Psychopathology & Treatment Planning(90)

Catalog description

This course introduces students to treatment planning addressing several classes of mental disorders as defined by the DSM 5. Students will review the importance of assessment as a precursor of a biopsychosocial approach to treatment planning addressing: crises, symptoms, emergency situations, human diversity variables, referrals to professionals of other areas of expertise, access to assertive outreach services, and sustainability of wellness as perceived by the client/patient/consumer. Students will gain basic competence in terminology, documentation, and communication styles utilized in different treatment settings in order to be able to perform clinically in a collaborative manner. As a template for the development of treatment plans, students will apply the Recovery Model tenets and evidence-based practice by highlighting strengths, counteracting stigmatization, advocating, empowering, and demonstrating unconditional hope for the betterment of the client/patient/consumer’s quality of life. Personal biases impacting clinical assessment and formulation of treatment plans will be emphatically explored in order to stimulate students’ sensitivity when working with diverse populations and psychosocial paradigms. Discussions about the different treatment approaches (biomedical, evidence-based, psychosocial, and theory-based) will be stimulated in a manner that fosters students’ critical thinking and insights into the different ways in which psychopathology and treatment are determined and conceptualized. For the entirety of the course, students will be encouraged to perform with personal and academic integrity and follow the ethical and legal protocols as prospective MFT trainees.