COUN 5689

Clinical Practicum

Fall 2006

Instructor: Shawn Patrick, EdD, NCC, LPC                                                       Classroom: ED 1025

Phone: 512-245-8130                                                                                             Time: Thursday 1-9 pm

Email: sp27@txstate.edu                                                                                      Office: ED 4017

Office hours: M & W 12-2 pm;

TH 12-1 pm

Course Description:

Practicum includes counseling clients in university-affiliated counseling clinics, and a staffing seminar. May be repeated up to three times (18 credit hours) based on the recommendation of the counseling faculty. Graded on a credit (CR), no credit (F) basis.
Prerequisites: All required course work completed or departmental permission required.

Course Objectives:  

• Demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical foundations of counseling, systematically articulate professional philosophy, and integrate this philosophy into practice (CACREP IIK: 5c);
• Demonstrate appropriate strategies and interventions that integrate theory, client assessment information, and professional counseling skills, while providing a safe and secure therapeutic environment (CACREO IIK: 5d);
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of ethical standards, and an ability to exercise ethical, moral reasoning in all matters relative to professional practice (CACREP IIK: 1h; 5g; 7i);
• Demonstrate a commitment to becoming a responsible and contributing member of the counseling profession (CACREP IIK: 1e);
• Demonstrate an understanding of the ongoing relationship between a counselor’s self-care and professional effectiveness (CACREP IIK: 5b);
• Demonstrate knowledge of basic statistics and research methodology, and integrate this knowledge into professional practice (CACREP IIK: 8e);
• Demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which behavior, attitudes, and values impact professional relationships (CACREP IIK: 5a);
• Demonstrate assimilation and accommodation of individual differences that include but are not limited to differences of age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, spirituality, socioeconomic class, and educational level, and implement this understanding in personal, professional, and community relationships (CACREP IIK: 2c).
• Demonstrate use of group counseling methods, including group counselor orientations and behaviors, appropriate selection criteria and methods, and methods of evaluation and effectiveness (CACREP IIK: 6d).
• Demonstrate appropriate strategies for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessment and evaluation instruments and techniques in counseling (CACREP IIK: 7g).

Methods of Instruction:

Methods of instruction to include lecture, group supervision, individual supervision, readings, simulations, student-generated videos, and (possible) role plays.

Required Text:

Readings to be assigned on a case-by-case basis.   Readings could include journal articles or books as provided.

Course Requirements:

1) Admission:   All required course work must be completed and departmental permission received via application acceptance.

2) Insurance:   Proof of current professional liability insurance must be presented to supervising professor before any client is seen!   Submit a copy of the policy face sheet that verifies your name, policy number, and duration of the policy.

3) Co-facilitation of a Group: Each student must secure an off-campus group to co-facilitate for the semester.   The other facilitator must be licensed or certified in their mental health field. You must provide me with a signed copy of your group supervisor form. The time spent with clients in the co-facilitated group is counted as "direct client hours" for this course. The co-leader will sign off on hours and assess the intern on a university form at the end of the semester.   Students should seek to complete approximately 20 hours of group contact.

4) Attendance: Attendance, punctuality, and full participation at all meetings, clinic hours, and group sessions is mandatory. The supervising professor must authorize any absence due to an emergency or exceptional condition. Attend class fully prepared to participate in discussion or experience, depending on the class focus. You are subject to expulsion from the class for unexcused absences or for excused absences in excess of 10 percent of the seminar or 10 percent of the clinic hours. It is expected that students will attend all classes and arrive on time.   Be advised that the greatest consequence of missing class would be an inability to meet client contact requirements and lack of consistency for client sessions.   If an emergency or illness arises, advise me immediately via email and phone; verification may be required. You will also be responsible for any client contact that may be necessary as a result of missing sessions.

5)Completion of all hours: Students should keep a log of all activities completed related to practicum.   A sample form is located in the Practicum Hand Book.   Students who are unable to complete a significant portion of the required hours may be asked to repeat the class.

