B386 Course Syllabus, Fall 2012, Guare - Psychology @ IUPUI

WARNING: This syllabus may be from a previous semester and may not reflect current or future instructors for the course.
The purpose of this syllabus is to provide a sample of course content and objectives.
B386 Introduction to Counseling – Fall 2012
Class Number 9577 John C. Guare, Ph.D., HSPP Teri Belkin, B.S.
Thurs 9-11:45 am Office: LD126Q/274-6739 Office: 126V
SL 109 E-mail: jguare@iupui.edu E-mail: tbelkin@iupui.edu
This is not an easy course. There are four exams, multiple homework assignments, and an audiotape
assignment. Moreover, it is an upper level course that builds upon required successful completion of
previous psychology coursework. To take this course, it is absolutely necessary that you have successfully
completed B104 and B380. If you have not done so, you must withdraw.
Course Description
The course is designed to help you learn and practice basic counseling skills. A specific “helper” model
espoused by Gerald Egan will be emphasized. The course will consist of lectures, group discussion
concerning a conceptual framework for helping others, and experiential learning by having you practice
skills in class, role playing, etc. It is a combination of traditional book learning and practicing basic skills
known to promote effective counseling.
Required texts
Egan, G. (I’ve seen it with 2009 or 2010). The skilled helper: A problem-management and opportunitydevelopment
approach to helping (9th edition). Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning. ISBN is
9780495601890.
You DO NOT need the workbook entitled “Exercises in helping skills: A manual to accompany The
Skilled Helper.” You also do not need the little booklet entitled “Skilled Helping Around the World.”
You only need the textbook, and you need the 9 th edition.
Principles of Undergraduate Learning
The Principles of Undergraduate Learning (PULs) are the essential ingredients of the undergraduate
educational experience at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. Below are key aspects of
the PULs and how we will address them in this course:
1. Core Communication and Quantitative Skills. These skills will be addressed via periodic small group work in
class and larger class discussion, communicating effectively in triads, and comprehending/interpreting “clients” as
you practice core counseling skills.
2. Critical Thinking. Key components of this PUL are “applying, analyzing, evaluating and creating” in relation
to course content and assignments. You will practice/develop these skills throughout the course as we critically
evaluate factors such as what keep people from changing, how to develop and evaluate the goal setting process and
outcomes, etc.
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WARNING: This syllabus may be from a previous semester and may not reflect current or future instructors for the course.
The purpose of this syllabus is to provide a sample of course content and objectives.
3. Integration and Application of Knowledge. This will be inherently addressed due to the nature of our
Counseling psychology course, applied homework assignments, and especially the application of skills in triads. In
addition, the Audiotape assignment is specifically designed to help you demonstrate professional standards and
competencies in core counseling skill areas.
4. Intellectual Breadth, Depth and Adaptiveness. Students will develop their ability to examine and organize ways
of thinking about human behavior, and to apply this knowledge in class triads, class discussion, the Audiotape
assignment, and clinical vignette questions on exams.
5. Understanding Society and Culture. Students will learn to recognize their own cultural traditions and to
understand and appreciate the diversity of the human experience. Understanding the impact of societal and cultural
life experiences on human behavior is essential for counseling to be productive.
6. Values and Ethics. We will discuss the APA Code of Ethics and how to make sound clinical decisions with
respect to individual conduct, citizenship and proper ethics. There will be an applied APA ethics component to
our last exam. We will also address the need to develop cultural competency when dealing with individuals from
different value systems, cultures, etc. Homework assignments will help clarify your values and whether or not you
are living in line with such values.
Your responsibilities
Attendance is required. We will take attendance for both the 1 st half and 2 nd half of each class. Be in
class on time. Tardiness is rude and disrespectful. Participation in class discussions and exercises is
required. You need to show up and participate in order (1) for the course to be useful to you, and (2) to be
able to earn a good grade. For many classes you will need to read about 2 chapters and do a homework
assignment (which you will turn in on Oncourse). Given we only meet 15 times this semester, attending
every class is critical. However, we will allow up to a maximum of 2.5 missed classes without penalty in
consideration of any and all life events, etc. (e.g., illness, death in the family, severe weather, emergencies,
car trouble, personal issues, family issues, alien abduction, doctor’s appointments, and everything else). If
you miss three full classes, the score on your next exam will be reduced by 10%. If you miss five full
classes, your next exam score will be reduced by 20%. If you miss seven full classes, your next exam
score will be reduced by 30%. If you miss eight or more full classes (more than 50% of the course), you
will be asked to leave the course. Missing both halves of a class counts as 1 missed class. Missing either
the first or second half of a given class counts as half of a class missed. Students who attend consistently
do better on exams, homework, the audiotape assignment, and get more out of the course.
