H327: The Process of Counseling, Essential Skills, Techniques, and the Counselor

This course explores the facilitation of counseling, from foundational skills and techniques to its purpose and process, with the goal of equipping future counselors with intervention strategies and theoretical underpinnings as applied to individual counseling and psychotherapy with children, adolescents, and young adults in K-16 institutions and community settings. In addition to familiarizing students with select counseling theories, this course covers the process of counseling, from the first intake session and rapport-building to treatment planning and termination. Considerations of developmental, cultural, familial, and contextual factors are addressed with regard to their implications for case conceptualization and treatment planning. This course will shed light on the personhood of the counselor and the direct impact it has on the helping relationship and therapeutic alliance. Designed to help students develop a beginning knowledge of counseling skills and the relational process, this course is relevant for students who aspire to work with children and adolescents as counselors, psychologists, social workers, or other mental health and student support professionals.