preparation for discussion.

Please note:

This course schedule is an optimistic projection of what I would like to cover during the semester. Because we may spend more or less time on a particular topic, this schedule & the assignments may be changed to fit the needs & interests of the class members & time constraints. Please contact me or email hbachner@pittstate.edu if you have any questions or concerns about course schedule or requirements or if you are experiencing some unexpected event that may interfere with you turning in an assignment on time.

Since this course is about marriage & family therapy, this is your opportunity to gain insight into your family life. Class discussion is vital to the enjoyment of the class. Your sharing of anecdotal examples helps makes this class experience lively & memorable. Come to class prepared to be active in discussing the readings, your ideas, & experiences that are relevant to the readings.

FORMAT FOR CLASS ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT REPORT

The report for your assignment should include the following:

1. An introduction explaining the topic & the method you used to gather your data, observation,

or information about what cover in your report

2. The body of the report includes specific & descriptive examples of your findings

If you have completed observations make sure that you report objective behavioral observations & not your opinion of what you observed. For example, to say “the child was angry” is your judgment. It would be better to report what behaviors lead you to believe that the child was “angry”.

3. A summary/conclusion which includes not only the main points or findings of your assignment, but also your opinion, critique, or any other ideas you may have about the assignment.

4. Use direct quotes very sparingly & if you do so, use APA style to cite your source both within the text of the report & on a separate reference page.

5. All assignments should be at least 2 full pages in length, typed, font 12, & include a

title page.

The following are suggestions for class assignment topics from which you may select 1 to do this semester.

1. Interview at least 4 people about what strategies, successful & unsuccessful, that they have used to improve their relationships with significant others & family members. Report your findings & relate each strategy to one or more of the types of MFT interventions.

2. Look up 3 web sites that feature the field of family therapy & write a reaction paper outlining the purpose, nature, & activities of the national organizations in MFT or major MFT training institutions. Discuss your opinions about these organizations & not just merely copy the info from the web sites.

3. Explore the research on birth order effects & Adlerian family therapy & compare to your family of origin or family of procreation. Briefly discuss your findings.

4. Interview both of your parents about the family history & note key family dynamics, relationship triangles, cut offs, etc. Ask your parents how they met & about their courtship. Discuss your experience conducting this interview, relate this information to any of the information discussed in systems theory, & report your findings.

5. Prepare your own family genogram by consulting various members of your nuclear & extended family.

Trace at least 2 dynamics or health conditions & discuss in at least 1 full page the patterns that you see & ways to change the dysfunctional patterns.

6. Read a novel or biography & prepare a genogram of the protagonist’s family & discuss the relationship patterns across the generations.

7. Select a movie that shows family interactions & dynamics, discuss, & relate to any of the MFT theories. Show a scene in class that demonstrates the dynamics in your report.

8. Conduct a family observation & take extensive notes on your observation. You will need to obtain consent & also clear this with me before proceeding. This is not to be your family. You may need to spend a few hours with the family members. Be sure to obtain written permission from the family to observe, take notes, & report on their interactions. One suggestion is to divide your note taking paper into 3 sections: speaker, content, process observations. Be alert for expression, body movements, note interruptions, topic changes, & times that one family member disconfirms another by ignoring, changing the topic, disparaging the speaker, or bringing in a 3rd party. Who sits close to whom? Who’s farthest away from whom? Does this proximity & distance reflect the level of verbal involvement between members or not? Who talks to whom? How would you describe the emotional climate in the family, what they talk about & the way they interact during periods of clam versus periods of higher tension? What evidence did you observe for the existence of homeostatic mechanisms, negative feedback loops, complementary roles? What family rules did you observe? Were there paradoxical communications?

9. Interview a MFT in private practice or who works for an agency. This person needs to be licensed to practice MFT. Develop a set of questions that you would like to have more information on. Report on your interview & your impression of the responses.

10. Keep a journal about any of your own family interactions during the 1st month of this semester. Record these at least 3 times per week. Relate the process to any of the concepts that you learned about MFT. Summarize your impressions.

