HUS 3335 - Advanced Counseling & Interviewing Skills

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Fall 2024 (640)

Requisites

Admission to Human Services (Bachelor of Science) (HUMSVC-BS) or
Admission to Health Services Administration (Bachelor of Applied Science) (HSA-BAS) or
Admission to Applied Mental Health (Advanced Technical Certificate with Financial Aid Eligibility) (AMH-ATC)

Course Description

This course builds essential counselor skills by identifying crucial elements of effective counseling. Students will develop proficiency in case conceptualization by studying and practicing techniques and strategies from major counseling theories while exploring the efficacy of treatment techniques and the role cultural issues may play in the application of these approaches.

Course Topics

Group Facilitation for First Responders
 

Content is contextualized for the  Law Enforcement/First Responder cohort program. These topic sections will only be made available to the students in the cohort.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. Students will apply counseling skills, which include the following techniques: observational skills, attending skills, feedback skills, paraphrasing/summarizing, questioning, and reflecting feeling by:
    1. comparing/contrasting the challenges/benefits with using teletherapy and other technologies with clients.
    2. roleplaying through assigned clinical vignettes where the student will demonstrate an emotional presence with the role-play client, respond appropriately to role-play client’s presenting concerns, and foster the role-play client’s problem solving skills free from advice giving.
    3. implementing feedback provided by the instructor and/or classmates.
  2. Students will demonstrate the ability to differentiate between clients’ problems versus clients’ cultural influences by:
    1. applying cultural competency techniques when assessing clients’ presenting problems.
    2. exploring how their own values, attitudes, biases effect the counseling process.
  3. Students will examine at least five theoretical approaches to counseling from the following: psychodynamic, humanistic, person-centered, cognitive, behavioral, positive psychology, and/or existential by:
    1. determining at least two intervention techniques from each theory to a clinical vignette.
    2. exploring the most appropriate intervention by analyzing the empirical literature on treatment efficacy.
  4. Students will examine the structure of the counseling process across at least four sessions by:
    1. distinguishing between the presenting problem, treatment goals, use of appropriate techniques, and closure.
    2. directing the phases of a counseling session, including opening and closing the session.
  5. Students will author written summations of clients using multiple sources of data by:
    1. creating a case note.
    2. authoring a biopsychosocial evaluation.
    3. demonstrating skill in the management of clinical and administrative documentation.
  6. Students will evaluate a crisis model for addressing clients in crisis by:
    1. critiquing at least six high risk factors/behaviors when assessing the likelihood of suicide.
    2. judging intervention options ranging from those that are least to most restrictive.
    3. finding at least three local community resources for suicide prevention.
    4. applying skills of referral, advocacy, and triage in crisis intervention.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Fall 2024 (640)

Related Programs

  1. Applied Mental Health (AMH-ATC) (660) (Active)
  2. Human Services (HUMSVC-BS) (640) (Active)