COUN 5316:
Counseling Diverse Populations
Spring 2007
Instructor: Dr. Shawn Patrick, NCC, LPC Classroom: ED 4007
Office Phone: 512-245-8130 Meets: W 3:30-6:15 pm
Office Hours: (TBA)
Course Description:
This seminar is designed to sensitize students to the roles societal power disparities, therapist’s racial identity and awareness, and client/cultural identity play in counseling persons of diverse backgrounds. The dynamics of counseling clients who are African-American, Asian-American, female, gay/lesbian, Latino/a, Native American, and persons with disabilities, will be examined.
Course Objectives:
- To familiarize oneself with multicultural and pluralistic trends, including: characteristics and concerns between and within diverse groups nationally and internationally; theories of multicultural counseling; theories of identity development; and multicultural competencies. (CACREP IIK: 2a; 2e)
- To explore one’s own attitudes, beliefs, understandings, and acculturative experiences, including specific experiential learning activities; increase awareness of institutional and social barriers that impede access, equity, and success in counseling and assessment. (CACREP IIK: 2b; 7f; 1g)
- To understand counselor roles in social justice, advocacy and conflict resolution, cultural self-awareness, the nature of biases, prejudices, processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination, and other culturally supported behaviors that are detrimental to the growth of the human spirit, mind and body. (CACREP IIK: 2d)
- To examine individual, couple, family, group, and community strategies for working with diverse populations and ethnic groups. (CACREP IIK: 2c)
- To be aware of ethical and legal considerations related to multicultural counseling, assessment, and advocacy. (CACREP IIK: 2f)
Methods of Instruction:
Methods of instruction will include lecture, small and large group activities, small and large group discussions, videos, papers, presentations, (possible) guest speakers, Blackboard/TRACS communication, and web resources.
Required Texts:
Rothenberg, P. (2004). Race, Class, and Gender in the United States (6th ed.). New Jersey: Worth Publishers.
Sue, D.W., & Sue, D. (2003). Counseling the Culturally Different: Theory and Practice. New York: Wiley Interscience.
Additional readings as provided (see Blackboard).
Suggested Readings (the following could be very helpful with assignments):
Atkinson, D. R., & Hackett, G. (1995). Counseling Diverse Populations. Madison, WI: WCB Brown and Benchmark.
Atkinson, D. R., Morten, G., & Sue, D.W. (1993). Counseling American Minorities. Madison, WI: WCB Brown and Benchmark.
Gibbs, J & Huang, L. (1998). Children of Color. Psychological Interventions with Culturally Diverse Youth. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc.
Helms, J, &. Cook, D. (1999). Using Race and Culture in Counseling and Psychotherapy: Theory and Process. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
McGoldrick, M., Giordano, J., & Pearce, J.K. (1996). Ethnicity and Family Therapy (2nd Edition). New York: Guilford.
Ponterotto, J.G., Casas, J. M.., Suzuki, L.A., & Alexander, C.M. (1995). Handbook of Multicultural Counseling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Course Requirements:
1. Worldview/Identity Paper: Students will describe and discuss their own personal worldview. Attempt to answer the question, “What does it mean to me to be this ethnicity.” Examine experiences that have shaped or created one’s personal ethnic story. Keep in mind that this paper reflects one’s personal worldview as defined by the student; this may include race, nationality, family, sexual orientation, gender, ability, roles, and so on. This paper should be 3-5 pages long. Students will submit TWO copies; select a personal “code” to be written on BOTH copies. One copy with your identifying information will be submitted to the instructor; one copy with only the code will be given to students in the class. The class copy should NOT include your name, only your code number in order to preserve anonymity. Papers will be read by other students in class; students will be asked to provide anonymous comments to these papers. Final grade will be determined by the professor.
2. Rothenberg Journal/Blackboard postings: Students are to maintain a journal for completion of homework assignments from the Rothenberg text. This journal will be maintained on Blackboard in the Discussion Groups. A discussion group has been created for each Rothenberg assignment (see attached at end of syllabus). With the exception of the Ongoing assignment, eight assignments are provided. Students may choose any six to complete. Students will post their responses under the appropriate assignment category; initial postings are to include the student’s name or initials. Students are encouraged to write their honest responses; there is no “correct” answer to each assignment. These assignments are designed to promote thought and discussion for areas that may not be addressed during class time. Journal postings do not have to adhere to APA; students may use any desired format when writing in the journal. Journals will not be graded based on grammar, spelling, etc. There is a suggested time frame for when students should submit postings, however there is no deadline other than the last class day to have entries submitted. It is strongly recommended that students attempt to spread out postings!