Think of this course like a client who agrees to attend counseling once/week for 15 weeks – by enrolling in
this course you are agreeing to attend class once/week for 15 weeks. This should be your mindset. What
the client gets out of the agreed-upon 15 sessions depends significantly on whether s/he consistently shows
up, does her in-between session homework, and is truly invested in the process. The same is true for you.
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WARNING: This syllabus may be from a previous semester and may not reflect current or future instructors for the course.
The purpose of this syllabus is to provide a sample of course content and objectives.
Homework. Homework assignments are a very important aspect of the course. Homework assignments
can take a substantial amount of time – plan for it. All homework assignments are posted on Oncourse
under “Assignments.” This is described more fully on p. 6-7 of the syllabus.
Class format
Class meetings are primarily lecture-based but with substantial interaction from students. Some classes
involve both a lecture and skills practice component. I will post chapter Power Point lectures on Oncourse
under the “syllabus” tab. Skills practice will take place in small group format (triads).
Triads. Triads consist of three people. One person will be the helper (counselor), one will be the helpee
(client), and one will be the observer. After the helper has had a “counseling interaction” with the “client,”
feedback is provided from each person in the triad. The helper starts first, stating how s/he thought it went,
what s/he did well, not so well, etc. The client then gives his/her comments, followed by those of the
observer. The goal is to use this feedback as a developmental growing process, helping the counselor
know what s/he did well, and to identify what skills need further development. Following this process
(both the counseling interaction and feedback), each member in the triad takes a different role, and a new
counseling interaction begins that is followed by the same feedback format. This process occurs a 3 rd time,
so that each person has adopted each of the three roles. I (and possibly Teri our TA) will quietly circulate
and “sit in” on triads. We are there to help. You are not graded on this.
When we practice skills using triads, you are to interact with different people each time you form a triad,
that is, people who have not yet been in your triad groups. This is important for several reasons, e.g., it is
better to practice across a variety of people, you won’t hear the same stuff and run out of things to say, etc.
It is important to talk about concerns that are real to you. Do not make up things to talk about. On the
other hand, do not “dump” incredibly major concerns on a fellow student and overwhelm him/her.
Act in a professional manner when in triads. This is not the same as having a conversation with a friend.
When in triads, the helper should view the client as a client and not a classmate. The interaction
should mimic the professional nature of a counseling session. This means speaking quietly (we have a lot
of people in this room), acting maturely, and not using laughter as a coping mechanism for nervousness.
Important: Just as what is discussed in real therapy is confidential, the same holds true for what is
discussed in triads. Confidentiality is very important. Start now. When personal issues are discussed in
the classroom, they stay in the classroom. From an ethical perspective, your job is to protect the client.
Keep in mind that virtually no one is at ease while doing triads. This uncomfortableness is normal, and
will ease up as the semester advances. At times you will likely fumble and not know what to say. That is
okay. You are not expected to do everything perfectly.
Do not attempt to fix people, and do not give advice. You are not expected to “fix” people in your triads,
nor on your audiotape assignment. We want you to learn and practice basic counseling skills (e.g., active
listening, asking open-ended questions, showing empathy, understanding what is being said, listening to
the message below the message, paraphrasing, challenging when appropriate, being “with” the client, etc).
Do not give advice. The main applied goal in this course is to help people tell their story and for
you to demonstrate empathy and other basic counseling skills.
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WARNING: This syllabus may be from a previous semester and may not reflect current or future instructors for the course.
The purpose of this syllabus is to provide a sample of course content and objectives.
Grades
Your final course grade will come from a combination of sources:
1. Exam 1 – 15% of course grade. This covers chapters 1-3.
2. Exam 2 – 15% of course grade. This covers chapters 4-6.
3. Exam 3 – 15% of course grade. This covers chapters 7-9 and any additional readings.
4. Exam 4 – 15% of course grade. This covers chapters 10-12 and any additional readings.
5. An audiotape demonstrating counseling skills – 20% of course grade.
6. Homework assignments – a total of 20% of course grade. Each assignment is worth between 2 – 4
points. They all add up (whether you do or do not complete them) and make a big difference in your
course grade.
Grade information on all aspects of the course will be posted on Oncourse. You can check it when you
want to see where you stand. You must have an IUPUI username and e-mail account for you to be listed on
the Oncourse roster and for you to use Oncourse.
