COUN 5351

COUN 5351:

Current Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy

Fall 2006

 
Instructor: Colleen M. Connolly, Ph.D.                                                             Office: Ed 4045                                                      

Phone: (512) 245-8677                                                                                          Office hours: By Appointment                                          

E-mail: cconnolly@txstate.edu OR                                                                     M: 2:30-3:45 at San Marcos

cc32@txstate.edu (goes to the same mailbox)                                                 T: 2:15-3:15 at RRHEC

                                                                                                                                W: 1:00-3:45 at San Marcos

Course Description:

This course provides students with information regarding special issues in marriage and family therapy, including: grief and loss, domestic violence, substance abuse in the family, GLBT issues, divorce, and re-parenting.

Corequisite: COUN 5689 or COUN 5389.

 

Course Objectives:

Through participation in this class, the student is expected to achieve the following goals and objectives: 

• Identify family development and transitions across the life span. (CACREP IIK: 3a;   MFT: B1; B3) 

• Understand and assess developmental crises, disabilities, addictive behaviors, psychopathology, and environmental factors as they affect both normal and abnormal behavior. (CACREP IIK: 3c, 7h; MFT: C4) 

• Understand the dynamics, developmental needs and potential counseling issues of single parent, divorcing, and blended families. (CACREP IIK: 2c; MFT: B3) 

• Understand human sexuality issues and/or problems, their impact on family functioning, and strategies for their resolution. (CACREP MFT: B2) 

• Understand the issues of death and dying in a family context and recognize effective individual and family counseling interventions. 

• Understand and assess the dynamics of family violence including child abuse and spousal abuse and the effective individual and family counseling interventions. (CACREP MFT: C4) 

• Understand and assess the issues of drug and alcohol abuse in the context of the family and the effective individual and family counseling interventions. (CACREP  MFT: C4) 

• Understand preventive approaches for working with couples and families such as pre‑marital counseling, training in parenting skills, and relationship enhancement. (CACREP MFT: B3, C3) 

• Understand counselors’ 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, or body. (CACREP IIK: 2d) 

• Increase awareness of client or consultee characteristics and behaviors that influence helping processes including age, gender and ethnic differences, verbal and nonverbal behaviors, personal characteristics, traits, capabilities, and life experiences skills when planning counseling strategies, conducting counseling or analyzing counseling sessions. (CACREP IIK: 5a) 

• Increase awareness of diversity issues and how they impact personal, professional, and community relationships. (CACREP IIK: 2c; MFT: A6, B3) 

• Increase awareness of diversity and cultural issues as they are influenced by one's own world-view. (CACREP IIK: 2c; MFT: A6) 

• Understand the culture and gender issues of the therapist and their effects on the cultural and gender issues of the client. (CACREP IIK: 5a; MFT: A6) 

• Understand ethical procedures in the practice of marriage and family therapy. (CACREP IIK: 1h, 5g; MFT: A3) 

• Understand and use current professional research to develop valid and workable treatment strategies in relation to current marriage and family issues. (CACREP IIK: 8e; MFT: C5) 

• Methods of Instruction:
   
• Lecture with discussion, case studies, small group discussion, and values clarification. 

Required Text:

Carter, B., & McGoldrick, M. (2005). The expanded family life cycle: Individual, family, and social perspectives (3 rd ed.). New York: Allyn & Bacon.

ISBN: 0-205-40981-4

Additional reading will be required. Readings will be provided in class, downloaded to blackboard, or placed on reserve.

Please Note: The Professional Counseling Program is both academic and experiential. Therefore, the student must demonstrate more than cognitive abilities. Evaluation using the Professional Counseling Performance Evaluation (PCPE) may be implemented when students demonstrate skills and/or characteristics that are not consistent with the counseling program’s standards. (A copy of this form is included on the university website.) This PCPE evaluation will supersede all other requirements for this class, and no credit for the class may be earned in the event that an “O,” showing inconsistency for the program standards, is indicated. In addition, a Faculty Review may be suggested to help the student understand and/or achieve program standards. (Please see the Texas State Graduate Catalog and the Professional Counseling Program: Student Handbook for a more complete description of this process).

 

 

Course Requirements and Grading:

 

This course involves a variety of instructional methods including lecture, seminar discussion, small group discussion, and student presentations.

 

Student Performance Evaluation Criteria and Procedures:

 

A = 90 – 100 B = 80 – 89 C = 70 – 79                 F = 69 and below

Please note that to pass this graduate level class, a grade of “B” or higher must be earned. In other words, a grade of “C” means that the class must be taken over in order to receive credit.

 

                25%                         Midterm exam

                25%                        Final exam

                30%                        Special issues research paper            

                10%                         Presentation of information gleaned from research paper and co-facilitation of discussion   

                10%                         Demonstration of readings and research through class discussion and/or blackboard discussion

 

1. Midterm Examination (25 percent):

 

The midterm examination will cover the first half of the semester. We will have a brief review/consolidation of pertinent areas the week before the exam.

 

2. Final Examination (25 percent):

 

The final exam will not be comprehensive but will cover the second half of the semester. We will have a brief review/consolidation of pertinent areas the week before the exam.

 

3. Special issues research paper (30%):

 

You will research a special issue (topics will be discussed in class). You will focus your research paper on the current issues of your selected topic as it pertains to relationship and family therapy. You will gain pre‑approval of this topic from the professor. You will research the topic thoroughly and include a minimum of ten (10) scholarly sources you consider the most pertinent to your topic and the family therapy field that have been written in the last five years. These ten articles or professional book chapters must be 1) within the last five years, 2) scholarly in nature (i.e., no “pop psychology” – examples provided on blackboard), and 3) the most relevant in the professional literature to your topic as it pertains to couple, relational, and family therapy. Include all standard APA components including a cover page, abstract, body of paper, and references. You may include as many other, older articles/book chapters as you wish to make your research paper comprehensive in its scope.

