This course studies the current ethical issues and professional role of marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors and school counselors. This includes study of the Texas Family Code, the licensing acts for Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors, and regulations for school counselors. A comprehensive study is made of contemporary practices of consultation and coordination in the counseling profession. The course includes study of community service agencies, referral sources, legal and ethical practices, knowledge of theories of consultation and the acquisition of consultation skills. The course provides supervised experiences in a counseling setting.
Study is made of the duties and responsibilities of the counselor at work.
Study will include the principles of assessment and evaluation in counseling, assessment instruments used in the counseling services, elementary statistical concepts, methods of evaluating assessment instruments, the process of synthesizing and interpreting assessment data, and the ethics of assessment. Participation in small group activities is a significant part of this course which has been designed to meet the needs of counselors in a variety of settings. The didactic portion of the course will focus on the knowledge, practice, skills, and person of the effective group counselor. This laboratory course is designed to prepare the student in the practical application and integration of the principles and methods of counseling.