Course Outline for Psychology 7
Introduction to Counseling Theory and Skills

Effective: Fall 2025
SLO Rev:
Catalog Description:

PSY 7 - Introduction to Counseling Theory and Skills

3.00 Units

This course examines various counseling styles and techniques, and theoretical foundations of counseling. Information is provided about the basic educational, ethical, and professional responsibilities, as well as counseling practice and skills. Specific application of theoretical principles is discussed and analyzed especially their appropriateness for working with culturally diverse groups, and in various professional settings. Students will develop skills in understanding of developmental, psychodynamic, transactional, humanistic, cognitive behavioral and other approaches to individual and group counseling. The characteristics of a workable counseling and guidance program and the techniques used to collect, record, interpret, and use guidance data will be examined. The purpose, objectives, and approaches to counseling in education, health, welfare, social service, rehabilitation agencies and other settings will be discussed. The introductory course is designed to provide beginning level concepts and skills required for certification and licensure in counseling professions.
Prerequisite: PSYC C1000 (Formerly PSY 1), Strongly Recommended: ENGL C1000 (Formerly ENGL 1)
2001.00 - Psychology, General
Letter Grade Only
Type Units Inside of Class Hours Outside of Class Hours Total Student Learning Hours
Lecture 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00
Total 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. demonstrate knowledge of the principles, theories, research, and underlying philosophy involved in counseling psychology;
  2. describe major theoretical models of behavior change;
  3. describe fundamental principles of behavior change;
  4. develop a counseling plan based on a clear strategy;
  5. describe counseling skills in three areas: Communication, behavioral intervention, and cognitive intervention;
  6. describe the legal and ethical considerations involved in counseling;
  7. distinguish among various counseling approaches, including individual, group, family, and couples;
  8. examine and analyze multicultural, diversity and difference considerations in counseling;
  9. demonstrate the ability to anticipate and resolve problems which may occur in the counselor/client relationship;
  10. compare and apply credentials, education, and service areas of various mental health professions.
Course Content:
  1. Key aspects of counseling
    1. Definition of counseling
    2. Becoming a counselor or psychotherapist, education, certification and licensure 
    3. Key skills and characteristics of successful counselors
    4. Self-development and self-awareness in counselor training 
    5. Overview of counseling and therapy, theory and practice
  2. Professional settings and organizations
    1. Overview of work contexts
    2. School counseling and school psychologist
    3. Community and mental health counselors
    4. Social workers
    5. Marriage Family Therapists, Psychologists, Psychiatrists
    6. Drug and addiction counselors
    7. Other context
  3. Theoretical approaches to counseling and psychotherapy
    1. Purpose of theory in counseling
    2. Theory, research and testing
    3. Different theoretical models of behavior change
    4. Medical models
    5. Intrapsychic (quasi-medical) models
    6. Behavioral and cognitive-behavioral models
    7. Using theory to understand psychological disorders like depression, anxiety, and other perspectives
    8. Biopsychosocial factors in understanding issues
  4. Psychoanalysis/psychodynamic counseling approach
    1. Important figures and key concepts
    2. Techniques and skills in psychodynamic therapy
    3. The importance of the past and childhood experience
    4. The use of ego defense mechanisms
    5. Transference and the nature of the therapeutic relationship
    6. Critical view of psychoanalysis
  5. Post-Freudian psychodynamic counseling
    1. Alfred Adler
    2. Carl Jung
    3. Ego psychology and object relations theory
    4. Object relations theory and its influence on therapy and counselling
    5. Other views
  6. Phenomenological and humanistic approach
    1. The meaning of phenomenology in relation to counseling
    2. Rogers and the person-centered approach
    3. Maslow and humanism
    4. The existential approach
    5. Transpersonal psychology approach
  7. Gestalt therapy and psychodrama approach
    1. Gestalt therapy:Fritz Perls
    2. Evolution of Gestalt counseling and psychotherapy
    3. Psychodrama: J. L. Moreno
  8. Transactional analysis approach
    1. Eric Berne
    2. Ego states
    3. Scripts
    4. How transactional analysis has evolved
  9. Cognitive behavioral therapy
    1. Philosophy and development of CBT
    2. How therapists understand their clients in CBT
    3. The cognitive emphasis
    4. Principles of behavior change derived from learning theory
    5. Albert Ellis and Aaron T. Beck
    6. Brief cognitive therapy
    7. George Kelly
    8. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)
    9. Cognitive behavior therapy today
    10. CBT and the internet
  10. Other key approaches
    1. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing
    2. Solution-focused therapy
    3. Improving access to psychological therapies
    4. Couple therapy for depression
    5. Interpersonal psychotherapy
    6. Dynamic interpersonal therapy
    7. Person-centered experiential therapy