 

Please note: Each research paper must be consistent with graduate level writing in the use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and follow the rules standardized in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5 th ed).It must be computer-generated, courier 12, and double-spaced. The recommended length for the body of the paper is 10 pages. You may seek assistance from the Texas State Writing Center.

 

You will be evaluated on the following:

• 25%: Is it well researched? In other words, did you discover the most pertinent articles/book chapters for the topic?
• 25%: Integration and synthesis of material. Did you take all of the material you read and synthesize the material?
• 10%: Did you include ethical and legal implications when working with this population/issue?
• 20%: Did you produce graduate-level writing? Did you follow APA guidelines for grammar, punctuation, and spelling?
• 20%: Content.
• Are the articles/chapters scholarly and intended for the professional reader?
• Did you include five articles/book chapters published within the last five years?
• Did you follow the guidelines for length and format?

 

4.   Presentation of information gleaned from research paper and co‑facilitation of discussion (10%)

 

Create a handout for each colleague within the class and two for the professor. This one- to two-page handout will be in outline form, with the APA reference citations for each pertinent point. You will be asked to provide a brief summary of the information gleaned from your research to the class and you will co‑facilitate with the professor the discussion around that topic. This presentation will demonstrate your ability to critically analyze scholarly writings, and the handout will provide a useful resource for those within the class. The co‑facilitation of discussion will demonstrate your understanding and integration of the material. Bring copies of the articles used in your research paper/presentation to class and provide to the professor prior to your presentation. The articles will be returned to you.

 

5.   Demonstration of readings and research through class discussion and/or blackboard discussion (10%)

 

6.   Class attendance, punctuality, and participation:

 

Attendance, punctuality, and participation are important components of the evaluative process and will be considered when assigning grades. Attend class fully prepared, readings completed, and ready to participate.

 

It is expected that students will attend all classes. Only absences due to emergency or illness are considered excused. If an emergency or illness arises, contact me immediately via email. Be prepared to provide verification. You will be responsible for contacting me about additional work necessary to compensate for an excused or unexcused class absence.  

               

One unexcused absence, or failure to make arrangements for additional work, results in 5 points taken off your final grade. Two unexcused absences, or failure to make arrangements for additional work, results in 10 points taken off your final grade. If you miss more than two classes, excused or unexcused, the highest grade possible is a “C,” which means you do not received graduate level credit for the course and you will have to reregister for the class.

 

Please arrive to class on time. Each late arrival or early departure will count as one-third of a class absence and will be considered excused or unexcused based on the above criterion.

 

Timely submission of work:

 

All projects will be collected at the beginning of class on the due date. Late submissions are not acceptable and grades will be reduced dramatically based on the degree of lateness and applicable circumstances.

 

Blackboard:

 

I will post handouts on blackboard for you to download. I also may post announcements on blackboard, although if the message is time sensitive, I typically also send an email. Go to blackboard and confirm that the listed email address is the one you use most frequently. If you need any help with blackboard, you can contact 245-help.

 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

 

	Date	Class Activity	Readings/Outside class activities
01	Aug 29	Review of syllabus; Discussion of internship and practicum placement; Scheduling of Presentations
02	Sept 05	Expanded life cycle Self-in-context Family Secrets Video presentation Ethical decision-making case example, small group work, and class discussion	Ch. 1 (Expanded life cycle) Ch. 2 (Self-in-context) The new ACA 2005 Code of Ethics T he IAMFC Code of Ethics Review the literature to more clearly define your suggested topics for the research paper and the treatment and intervention paper
03	Sept 12	History, genograms, and family life cycle Culture and the family life cycle Intellectual and ethical development Ethical decision-making case example Revisions in ACA 2005 Code of Ethics	Ch. 3 (History & genograms)   Ch. 4 (Culture)   Research your approved topic and commit to topic
04	Sept 19	Stressors, strengths, and resilience Issues in specific populations	Ch. 20 (Lesbian women and gay men) Ch. 8   (Latino) Ch. 19 (African-American)
05	Sept 26	Presentations Gender differences   Social class	Ch. 6 (Women) Ch. 7 (Men) Ch. 5 (Social class)
06	Oct 10	Presentations Becoming an adult Becoming a couple	Ch. 13 (Becoming an adult) Ch. 14 (Becoming a couple)
07	Oct 17	Midterm exam Presentations Becoming parents Single parents	Ch. 15 (Becoming parents) Ch. 24 (Single parents)
08	Oct 24	Presentations Divorce Remarriage	Ch. 22 & 23 (Divorce) Ch. 25 (Remarriage)
09	Oct 31	Presentations Single adults Alcohol in families	Ch. 21 (Single adults) Ch. 27 (Alcohol)
10	Nov 07	Presentations Violence Sexual abuse	Ch. 28 (Violence) Readings provided
11	Nov 14	Research Papers Due Presentations Families in later life Chronic illness	Ch. 18 (Later life) Ch. 29 (Chronic illness)
12	Nov 21	Death Suicide Rituals Interactions in life cycles	Ch. 11 (Death) Readings provided Ch. 12 (Rituals) Ch. 30 (Interactions in life cycles)
13	Nov 28	Texas Counseling Association Conference - San Antonio	Attend TCA Conference or complete project
14	Dec 05	Final exam

 

 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.

 

  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2001, 5 th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

http://writingcenter.english.txstate.edu/

http://www.counseling.org/PDFs/ACA_2005_Ethical_Code.pdf

http://www.iamfc.com/ethical_codes.html