Chapter 1 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand and be able to describe the major historical events and legislation that have shaped the current field of counseling.
- Understand the contributions of the pioneers of the counseling field and how each uniquely shaped the profession and contributed to how counseling is performed today.
- Understand the development of the American Counseling Association and how the profession formed its identity independently from the field of psychology and other mental health professions.
- Understand the differences between credentialing, accreditation, certification, licensure, Title Act, and Practice Act and how each will affect you as a counselor.
- Understand and be able to discuss the current trends in the counseling field; the historical ramifications of each; the current structures in place to deal with these issues, and how these trends are projected to impact counselors.
Chapter 2 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand and be able to articulate the definition of cross cultural or multicultural counseling.
- Define the many cultural variables that compose an individual’s cultural identity.
- Discuss the factors that contribute to a counselor being considered culturally competent to practice.
- Understand the historical factors that have led the counseling profession to embrace multiculturalism, cultural competence, and social justice.
- Be more aware of your own cultural identity and how these cultural dimensions (e.g., your own cultural heritage, values, privilege, and biases) might impact your view of counseling and how you interact with clients.
Chapter 3 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand and be able to define ethical terms such as mandatory and aspirational ethics, virtue and principle ethics, and ethical dilemma.
- Understand how the law and professional ethical codes impact counselor practice and what a counselor’s responsibilities are in relationship to each. Also understand legal and practice terms such as confidentiality, privileged communication, informed consent, malpractice, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and the Tarasoff ruling and the benefits, limitations, and exceptions of each.
- Understand and be able to use an ethical decision-making model in order to make sound ethical decisions in relationship to one’s counseling practice.
- Understand the reasoning behind threats to ethical practice such as engaging in multiple relationships and practicing outside the scope of one’s competence.
- Understand how cultural values impact counselor ethical practice.
Chapter 4 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand the importance of holistic wellness for counselors’ own lives and for their counseling practice.
- Be able to define methods in which counselors can maintain and improve their wellness over a variety of domains such as physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, and financial.
- Be able to recognize the known signs of burnout, vicarious trauma, and other forms of counselor impairment.
- Be able to articulate a personal plan for incorporating wellness into one’s personal and professional life.
Chapter 5 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand the specific ways that technology can be used to enhance counseling, research, assessment, supervision, and continuing education.
- Understand the terminology specific to using technology in the above mentioned specific domains such as asynchronous, synchronous, distance counseling, telecommunication, videoconferencing, and so forth.
- Understand the benefits and drawbacks in using technology in the above mentioned specific domains.
- Understand and be able to articulate the ethical concerns regarding the use of technology in the above mentioned specific domains.
Chapter 6 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand and be able to describe the helping relationship as it applies to the counseling profession.
- Understand and be able to describe the purpose and formation of the therapeutic alliance.
- Understand and be able to describe what makes for an effective counseling relationship.
- Understand and describe the personal characteristics of counselors that aid the counselor in being a vehicle of change.
- Understand and be able to describe the importance of the core conditions in establishing a solid therapeutic relationship.
- Understand and be able to articulate the reason for, and the use of, the different types of counseling skills used in the profession.
Chapter 7 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand the historical factors and psychosocial developments that led to the development of the brief counseling approach.
- Be able to identify the major pioneers who developed each brief therapy approach.
- Understand the benefits, drawbacks, principles, and efficacy of these brief counseling approaches.
- Have a basic understanding of the major brief approaches and the main techniques associated with each.
- Have a basic understanding of the client characteristics for which each brief therapy approach is best suited, and the multicultural considerations for each
Chapter 8 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand the sociopolitical and historical factors that led to the formation of group counseling as a therapeutic modality.
- Define the different types of groups, the differences between each type, and the types of issues or client most suited for each group modality.
- Understand the different developmental stages of a typical group and articulate the types of client behaviors, thoughts, and emotions typical for group members at each stage.
- Define the personal traits and characteristics of effective group counselors and why each is important to the group process.
- Understand the responsibilities of the group leader and the interventions used to facilitate group work.
- Recognize and be able to discuss the prevalent myths about group work.
- Understand the main professional and ethical issues that pertain to group work and how those might differ from individual counseling.
Chapter 9 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand how different expressive arts can aid and assist with different client populations and different client issues.
- Identify multicultural factors in using the expressive arts in counseling (e.g., which populations are best suited for which approaches and which are not).
- Understand the common types of applications typically used in each type of expressive art.
- Understand how these approaches can be modified for group work.
Chapter 10 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand the major purposes and reasons behind using assessment in counseling.
- Understand and define the major terminology associated with testing and assessment.
- Understand and define assessment psychometric properties (e.g., reliability, validity) and how assessments are deemed appropriate.
- Be able to describe and discuss the major assessments available for use in counseling and the benefits and drawbacks to each type (e.g., aptitude, achievement, intelligence, standardized testing, and so forth).
- Understand the major multicultural considerations when using assessments in counseling.
Chapter 11 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand and describe the basic procedures and considerations for making diagnoses and how they are used in treatment planning.
- Be able to articulate the benefits and risks and ethical considerations when diagnosing a client.
- Understand and describe the basic considerations and factors in making a treatment plan.
- Understand and describe the benefits, risks, and major arguments (pro and con) for using diagnosis in the counseling profession.
