Orientation to all aspects of the counseling profession including historical, ethical, professional issues, organizational structures, credentialing, public policy, professional preparation standards, roles and functions of professional counselors. Introduction to the theoretical approaches in counseling and their application to settings in education and agencies. Facilitative interpersonal skills are taught and demonstrated by the instructor.
Students practice the skills in role playing situations.
Skills included are physical and psychological attending, basic listening and responding, initiating and personalizing. Overviews of the major theories and skill areas in educational planning, career and lifestyle development, work and motivation. Emphasis is placed on understanding and applying knowledge and skills of career development activities in appropriate counseling settings. An overview of the roles and functions of counselors in community counseling settings. Organizational and administrative structures of human services agencies as well as staffing patterns, clientele and interagency relationships are examined.