Theories of Counseling

Catalog description

This course provides an in-depth exploration of counseling theories and models of social justice and advocacy, emphasizing the application of these frameworks to clients from diverse cultural, developmental, and contextual backgrounds. Students will enhance their case conceptualization skills by applying critical thinking and clinical reasoning to address the unique needs of clients across a variety of cultural and family systems. Through the use of culturally sustaining and responsive counseling techniques, students will learn strategies to build and maintain effective therapeutic relationships across different service delivery modalities. The course will guide students in developing collaborative, developmentally appropriate treatment plans that prioritize client-centered goals and foster the change process. Additionally, students will learn to adapt counseling techniques to accommodate client culture, abilities, and preferences, utilizing evidence-based approaches for prevention and intervention. By the end of the course, students will integrate these principles to develop a personalized counseling model grounded in theory and research, equipping them to advocate for and serve diverse client populations effectively and ethically.