- Understand the historical development of the DSM, and the changes that have been made within the DSM-5 that were not present in earlier versions, and the praise and criticism expressed by the profession regarding these changes.
- Discuss the changes made in the DSM over time to incorporate and reflect the diversity of the United States to aid counselors in providing culturally competent client care.
Chapter 12 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand and be able to describe the major natural disasters and experiences of mass violence victimization within the United States.
- Understand the criteria needed to be a crisis counselor along with the associated risks and benefits of serving in such a capacity.
- Understand the differences between crisis counseling and other types of counseling (e.g., mental health, school, rehabilitation) and be able to articulate the key principles for mental health interventions for crisis counseling.
- Understand the function and purpose of the various disaster response agencies (e.g., FEMA, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army) and be able to articulate what services or resources each organization provides to individuals or to the community.
- Understand the effects of a crisis on the individual or a system and be able to describe the difference in the psychological response between victims of a natural disaster vs. mass violence victimization, including survivor characteristics and best practices for intervention.
Chapter 13 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand the history and foundation of addictions, and addictions counseling, in the United States (US), including how the concept of addiction has changed over time and understand the various types and components of addictions and the consequences of this issue in US society.
- Understand the historical barriers to treatment and how the counseling profession has worked to overcome those barriers to increase access to services.
- Understand the history, components, and specific methods of current evidence-based treatments.
- Understand and articulate the criteria that determine the different levels of care for those suffering from addiction.
- Understand how issues of diversity impact the formation, etiology, and treatment of addictions within different populations and the various ways that counselors can serve as advocates for these populations.
- Understand the typical assessment and screening measures used in addictions counseling and understand current research trends that inform the field.
Chapter 14 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand the contributions of career pioneers and the historical factors that have led to the practice of contemporary career counseling.
- Understand the major theories of career counseling and their basic applications.
- Understand how issues of diversity and socialization can impact career decision-making, barriers to success, and work environment.
- Understand the importance of assessment and diagnosis in career counseling, including having an understanding of the basic assessment and diagnostic procedures and tools.
- Understand the importance of career decision-making, consultation, and client access to resources as a part of the career counseling process.
- Understand the importance of research and evaluation in career counseling and how career counselors can aid the process.
Chapter 15 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Describe the basic history and evolution of the counselor profession and identify some of the accomplishments of the pioneers of the field.
- Understand and describe how the profession regulates itself and the standards required for excellence in the profession.
- Understand and describe the concept of cultural competence and what components indicate a counselor has mastered it.
- Understand the different types of settings in which counselors typically work and the distinctions between those settings.
- Understand the differences between accreditation, licensure, and certification and why each is important to the field of counseling.
- Be able to discuss current and future trends relating to practice settings and populations served.
Chapter 16 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand the basic definitions and classifications of chronic illness and disability and the basic categories of disability (e.g., physical, cognitive, intellectual, visual, mobility, auditory, psychiatric, and learning). You will also be able to explain the psychosocial impact of a disability on an individual with a disability and how individuals adapt.
- Explain the historical factors that have shaped the profession of rehabilitation counseling.
- Explain the different models of disability and distinguish the commonalities and differences between them.
- Understand the various uses of assistive technology and assistive technology devices and the aid these can give to individuals with disabilities.
- Describe the different ways that rehabilitation counselors perform assessments, create treatment plans, and deliver services for their clients.
- Understand the types of training, certification, and licensure, and other requirements an individual would need to pursue should he or she want to become a rehabilitation counselor. You will also be able to describe the common practice settings in which rehabilitation counselors work.
Chapter 17 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand the history and formation of marriage, couples, and family therapy and the major contributions of the profession’s/specialization’s pioneers.
- Articulate how to conduct the initial interview and understand the premise, function, and goal for each task of the therapist.
- Articulate the key family therapy techniques and understand the premise, function, and goal for each.
- Understand the importance of practicing in a multiculturally competent, culturally sensitive, and culturally responsive manner.
- Understand what factors are important to assess in families and how each factor impacts healthy family functioning.
- Understand the major terminology associated with marriage, couples, and family counseling.
Chapter 18 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand the significant differences between school counseling and other types of counseling.
- Understand and articulate the major duties, roles, and functions of a school counselor and the main goals of counseling, prevention, and intervention with the educational system.
- Understand and articulate the historical factors that led to the development of school counseling as a profession as well as the major contributions of pioneers in the field.
- Be able to identify the ASCA National Model and its four main components, how those components are interrelated, and be able to articulate why this model is important to counselors and students.
- Understand the importance of multicultural competence in school counseling and be able to articulate the role of the school counselor as advocate and the types of advocacy in which school counselors participate.
- Understand the purpose and means of assessment, research, and evaluation in school counseling.
Chapter 19 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
- Understand why college and university student development programs need to be supportive of the overall goals of the institutions in which they serve.
- Understand the advantages of developing partnerships between student affair staff members and other professionals on campus and within the community (e.g., faculty members, counseling staff, administrators, staff members, professionals in the community) and how these partnerships benefit students.
- Understand how and why student development programs tailor their services to fit the unique needs of the diverse student populations that attend their university or college.
- Understand the importance of student development programs utilizing research and outcome measures in order to create appropriate goals for students and then evaluating the effectiveness of their services for students.
- Understand why student advocacy and attention to diversity is such an important role for student development programs and personnel.