Attendance information will also be posted on Oncourse. For each class you will see either a 2 (attended
both halves), 1 (attended one half), or a 0. These are not points that get added in to your overall course
points…this is simply used as a marker for attendance.
Final course grades (summing across all aspects) are stated below. Note: “rounding” is already included.
This is it!
A+ > 97.5% C+ 77.5 – 79.49%
A 91.5 – 97.49% C 71.5 – 77.49%
A- 89.5 – 91.49% C- 69.5 – 71.49%
B+ 87.5 – 89.49% D+ 67.5 – 69.49%
B 81.5 – 87.49% D 61.5 – 67.49%
B- 79.5 – 81.49% D- 59.5 – 61.49%
F < 59.49%
Exams
For the exams, you need to know the material in the text, that is, learn it and memorize it. Exams may also
contain questions relevant to any handouts, videos, and lecture material not in the text. The “applied”
aspects of the text material are assessed via the audiotape assignment and homework assignments, although
exams will typically contain some applied items as well. We will NOT discuss chapter 13 (last chapter in
the text) in the course, nor will you be responsible for chapter 13 material on any exam.
There is no cumulative final exam. Exams will be given during the first part of the identified class.
Exams are typically a combination of T/F, multiple choice (mostly multiple choice), and a few open-ended
questions. You will have approximately one hour for each exam. Do not assume that because the class
atmosphere tends to be relaxed, that the assessment phase (exams) is also relaxed.
We will put a brief “practice test” for exam 1 on Oncourse no later than 9/7/12 so you can get an idea of
what the exams will be like. This will be the only practice test we post.
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WARNING: This syllabus may be from a previous semester and may not reflect current or future instructors for the course.
The purpose of this syllabus is to provide a sample of course content and objectives.
Classroom behavior
Act like a professional. Be on time to class. Laptops are permitted as long as they are ONLY used for our
class, such as pulling up our power point slides. It is not acceptable to use your laptops or other web
devices during class for anything other than class purposes, as such non-class behavior is rude, annoying to
others, and very unprofessional. Cell phones must be on silent mode during class. Texting is not allowed
– either reading or sending texts.
Helpful exam hints
In previous semesters, students who did well on the exams outlined each chapter by taking key notes, then
studied their notes. By outlining the chapter material, you learn it better (you are being active with the
material). Reviewing your notes further helps consolidate the material in your memory. Study with a
friend by asking each other questions -- be active!
Oncourse
We will use Oncourse for a variety of purposes. As mentioned, you can check your grade and attendance
status by using Oncourse. We will also post homework assignments on Oncourse. If we think it is
appropriate, we will post exam hints by the Thursday before the exam, so make sure you check Oncourse.
You can also e-mail Teri or me if you have any questions, e-mail classmates to share class notes, plan a
study group, etc.
Audiotape assignment
The purpose of this assignment is for you to demonstrate some of the applied basic skills we will discuss in
class and that you will practice in triads. The audiotape will be 10 minutes in length and is due on 11/8/12
in class. We will provide you with much more detailed information later in the course (e.g., exactly what
to do, your responsibilities, how the grading will be done). Students state they learn a lot from this
assignment. It is worth 20% of your course grade. It will be handed back the last day of class (it takes a
lot of time to grade).
Keep in mind
Every semester there are several students who miss the “next grade up” by 1 percentage point or less. This
is obviously frustrating and disheartening. What is the best way to avoid this situation? Do ALL your
work to the best of your ability. Hand in all your homework assignments, and put effort into each one.
Every point matters, and they all add up.
5

WARNING: This syllabus may be from a previous semester and may not reflect current or future instructors for the course.
The purpose of this syllabus is to provide a sample of course content and objectives.
Homework assignments
There will be 7 homework assignments (not counting the audiotape assignment). This yields a total of 20
possible points that contributes to your overall 100 course points. Some assignments are designed to
promote self-reflection and self-examination. This is because we are asking clients to do the same in the
counseling process, so you need to get comfortable with this process as well.
Homework will be graded and your score will be posted on Oncourse.
You must turn in your homework assignments on time. Late homework assignments will not be
accepted. The absolute latest an assignment will be accepted is by 11:55pm on the assigned Wednesday
due date. These assignments must be emailed to “Instructor” via Oncourse by the specified dates and time
on the syllabus below. “Instructor” means both Teri (our TA) and I will receive them. Teri will grade
them. You can complete the assignments earlier than the due date if you like.
