Syllabus
Course Description
How do families interface with larger systems and how to intervene
collaboratively? Systemic therapists are increasingly dedicated to
innovative clinical work in non-traditional areas as they respond to
changing demographics and diverse communities. Their clinical and
consulting practices are often located where families and communities
live, learn, work, and heal. Relationally trained practitioners
contribute to collaborative and interdisciplinary team-focus projects
in the mental health, education, health, legal, and business fields,
among others. Similarly, scholars and researchers are developing
culturally responsive specific models like outreach family therapy,
collaborative health care, multi-systemic school interventions, social
justice oriented and spirituality approaches, organizational coaching
and consulting, among others. This course explores these developments
and aims at developing a clinical and consulting knowledge that
contributes to families, organizations, and communities within a
collaborative and social justice vision. Students reflect on questions
like: How do individuals and families interact with larger systems and
how do larger systems structure the lives of individuals and families?
How does a relational practice contribute to equality and social
justice? How does a clinical practitioner partners with other
professionals and clients in collaborative endeavors? How does a
systemic practitioner assess and intervene in urban contexts and
develop new areas of practice that involve organizations and
communities?
This is a required course for Family Therapy students and an elective
for School Counseling and Mental Health students.
Course Objectives
- Using relational, systemic, and organizational frameworks, students
will develop a commitment and a working understanding of how to engage
collaboratively with large systems that have an impact on persons,
families, and communities.
- Students will understand evolving trends in the systemic therapy
field and other areas of knowledge that support working in contexts
where family and community diversity are significant dimensions.
- Making extensive use of cutting edge internet and educational
technology to gather information and to share it with others, students
will assess and identify relevant resources that are available for
professionals, families, and organization.
- Students will reflect and analyze in detail how large systems and
institutional trends frame the lives of families and recognize the
skills needed to act in a caring stance to foster systemic
change.
- Students will acquire skills to intervene as caring and reflexive practitioner who is committed to collaborative change in families’ communities, health, and educational settings.
Prerequisites
Eight required counseling courses including COU 614 and COU 622 or permission by instructor.
Required Textbooks
Madsen, W. (2007). Collaborative therapy with multi-stressed
families: from old problems to new futures. New York, NY: Guilford
Press.
McDaniel, S. H., Hepworth, J., & Doherty, W. J. (Eds.). (1997).
The shared experience of illness: Stories of patients, families,
and their therapists. New York: Basic Books.
Walsh, F. (Ed.). (1999). Spiritual resources in family
therapy. New York: The Guilford Press.
Zehr, H. (2002). Little Book of Restorative Justice.
Intercourse, PA: Good Books. (Order online: $4.95)
Pennell, J. (no date). Mainstreaming family group conferencing:
building and sustaining partnerships. International Institute for
Restorative Practices.
(http://www.iirp.org/library/vt/vt_pennell.html)
Umbreit, M.S. (2000). Family group conferencing: Implications for
crime victims. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office
of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime. (https://www.ncjrs.gov/ovc_archives/reports/family_group/welcome.html)
Venables, M. (2000). Restoration versus alienation : family group
conferencing from the perspectives of victims. Doctoral
Dissertation: Griffith University School of Criminology and Criminal
Justice. (Download at: http://www.aic.gov.au/rjustice/venables/)
Other Reading
- Burford, G., & Hudson, J. (Eds.). (2000). Family group
conferencing: New directions in community centered child & family
practice. New York, NY: Aldine de Gruyter.
- Cameron, K.S., Dutton, J.E., & Quinn, R.E. (2003). Positive organizational scholarship. Foundations of a new discipline. San Francisco, CA: Berrer-Koehler.
Grading
Component | Percentage |
100% | |
Weekly Threaded Discussions and Synchronous Discussions | 20% |
A Personal/Familial Reflection (Health, Illness, and the Larger Systems) | 10% |
Conceptual Presentation | 15% |
Reflexive Reading Report | 10% |
Project Outline | 5% |
Project Presentation | 10% |
Final paper | 25% |
Self Evaluation | 5% |