    8. Other contemporary approaches
  11. Counseling practice and skills
    1. Therapist competencies and counseling skills
    2. Problem identification
    3. Setting treatment goals
    4. Delivering treatments and interventions
    5. Measurement of progress toward goals
    6. Reevaluation and revision of treatment plan
    7. Follow-up
    8. Connecting different techniques to specific theoretical orientation
    9. Skills practice
  12. Communication skills
    1. Attending skills
    2. Client observation skills
    3. Questioning and focusing skills
    4. Reflecting, clarifying, summarizing skills
    5. Verbal and non-verbal behavior
    6. Other interpersonal communication skills
  13. Clients and presenting issues
    1. Issues which bring people to counseling
    2. Biopsychosocial factors in issues
    3. Psychopathology and diagnosis
    4. Anxiety and panic attacks
    5. Depression
    6. Loss and bereavement
    7. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
    8. Suicide and self-harm
    9. Psychosis
    10. Addition
    11. Other issues
  14. Group processes
    1. Theory and practice of family and group therapy
    2. Family, child and adolescent counseling
    3. Bowen’s Intergenerational approach
    4. Theory of family systems
    5. Setting therapy goals and techniques
  15. Principles of behavior change derived from learning theory
    1. Antecedents and consequences of behavior
    2. Classical conditioning
    3. Operant conditioning
    4. Observational learning (modeling)
  16. Behavioral intervention skills
    1. Increasing behavior: Reinforcement, modeling, contracts
    2. Decreasing behavior: Extinction, punishment
    3. Prompting new behavior: Modeling, contracts, homework, chaining, altering behavior antecedents
  17. Cognitive intervention skills
    1. Increasing self-efficacy
    2. Altering attributions
    3. Modifying verbal and imaginable mediators of behavior 
    4. Enhancing problem-solving abilities
  18. Assessment skills
    1. Measurement of baseline, progress, and follow-up
    2. Common assessment techniques and instruments
  19. Diversity, Differences and Multicultural considerations in counseling
    1. Implicit bias and self-assessment
    2. Contemporary models such as schema theory and multiple identities
    3. Gilligan’s ethic of care and relational cultural model
    4. Culture and Gender identity
    5. Sexual orientation
    6. Disability
    7. Faith and spirituality
    8. Effective Multicultural counselor
    9. Client’s family, community, and cultural systems
    10. Skills model for multicultural engagement
  20. Professional self
    1. Managing professional responsibilities
    2. The professional self
    3. Communicating with clients outside therapy
    4. Keeping relationships appropriate
    5. Working within one’s own competence
    6. Self-care
  21. Legal and ethical consideration
    1. Legal concerns in counseling
    2. Ethical concerns in counseling
  22. Recent developments in counseling
Methods of Instruction:
  1. Guest speakers
  2. Lecture/Discussion
  3. Case Study
  4. Written assignments
  5. Class and group discussions
  6. Oral and Written Analysis
  7. Practice/Demonstration
  8. Distance Education
  9. Multi-media
  10. Role-playing and simulation
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Counseling case conceptualization based on scenario (individual, family, or group). Designed to allow students to explore and synthesize the assessment and walk through of a case conceptualization. Counseling skills will be demonstrated through peer observation and obstacles will be addressed through peer review and additional counseling.
  2. Complete assigned reading
  3. Prepare and review written counseling plans
  4. Practice counseling skills, including 1)Communication skills; 2)Behavioral intervention skills; 3)Cognitive intervention skills; 4)Assessment skills.
  1. Midterm Examination
  2. Case studies; case problems
  3. Individual and/or group projects
  4. Final Examination
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of major theoretical models of behavior change.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of counseling skills.
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of ethical/legal considerations in counseling.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Sue, D., W. Gallardo, M. Neveille, H (2014). Case studies in multicultural counseling and therapy Wiley.
  2. Sue, D., W. Sue, D (2016). Couseling the Culturally Diverse: Theory and Practice Wiley.
  3. Gerald, C (2017). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (10th). Cengage.
  4. Ivey, A.,E. Ivey, M.,B. Zalaquett, C.,P. (2018). Intentional Interviewing and Counseling: Facilitating Client Development in a Multicultural Society Cengage.
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
In this course students learn about the art and science of counseling. This course examines various counseling styles and techniques, and psychological theories of counseling. Students will learn about psychoanalysis, transactional, humanistic, cognitive behavioral and other theoretical approaches to individual and group counseling. Information is provided about the basic educational, ethical, and professional responsibilities, as well as counseling practice and skills. The introductory course is designed to provide beginning level concepts and skills required for certification and licensure in counseling professions.
Prerequisite: PSYC C1000 (Formerly PSY 1), Strongly Recommended: ENGL C1000 (Formerly ENGL 1)
Discipline:
Psychology*