Curriculum

Understanding the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV will be the focus of this course. Some prior knowledge of the etiology of behavioral disorders and the impact of these differential diagnostic skills through the analysis of case studies will be emphasized.

This course is designed to provide graduate counseling students with an introduction to mental health practice in preparation for practicum (EDU 679) and internships (EDU 685, EDU 686, & EDU 678). This course addresses ethical, legal and professional issues in counseling and adheres to the Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and those of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA). Canadian students may wish to consult the Canadian Counseling Association (CCA). Students are also expected to gain relevant skills, especially in the realm of consultation with other mental health professionals.

Students will be placed in mental health settings consistent with their personal goals for growth in the field of mental health. Each internship experience will be uniquely designed to meet the needs of each individual student. Basic commonalties across intern- ships include 300 clock hours on site for each internship (total 900 clock hours); 80 hours of direct service with clients for each internship (total 240); a minimum of one hour per week of individual supervision throughout all internships and biweekly seminars/group supervision of three hours in length throughout the internships.

Students will be placed in mental health settings consistent with their personal goals for growth in the field of mental health. Each internship experience will be uniquely designed to meet the needs of each individual student. Basic commonalties across intern- ships include 300 clock hours on site for each internship (total 900 clock hours); 80 hours of direct service with clients for each internship (total 240); a minimum of one hour per week of individual supervision throughout all internships and biweekly seminars/group supervision of three hours in length throughout the internships.

This lab/seminar course is designed to give students the opportunity to practice the various counseling strategies and techniques learned in previous courses and to refine the skills and knowledge base specific to counseling with child and adolescent populations. The focus will be on learning the research and developing the skills necessary to select the counseling intervention methods most appropriate for the specific life challenges facing school-age children.