Students are also required to respond to a minimum of 5 postings. Students may respond anonymously to the original poster. Failure to post at least 5 times will result in a loss of 10 points off the student’s final grade. Again, honest feedback/impressions are encouraged; however any abuse of the discussion board (e.g. flaming) could result in loss of overall points to the ENTIRE class. Students will lose 10 points for every assignment not completed by the end of the term. (Note: this journal may be completed prior to the last day of class; however NO extensions beyond the last day of class will be given.)
3. Midterm: The midterm will address material from the assigned readings. Emphasis will be placed on Sue & Sue (2003). This test will be a take-home test consisting of open-ended essay questions. The midterm will be posted on the Blackboard site and must be turned in by the date indicated; NO extensions will be provided. Students will be expected to generate essays to answer the questions provided; essays must be typed, double spaced, and following APA format. Answers should NOT be simply copied from the readings, but should be synthesized from the student’s understanding of the material. Any direct replication of class texts could result in the student receiving a failing grade for the midterm. Failure to include proper citation constitutes a form of direct replication (plagiarism). This is NOT a group project; students are expected to work on their own.
4. Cultural Experience: Students will select one cultural group of interest. “Culture” can be defined by the student in several ways, including race, religious orientation, sexual orientation, disability, gender, etc. Students must have the topic approved by the instructor. Ideally students will select a cultural group that is most different from his/her own, or least understood/exposed to. Students will engage in a “cultural experience” related to this group. Cultural experience is to be defined by the student and should involve some type of exposure and direct involvement with this group. Students will complete a paper about this experience (2-3 pages). Included in this paper will be 1) a brief description of the experience, 2) personal insights or understandings about this group, and 3) application of this learning to counseling. Students are encouraged to begin looking for potential experiences asearly as possible. (Note – these papers may be turned in prior to the due date.)
5. Group Cultural Presentation: Students will form into groups. Each group will select and present to the class information about a specific cultural group. The cultural group chosen should be one that students are least familiar with or exposed to. Each group will need to have its topic approved by the instructor. Students may need to consult resources outside of the class in order to complete this assignment. Students may bring in any additional materials, such as artifacts, readings, food, activities, videos, etc (inform the instructor ahead of time if specific technology is required). Presentations at a minimum should include common identifying experiences or traditions within the group, historical experience, counseling considerations, and/ or other areas related to class discussions. Even though some topics may involve discussing a group’s experience in a country outside the United States, the emphasis of each presentation should be group experiences in the United States. Ultimately the purpose of this assignment is to enhance the students’ personal and professional awareness of similarities and differences between cultural groups. Presentations should be 45-50 minutes long (presentations significantly over or under the time limit will be penalized!). Students will be graded on thoroughness, creativity, relevance to counseling, and adherence to time. Peer feedback will also be provided.
Each group will need to submit: 1) an outline of the presentation, and 2) a reference list. These materials are to be handed in on the day of the presentation. Reference lists should include at least 5 references, with no more than 2 internet sources. Suggestions for topics include:
Groups of African descent Groups of Asian descent
Native American groups Groups of Hispanic origin
Groups of Arabic origin Groups of European descent
Judaism Hinduism
Islam Buddhism
Christianity Other religious influences
GLBT – related groups Men
Women People with physical disabilities
Grading:
Students are expected to attend every class session and to have coursework completed on time. Students who are absent are still responsible for having assignments turned in by the start of class time on the due date. Papers are expected to be written in APA style (Abstracts are optional). This includes appropriate cover and reference page. Although quality of the content will be weighed most heavily, papers are expected to have correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Inadequate mechanics will result in lowering of student’s grade. Papers need to be typed, double-spaced, and stapled. All assignments are due by the start of the class period designated. Any paper received beyond this time will be considered late. Late papers will be reduced by at least one letter grade. With instructor approval, students may email papers – format expectations still apply.
Read all assignments prior to class meetings and be prepared to discuss them in class. Due to the highly interactive nature of this class, several in-class activities will be offered. All students are expected to participate meaningfully in the class discussions and activities. The nature of these activities is to extend the student’s knowledge and comprehension of concepts and self-understanding. Therefore some activities may be more challenging than others. Although each individual student may have varying levels of verbal contribution, complete lack of participation in these activities could result in the lowering of student’s grade by at least one letter grade. Due to the personal nature these discussions may tend to have, rules of confidentiality will apply to all class discussions and assignments. It is also assumed that students will display respect when discussing thoughts and opinions.
