Foundational Counseling Skills

Catalog description

This course provides students a hands-on opportunity to practice the basic counseling microskills which underlay psychotherapy and other relationships in the helping professions such as reflective listening, nonverbal communication, and asking effective questions. Note that this course is NOT intended to enhance students’ own psychosocial function, nor is it sufficient to prepare students to offer real-life therapeutic interventions. Rather, it is designed to introduce foundational skills for undergraduates who intend to pursue a graduate degree in counseling or a related field. Students will learn a range of nondirective clinical techniques in addition to an introduction to simple behavioral intervention concepts. Ethical principles and the importance of diversity-supportive practice will be emphasized throughout. All students will be expected to learn about these techniques, attempt them in role-plays, and analyze their own and others’ performance.