PSY-7504-+Washington

COURSE INFORMATION FORM Please send this information to **//mlowe@alliant.edu.//** INSTRUCTOR NAME: Kevin Washington, Ph.D.  COURSE NUMBER: PSY 7504 COURSE TITLE: Theory & Technique: Family Systems TERM and YEAR: Fall 2009 UNITS: 3 OPEN TO YEAR LEVEL(S): All LOCATION: (if other than SF campus) DAY: Wednesday TIME: 9 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.   PREREQUISITE SKILLS: COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course examines theoretical approaches to marriage and family counseling including major systems theories, strategies, and techniques of family and relationship therapy. A survey of the development of family and relationship counseling and proponents of the field are studied. Issues of conflict and ethical considerations are examined. The impact of cultural and social forces upon the family system is explored. INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Upon successful completion of this course, each student will posses the knowledge to: 1. Communicate (orally and written) an understanding of marriage, couple and family counseling. 2. Understand systems theory and the important tenets, concepts, and therapeutic processes of the major theories of family/relationship functioning. 3. Conceptualize contemporary models of family and relationship development within a multicultural and socio-political context. 4. Articulate awareness of the historical roots and development of the field of family therapy. 5. Compare, contrast, and critique important assumptions and concepts of major theories. 6. Challenge and expand personal norms regarding the behavioral, social, and emotional functioning of families and their members. 7. Evaluate and apply theories of family and couples therapy in analysis of case material from a multifaceted perspective. EVALUATION OF STUDENT LEARNING: Didactic and some experiential instructional modalities are utilized in an effort increase student’s knowledge in marriage and family counseling. Students are afforded the opportunity to explore the various approaches to family and couples counseling from a multicultural, theoretical, developmental, and historical perspective. Learning about family counseling is fortified through a combination of assigned readings, class lectures/discussions, video (media) formats, group activities, role playing and guest lectures. Students are expected to prepare for class discussions by completing out-of-class assignments (i.e. assigned reading and viewing video materials). Final grades will be based on a point accumulation basis. Students earn points via exams, class presentations and projects, class participation, and other assignments. Points will be converted into a percentage score. Grades will be assigned as follows: A = 94-100% of total points B- = 80-83% of total points A- = 90-93% of total points C+ = 77-79% of total points B+ = 87-89% of total points C = 74-76% of total points B = 84-86% of total points C- = 70-73% of total points CLASS COMPONENT ON CULTURAL AND ETHNIC ISSUES: The family is often considered the basic unit of any civilization. It is in the context of family that individuals learn about themselves and their socio-cultural environment. One learns adaptive and maladaptive behaviors based on their interactions of the family. When socially, communally, and familial disruptive behaviors evolve, family mental health professionals can be paramount in promoting family healing. This course is designed to provide an overview of the theories, practices and techniques in marriage, relationships and family systems. Students are offered the opportunity to enhance their insight into the development and growth of mental health practice within the context of family counseling. Issues related to racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity are highlighted throughout this course. To that end, this course will deconstruct the assumptions informing many of the early family therapy theories, and discuss how these assumptions often did not address issues of power, race, culture, gender, disability, ethnicity, class and sexual orientation. The course will also present approaches to family therapy that are explicitly shaped by an appreciation for the way social context influences problems, solutions and therapeutic interactions. NEED FOR GUEST LECTURERS ON CULTURAL AND ETHNIC ISSUES: Due to the complexity of issues related to cultural and ethnic diversity in the mental health profession guest lecturers may be invited to present to the class. Guest presenters will be invited based on their knowledge of and experience with a given population. It is desired that their presence will enhance student’s understanding in to topics relative to diversity in family systems. READING LISTS: Required: McGoldrick, M., Gerson, R., & Shellenberger, S. (2008). **//Genograms: Assessment and intervention//** (3rd Ed.). New York: Norton. ISBN: 978-0-393-70509. Nichols, M. P., & Schwartz, R. C. (2009). **//The essentials of family therapy//** (4th Ed.). Boston: Pearson Education. ISBN: 0205592163/9780205592166 Recommended: **Normal Family Process: Growing Diversity & Complexity** (2003). Guildford Publications: New York. ISBN 0-203-42843-9 WEEKLY SYLLABUS FOR YOUR COURSE ** (DUE ON THE DATE OF YOUR FIRST CLASS)  ** INSTRUCTORS NAME: Kevin Washington COURSE NUMBER: PSY 7504 COURSE NAME: Theories & Technique: Family Systems WEEK 1 : Review course and requirements; Introduction to Systems Theory; Create collaborative definition of family WEEK 2 : History of Family Therapy; Fundamental Concepts Nichols & Schwartz (2009) Chapters 1, 2, & 4 WEEK3: A multicultural and feminist considerations for family/couples therapy and theory. Nichols & Schwartz, Chapter 11 WEEK 4: Genograms; Strengths and resiliency model. McGoldrick, Gerson, & Shellenberger (1999), **//ENTIRE BOOK//** WEEK 5: Genogram Project Discussion; Family Development Models WEEK 6: Bowenian Family Systems Therapy. Nichols & Schwartz, Chapter 5 WEEK 7: Structural Family Therapy. Nichols & Schwartz (2009) Chapter 7 WEEK 8: Strategic Family Therapy; Solution Focused Family Therapy. Nichols & Schwartz (2009) Chapters 6 & 12 WEEK 9: Experiential Family Therapy. Nichols & Schwartz (2009) Chapter 8 WEEK 10: Psychoanalytic Family Therapy. Nichols & Schwartz (2009) Chapter 9 WEEK 11: Cognitive- Behavioral Family Therapy. Nichols & Schwartz, Chapter 10 WEEK 12: Narrative Therapy; Integrative models. Nichols & Schwartz (2009) Chapters 13, 14 & 15 WEEK 13: Application to Practice; Family Assessment. Nichols & Schwartz (2009) Chapters 3 & 16 WEEK 14: Issue and dynamics in diverse families WEEK 15: Final Exam Part 2
 * Please include the following data: **
 * DUE: Genogram Project **