You must post your assignments on Oncourse. This is how you do it:
1. Go to Oncourse and click on B386.
2. Look at the column on the left side and click on “Assignments 2.”
3. Choose the assignment you want and click on “View details.” This will pull up the assignment.
4. Under the “Supporting Materials” heading click on the Word document which is the homework
assignment and open it. You are now typing in a Word document.
5. Type in your answers to the homework questions.
6. Save the completed homework in a Word document.
7. Under the “Attachments” heading, click on “Add Attachment” and attach your completed
homework assignment. It will then show your homework has been attached.
8. Click Honesty Pledge – meaning that you did your work by yourself.
9. Click “Submit.”
Oncourse will automatically close the assignment at 11:55pm on the specified due date. You will not be
able to send your assignment after this time. Oncourse will notify us of your submission.
The UITS Support Center services and hours in Indianapolis are:
ITHelpLive (live chat with a consultant): Service available Monday-Friday 8am-9pm at:
http://ithelplive.iu.edu/ You need to have a Windows computer, and you'll need to supply your IU
Network ID username and passphrase to access ITHelpLive. For information about available
services, please see the Knowledge Base document At IU, what is ITHelpLive?
Phone support: 317-274-4357, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Email support:
ithelp@iu.edu
Walk-in support: The UITS Support Center in IT 129 is open Monday-Thursday 8am-9pm, Friday
8am-5pm, Saturday 9am-3pm, and Sunday noon-4pm.
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WARNING: This syllabus may be from a previous semester and may not reflect current or future instructors for the course.
The purpose of this syllabus is to provide a sample of course content and objectives.
Remember – all assignments must be submitted before 11:55pm on the WENESDAY night as
specified below.
Wednesday Due Date Homework Assignment
8/29/12 HW #1 [2 points]
9/5/12 HW #2 -- Observation assignment: this is for you to observe people in public and
describe their interactions. The handout tells you what to look for and how to
write it up. [3 points]
9/19/12 HW #3 [3 points]
9/26/12 HW #4 [3 points]
10/17/12 HW #5 -- Helper/Client Assignment [4 points]
10/31/12 HW #6 [2 points]
Reminder: Audiotape assignment is due 11/8/12 in class.
(This is not one of the 7 homework assignments)
12/5/12 HW #7 – Thought Record. This cognitive therapy assignment asks you to identify
your own automatic thoughts/cognitive distortions and to complete all 5 columns
in the Thought Record for three different situations using the Thought Record.
[3 points]
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WARNING: This syllabus may be from a previous semester and may not reflect current or future instructors for the course.
The purpose of this syllabus is to provide a sample of course content and objectives.
Class Date Topic/book chapters
CLASS SCHEDULE – SOME CHANGES MAY OCCUR
1 8/23/12 Introduction/Overview; Triads ice breaker
2 8/30/12 Egan ch. 1 & 2 (Have read ch. 1 & 2 for today)
2 nd half – triads (time permitting)
3 9/6//12 Egan ch. 3 (Have read ch. for today)
2 nd half – triads
(Brief practice test available on Oncourse by 9/7//12)
4 9/13/12 Exam 1 – covers chapters 1-3
2 nd half – Show videoclips and discuss (from “Basic Counseling Responses”)
5 9/20/12 Egan ch. 4 & 5 (Have read ch. 4 & 5 for today)
2 nd half – triads (time permitting)
6 9/27/12 Egan ch. 6 (Have read ch. 6 for today)
2 nd half – triads (time permitting)
7 10/4/12 Exam 2 – covers chapters 4-6
2 nd half – discuss audiotape, show scoring guidelines, what to do/not do, etc.
Discuss HW assignment #5 due in 2 weeks
8 10/11/12 Egan ch. 7 & 8 (Have read ch. 7 & 8 for today);
2 nd half – Show clinical videoclip and discuss
9 10/18/12 Egan ch. 9 (Have read ch. 9 for today);
10 10/25/12 Exam 3 – covers chapters 7-9
2 nd half – Guest Speaker -- Donna Pollard, LMHC
11 11/1/12 Intake assessment (not Egan); 2 nd half – Egan ch. 10
12 11/8/12 Note: Audiotape assignment is due today in class!
Egan ch. 11-12; 2 nd half – Discuss APA Ethics
13 11/15/12 Guest speakers from IN Professional Licensing Agency;
Handout cognitive-behavioral therapy reading
11/22/12 No class – Thanksgiving Break
14 11/2912 Overview of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT)
15 12/6/12 Exam 4 – covers chapters 10-12 and any lecture material/handouts
for Ethics and CBT. This is it, no cumulative final
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