                  40 Direct client hours (aprox. 20 in clinic; 20 in group)

                  60 Indirect client hours

                100 Total client hours

6) Maintenance of client records/information and clinic: Students are responsible for maintaining all information related to clients seen in the clinic.   This includes proper and timely completion of all case notes, intake forms, consent forms, termination forms, and any assessment instruments used during the course of counseling.   Students will also be responsible for upkeep of the clinic such as phone contact, taping, cleaning, client recruitment, etc.   Inadequate performance in these duties could result in dismissal from the course.

Please notethe time frame for this course.   The first half of this course will include group supervision, discussion, lecture, and any other information related to clients and counselor development.   The second half of this course will include meeting with clients and observing other students.   Students are responsible for scheduling clients.   A dinner/meal break will be provided between the supervision period and client sessions.   During the second half, if students are not counseling they are expected to be either observing other sessions or engaging in supervision.   There may be several opportunities for students to also receive individual supervision with the instructor; however students who wish to guarantee individual supervision time should schedule an appointment.   Also the instructor may request individual supervision with students at any time; these times will be scheduled outside of the 1-9p time frame and may be held at another location.

Grading:

The Professional Counseling Performance Evaluation (PCPE) is used to evaluate your performance in this class and fit for this profession. A copy of this evaluation can be found on the university website.

Your counseling skills and abilities are assessed through your work with clients and in-class participation and interactions. Professional responsibility, competence, maturity, and integrity are critical processes in your successful progression through this Counseling Program. As a result, your performance inside and outside of this class experience are taken into consideration as I complete your evaluation.       

Please note : In order to pass this course, all students must receive a satisfactory evaluation on the PCPE (required in all experiential classes in the counseling program), which means no “0”s and minimal “1”s on the rating scale. You will receive feedback midway through the course on your progress, and a final evaluation will be provided for your records.

It is possible that your early skills are evaluated higher than your end skills.  Possible reasons for this decline in evaluation might include not reading the assigned material, not participating in discussion in class, or not doing the necessary preparation for your clinical work, which might include additional thoughtful transcription and/or assignments deemed necessary by the professor.   All of these elements enhance your overall integration of material and subsequent performance.

This course may be repeated up to three times (18 credit hours) based on the recommendation of the counseling faculty and the Department Chair. This course is graded on a credit (CR), no credit (F) basis.

If the student demonstrates progress, but it is not yet at an acceptable level of skill by the end of the semester, a grade of "PR" (for "progress") rather than an "F" (for "fail") may be given for the course. If the student has adequate counseling skills but does not complete the required number of client hours, a grade of "PR" will be given for the course. A grade of "PR" requires the student to apply, be accepted for, register, and pay again for another semester of this course. All written and verbal feedback should be considered as an evaluation of your progress.­

Evaluation:

This course is not simply collecting client contact hours.   Your work must be considered quality counseling by your supervisor(s) before passing this class. An active involvement with clients, supervisor, group, and classmates is essential to meet the requirements of this class. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• attendance, punctuality, and professional participation in all clinic activities, staffing, and group activities
• presentations and networking to if client base is insufficient
• observing sessions and giving written and oral feedback to other members of the class
• receiving, critically assessing, and integrating feedback
• outside reading for particular clients or situations
• specific reading and written assignments required by your supervisor throughout the semester
• quality case presentations

a) videotape all sessions (NOTE: each video recorder allows for a time and date to be set. set each session to provide a "marker" for ease in viewing and referencing sections)

b) review all tapes and mark the sections you want to discuss

c) view sections with classmates and/or professor

d) have your completed case notes with you when you discuss/present

e) share your plans or goals for client’s next session

f) keep your session reports and weekly log up-to-date and available

g) be able to frame all of the above from your theoretical perspective

Tentative Course Schedule:

A schedule log will be kept in class.   Students will be required to fill out the log on a weekly basis.  

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, 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.