Requirements Summary: Grading Scale:
Worldview/Identity Paper 25 Points A 150 - 135
Midterm 50 Points B 134- 120
Cultural Experience 25 Points C 119 - 105
Group Presentation: 50 Points F 104 and below
Total: 150 Points
For clarity of overall grading expectations, the following descriptors are provided:
A = Student has exceeded all required expectations. Performance has included thoughtful reflection, awareness, and application of course content. Includes meaningful contribution to class discussion, strong demonstration of APA style, and ability to synthesize course concepts.
B = Student has met minimum class requirements. Work submitted and classroom participation are adequate to expectations. Includes awareness of APA style and addresses basic requirements of assignments.
C = Student has failed to meet minimum requirements. Work submitted has lacked some required components (e.g., poor APA style, failure to address all aspects of assignment, little class participation).
F = Student has significantly failed to meet minimum requirements.
Tentative Schedule:
Note: Dates for Rothenberg assignments (in italics) are recommended dates; these correspond with topics associated with Rothenberg chapters.
| Date: Topic Due: |
| 1/18 Introduction, definitions Sue & Sue, 1 (Ongoing R starts) |
| 1/25 Worldview Sue & Sue, 10; RI (Midterm posted!) |
| 2/1 Cultural Identity Development Sue & Sue 8,9; |
| 2/8 Politics Sue & Sue 2; RII ; ID paper DUE |
| 2/15 Trust Sue & Sue 3; RIII |
| 2/22 Barriers Sue & Sue 4; RIV |
| 3/1 Strategies Sue & Sue 5 |
| 3/8 Indigenous Healing Methods Sue & Sue 7; RV |
| 3/15 SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS |
| 3/22 Family Approaches Article (McGoldrick et. al); RVI |
| 3/29 Family Cont’d MIDTERM DUE |
| 4/5 Special topics Group Presentations |
| 4/12 Special topics Group Presentations; RVII |
| 4/19 Special topics Group Presentations; Personal Experience DUE |
| 4/26 Special topics Group presentations; RVIII |
| 5/3 Finals Week |
Rothenberg Assignments
Ongoing:
Keep a running log of every cultural narrative you hear someone use to explain a social condition or someone’s behavior. Be sure to note the circumstance in which you heard it, and jot down any that you’re uncertain of. Maintain this log for the duration of the class.
Part I:
Read at least ONE of the following: Richard Wright, Pem Davidson Buck, Jonathan Ned Katz, Michael Kimmel, or Herbert Gans -
Write a response to the article(s) you read – What new ideas did you learn from the essay? Have you ever thought something like sexuality could be socially constructed? How does homophobia function to regulate “normal” sexual identities? Discuss ways race, gender, and sexuality are constructed.
Part II:
Read Peggy McIntosh. Write a response considering: How do you view your own life in comparison? What personal experiences have you had that make you think of your own race/ethnicity?
Part III:
Read U.s. Commission on Civil Rights. Choose 2-3 more articles from section III that provide an example of each level of discrimination. Provide examples of how the article fits that level.
Part IV:
Choose at least one article in part IV and map out the ways race/gender intersect with economics and how those intersections affect people’s lives. For example, differences between two families with similar income levels…Think about the system outlines and consider solutions. What can be done to control for race/gender and close the gap between haves and have-nots? Try to avoid individualized solutions.
Part V:
Choose 2 or 3 essays from Part V. Write for each essay how you might use the insights the author conveys to you. What can you learn from listening to how someone tells her story? How might this help you in your later work helping others? What assumptions did you discover you needed to challenge? How? If this person were your client, what might influence your relationship?
Part VI:
Compare the language used to describe black Americans in “Dred Scott v. Sandford” with language in “Indian Tribes” and “Bradwell v. Illinois”. What similarities can you identify in the attitudes held toward these groups of people? What effect did these attitudes have? How have these attitudes shaped history?
Part VII:
Read William Ryan. Discuss his analysis related to blaming the victim. How does sympathy, in certain forms, contribute to maintaining social inequalities? Can you think of additional examples of solutions that fall under this critique? Which would he approve? Reject?
Part VIII:
Select any essay from VIII. Write a summary of the argument, explain views presented. Pay attention to specific positions the author holds. Use as much detail as possible to delineate pains, challenges, and responsibilities emphasized. How could apply these views to the area of counseling?
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 and 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.
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