Florida International University
College of Education
Summer 2008

Texts
Brems, C. (2008). A Comprehensive Guide to Child Psychotherapy and Counseling (3rd ed.) Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Goals
This course is designed to develop knowledge and skills necessary to counsel children and adolescents in human service settings. Theoretical and practical counseling interventions for helping children and adolescents will be explored. Interventions for counseling children and adolescents who are "exceptional" or who are experiencing special concerns that result from family issues will be included. Additionally, parent training/education will be addressed. The importance of culture and applying interventions that are culturally sensitive and meet the needs of specific populations will be integrated throughout the course.

Notes
Students are expected to attend all class sessions. Material covered in this course can not be gained by just reading the assignments. Demonstration, modeling and practicing of the skills is necessary to ensure competence. Students who miss more than two class periods will require a conference with the professor. No cellular phones or beepers are allowed in class. All students are expected to be on time and prepared for class. Assignments are due on the days listed. No make up exams will be given. Every student is expected to be at the final.

Competencies
The student will be able to demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Understand the primary theoretical approaches that can be used to counsel children and adolescents.
   
   
2. Understand familial and societal factors that can have an affect on the psychological health of children and adolescents
   
   
3. Gain knowledge and competence in interventions to counsel children with developmental, emotional, social and behavioral problems.
   
   
4. Understand ethical and legal issues pertaining to counseling minors.
   
   
5. Apply counseling interventions based on the need of the child or family.

Requirements
Each of the following requirements constitutes 20% of your final grade.

1. Research Article-20% of final grade
   Each student will find a research article from an approved journal (listed below). The article will address some aspect of counseling, assessment, treatment, or diagnosis of children or adolescents. Students will submit a copy of the article as well as a typed summary. This list, although not exhaustive, reflects a number of peer referred, top tier journals in the field of counseling and related fields. The purpose is to locate an article that addresses an important, current issue in counseling or psychotherapy with children and adolescents. The article should be empirical in nature and have sound methodology. A copy of the article should be attached (full article including all reference pages). The reference of the article should be reported in APA style. Due: May 29, 2008
   
   
2. Intake- 20% of final grade
   A film, entitled, Rational Emotive Therapy in Children, which depicts the beginning stages of treatment with two children, will be on reserve at the library. Based on the student's viewing of the film, he or she will construct an intake report. This report will contain relevant background information and presenting problems. Additionally, goals for the "therapy" should begin to be formulated if appropriate. This intake will be written up as Assignment #1. Formats for this assignment is at end of syllabi. Due: June 12, 2008
   
   
   
3. Play session- 20% of final grade/ eFolio Artifact
   Each student will conduct one play therapy session with a child between the ages of 4 and 12. The session will last 30 minutes. A videotape/DVD of this session will be submitted along with a progress note summarizing the session. Additionally, the student will address possible meanings of the play as well as the therapist's thoughts about the session. Due: July 24, 2008

4. Therapeutic Board Game - 20% of final grade. Students will be divided into small groups of no more than 4 students per group. Each group will construct a therapeutic board game to address a specific emotional or behavioral problem area. The game will be presented to the class on July 30th. Students should take no more than 20 minutes to show their game to the class. The game should have rules, procedures for play, guidelines for winning as well as a purpose. All details of the game should be typed and accompany the game (i.e., how many players, players ages, etc). Due: July 24, 2008

   5. Comprehensive Exam - 20% of final grade
   The exam will consist of both factual information and cases to be evaluated. Vignettes will be presented to which the students will respond. Additionally, students may be asked to devise a treatment plan for a particular client or describe interventions that might be used in the therapy. August 7, 2008 (There will be no exceptions to the date this exam is given)
   

Grading

Each assignment is worth a certain percentage of the final grade. The grading for the class is as follows:

94-100 pts = A

90-93 = A-

86-89 = B+

83-85 = B

80-82 = B-

76-79 = C+

73-75 = C

70-72 = C-

Below 70 = D

Calendar of Assignments

May 8

Introduction to the course
Getting ready to work with children
FILM: Little Beauties
CACREP Competencies: 2c, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d,
FEAPs: 3, 7, 8

May 15

Culturally Sensitive Approach to Therapy with Children
Current population statistics
Multicultural Competencies: Avoiding bias
CACREP Competencies:2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e
FEAPs: 5, 6

May 22

A Developmental Context for Child Psychotherapy
Stages of Development (Freud, Erikson, Piaget,
Kohlberg, and Gilligan)
Film: Theories of Development
CACREP Competencies:3a, 3b, 3c, 3d
FEAPs: 7, 8
The Play room and Counselor's Office
Materials/Layout

Ethical and Legal Issues in Child Therapy
FILM: Journey to Tragedy: Joel Steinberg Case
Informed consent & confidentiality
CACREP Competencies:2f, 3e, 5g, 6g, 7i
FEAPs: 3, 6

May 29

The Intake Interview
History, presenting problem & assessment
Setting limits with the child
Film: Counseling Children: A microskills approach
CACREP Competencies:5a, 5b, 5c, 5f, 7a, 7b, 7f, 7g, 7h
FEAPs: 5, 6, 7, 8
Research Article, Assignment #1 Due

June 5

Supplementary Assessment Strategies
Mental Status Exam
Parental Measures: Behavioral Checklists
Objective vs. projective measures
Intellectual and Achievement Testing
CACREP Competencies: 3c, 7a, 7b, 7f, 7g, 7h
FEAPs: 1, 8

June 12

Conceptualization and Treatment Planning
DSM-IV-TR Disorders first diagnosed in childhood and infancy
Review of Major Childhood Mental/Behavior Disorders
Case Dynamics
Film: Childhood Depression
CACREP Competencies: 3b, 3c, 5c,7h
FEAPs: 1, 8
Intake Assignment Due

June 19

Film: Behavioral Disorders of Childhood
Continued review of DSM-IV-TR disorders

June 26

A Framework for Child Therapy
Forming a Therapeutic Relationship
Goal Setting Common Problems in the Relationship
CACREP Competencies: 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d
FEAPs: 5, 6

July 3

Play Therapy & Storytelling Types and Theories
Case Examples Review of Commonly Used Games
FILM: Techniques of Play Therapy
CACREP Competencies: 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d
FEAPs: 3, 8

July 10

Play Therapy Continued
Film: Play Therapy with a 6 year old
Storytelling Techniques
Uses in child counseling/examples

July 17

Behavioral Therapy & Techniques
Operant Conditioning
Classical Conditioning
Social Learning Theory
Film: Pushover Parents
CACREP Competencies: 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d
FEAPs: 3, 8

July 24

Sharing of Therapeutic Board Games in class
Each group will have 20 minutes to demonstrate and explain their game
Play Session Due

July 31

Termination
Forced/Planned
Substance Abuse in Adolescents
Film: The New High School High

August 7

Comprehensive Exam