11. View one of the following movies or a movie that deals with family dynamics: When Nietzsche Wept, The Thing about My Folks, Prince of Tides, Breaking Away, The Great Santini, War of the Roses, Ordinary People, Terms of Endearment, A Bronx Tale, Household Saints, Home for the Holidays, One True Thing, My Family, or Best Intentions, or the several other recommendations that I have as well. Analyze the protagonist, his/her intimate relationships & relations with family of origin with respect to the following: degree of separation-individuation, healthy attachment, introjection of pathological objects, & self-object needs for idealizing & mirroring or a systemic dynamic that has been discussed in class related to any of the family systems theories.

12. Using one of the above movies, design a couple of family therapy treatment strategies for the protagonist. What would be the goals of treatment? What would be successful treatment?

13. Explore the requirements for Clinical membership in the American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy & the requirements for licensure as a Marriage & Family Therapist in Kansas, Missouri, or Oklahoma. Discuss & compare the above requirements & not merely report the info on the web sites.

14. Attend a professional conference or workshop in MFT & write 2 summaries of at least 2 hrs. of workshops or 2 different workshops that you attended.

15. Pick up a copy of a local gay or lesbian publication/newspaper & carry it around with you for a day. Read some of the articles. Take it with you to lunch, lay it out in a visible way & pay attention to your own internal response. Do you feel vulnerable, self-conscious, ashamed, or fearful? Report on your experience, what you have read, & some of the types of articles & ads that relate to relationships & family.

16. View any of the following movies or any other movie that deals with gay or lesbian relationships: Maurice, Desert Hearts, Before Stonewall, or Torch Song Trilogy, Boys in the Band, The Wedding Banquet, Longtime Companion, or Home for the Holidays, Brokeback Mountain. Discuss the issues involving gay & lesbian relationships as they may relate to family therapy.

17. Contact at least 3 managed care companies or employee assistance program (EAP) & inquire about the type of insurance coverage that is provided for individual psychotherapy, family therapy, or marriage counseling. Ask about the coverage for DSM IV -TR codes which involve parent/child & relationship diagnoses. Report your findings.

18. Read & critique a journal article about research in the field of marriage & family therapy from the past 7 yrs. using the article review format below. Your instructor has many relevant journals if you would like to borrow some.

19. You will be completing some self-assessments related to relationship & family functioning. You can write a summary of the findings from these assessments relate to your future work as a family therapist. Your instructor will provide you a format.

20. View 3 of the videos related to family therapy in the IRC as indicated on the list provided & write a summary & critique of the application of the theory as shown in the video.

21. If you have another idea for a family therapy related assignment, please discuss it with your instructor to develop it as an assignment.

Format for Journal Article Review (see #18)

Professional journal article review: An important aspect of professional development is the ability to locate, read, & analyze journal articles related to topics within the scope of the course. This 2 to 3 page review is to be typed, double-spaced, in a 10-12 font with proper grammar, structure, & spelling & is worth 40 points. Use a title page & begin the review on the top of the 2nd page.

1. In your own words, state the main idea of the article.

2. Discuss 3 important issues or findings that support the main idea of this article.

a.

b.

c

3. What flaws or omissions in the content, hypotheses, or ideas do you find in this article?

4. What is your opinion of this article? What points do you agree or disagree with?

5. List & define/discuss any new information, terms, or concepts that you learned that may help you better relate to the field.

6. Use APA style in citing the reference: Author(s) (year of publication). Title of article. Name of journal, Volume (Number), pages.

7. In order for your review to adequately cover all of the above criteria, it should be at least 3 pages, typed, font 10 to 12, not including a title page.

EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR THE RESEARCH PAPER

Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Excellent

10 points 1. Organization

______ Introduction

______ Summary

______ Graphs, headings (if applicable)

50 points 2. Content

______ Topic

______ Adequate length for topic

______ Ideas & info reported

______ At least 4 sources, not including the text

(Refrain from citing your text, go the source.)

10 points 3. Mechanics of Writing

______ Sentence/paragraph structure

______ Grammar & spelling ______ Spacing & style

10 points 4. Documentation & APA Style

______ Internal references

______ Appropriate citations (no plagiarism) ______ Reference page

20 points 5. Presentation of Report or Findings to Class

______ Clearly introduced the topic of the presentation

______ Organized method of presenting info

______ Discussed info with ease & appeared to be knowledgeable about topic

______ Used some audio or visual aide or involved the class

______ Spoke in clear & audible tone of voice & made eye-contact with the class

rather than merely reading one’s notes

______ Used humor &/or appeared enthusiastic

100 ______ Total possible points for paper & presentation

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