Course Objectives

This course is designed to introduce you to various aspects of counseling, including the major theories and skills upon which it is founded, the interventions it uses, the diverse settings and populations it serves, and the research in which it is grounded. In addition, this course will provide an introduction to ethical issues to provide you with a broad understanding of the field. While you will gain an overview of counseling as a profession and therapeutic process, this course is not designed to teach you how to conduct therapy. The intention is to challenge you to increase your personal self-awareness, sensitivity, and competence to communicate in authentic and sensitive ways to better connect and communicate with others from diverse backgrounds.

The following are the major course objectives:

• Describe the major counseling theories.
• Compare major theories in terms of their underlying processes and techniques.
• Apply theories to real-world situations.
• Describe counseling skills and interventions.
• Apply counseling skills and interventions to real-world situations.
• Evaluate major counseling research in terms of methods, results, conclusions, and implications.
• Demonstrate empathy for others and establish rapport through the use of theory and skills.
• Describe ethical principles in the field of counseling, why they are important, and how they are applied to professional settings.
• Demonstrate understanding of multicultural competencies.
• Identify and challenge your own biases and be able to articulate why self-awareness of attitudes and beliefs may affect your relationship with others.
• Describe the range of occupational and post-baccalaureate educational opportunities.