MPY724 Counseling Skills and Practice (3 cr.)

Prerequisite(s): MPY 613  
In this course students practice the fundamental skills associated with effective helping relationships. Counseling skill acquisition and application are emphasized. Ethics and diversity considerations are integrated into counseling skills acquisition and application. Students learn basic skills for suicide risk assessment, safety planning, trauma informed care, and clinical documentation. Students articulate the role and use of supervision and consultation in developing and maintaining counseling competencies.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

1. Apply fundamental counseling skills.
2. Integrate an awareness and understanding of diversity and cultural humility to counseling practice.
3. Evaluate ethical and legal standards within therapeutic practice.
4. Utilize counseling theory and theoretical orientation to guide development of the therapeutic relationship and use of practical counseling skills
5. Explain approaches to suicide prevention and crisis intervention strategies, including risk assessment and safety planning.
6. Recognize symptoms of trauma and evaluate clinical interventions for trauma informed care.
7. Identify counselor characteristics and behaviors that influence the therapeutic relationship.
8. Apply knowledge of research evidence and community standards of practice in selecting counseling skills.
9. Describe and apply community standards of practice for clinical case notes and treatment plans.