UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY OF NEW JERSEY
SCHOOL OF HEALTH RELATED PROFESSIONS
Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Spring, 2006


COURSE TITLE: Internship in Counseling

COURSE NUMBER: PSRT 6012

CREDITS: 6 PREREQUISITES: PSRT 6011

INSTRUCTOR: Janice Oursler, Ph.D., CRC
Phone: (908) 889-2462 E-mail: ourslejd@umdnj.edu
Class Hours: TBA
Office Hours: Tuesday: 4:30-5:30 or by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The internship provides a minimum of 600 hours of supervised practice in rehabilitation counseling in an approved rehabilitation agency or facility. This includes a minimum of 240 hours of direct services with clients. Students participate in individual and group supervision for case presentation and professional development.

COURSE GOALS: The primary goal of the course is to increase mastery and be able to demonstrate in practice counseling knowledge and skills for effective rehabilitation counseling from intake to termination and case closure. Additional goals include promoting knowledge and skill in a variety of approaches to working with individuals with disabilities and their problems, increasing knowledge of specific human service agencies and other community resources, incorporating case management techniques into rehabilitation counseling practice, and identifying strategies to enhance professional growth and development including improving ability to utilize individual and group supervision.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a range of counseling skills necessary to provide effective rehabilitation counseling services to individuals with disabilities from initial interview to case closure.
2. Develop and implement appropriate individualized plans for employment for individuals with disabilities.
3. Effectively apply case management skills to manage and provide services to a caseload of individuals with disabilities.
4. Demonstrate in counseling interventions awareness and sensitivity to issues arising from diversity including cultural, gender and sexual orientation considerations.
5. Access needed services for individuals with disabilities based on knowledge of the rehabilitation and human services network.
6. Assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining employment including marketing and consultation with employers.
7. Respond to ethical concerns in rehabilitation counseling practice.
8. Participate in an agency or community rehabilitation services project and evaluate outcomes of the project.
9. Use individual and group supervision effectively to promote growth as a rehabilitation counselor.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (4th ed. text revision). Washington, DC: Author.

Andrew, J. (ed.). (2004). The disability handbook. Fayetteville, AR: Department of Rehabilitation Education and Research, University of Arkansas.

Egan, G. (2002). The skilled helper (7th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.

Contact the University of Arkansas directly to make arrangements to order Dr. Andrew’s book. Call (479) 575-4758 and ask for Jamie or Faye or e-mail [email protected].

Other Required Materials: It is your responsibility to have a tape recorder for audio taping and to make arrangements for video taping counseling sessions.

UMDNJ Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Behavioral Health Care Internship Manual: It is your responsibility to read the entire manual and to assure that you are completing all activities required for the internship. The Manual is distributed in class and also is available in Room 518.

UMDNJ Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Behavioral Health Care Internship Supervisor’s Manual: Check with both your clinical supervisor and your on-site supervisor to make sure that each has a copy of this manual. The manual is distributed in class and also is available in Room 518. If an electronic version is preferred, please e-mail the instructor to request this.

RECOMMENDED TEXTS:

Rollnick, S., Mason, P., & Butler, C. (1999). Health behavior change: A guide for practitioners. New York: Churchill Livingstone.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Internship performance (includes weekly documentation
of logs and tape summaries) 50%
Clinical Supervisor Final Evaluation 10%
Case presentation 15%
Internship project report 20%
Internship learning report 5%

GRADE INTERPRETATION:

A = 92-100
B = 83-91
C = 75-82
D = 69-74
F = 68 or below
I = Incomplete (This grade is given only in extraordinary circumstances.
Typically, failure to complete assignments will result in a failing grade.)

Note: To pass this course, students must receive a passing grade on their clinical work at the internship agency which includes the Internship Performance and Clinical Supervisor Evaluation parts of the course. Students who do not receive a passing grade on these parts of the course will not be graded on the remaining assignments.

This is a required course for the M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling. Failure to pass the course will require retaking the course. This is an elective course for the M.S. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation. Students in the M.S. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation who fail the course may retake the course or discuss with their advisor taking another elective. A grade of “C” or better is required to pass this course.

COURSE EVALUATION:

The quality of this course is evaluated through student course evaluations completed at the end of the course and through the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation’s peer review process. As part of the peer review process, other faculty from the Department may attend class sessions to observe the course.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Students are encouraged to discuss requests for accommodation with the Instructor.
Information about supported education services is available from Michele Mullen at (908) 889-2513 or e-mail at mullenmi@umdnj.edu. You can also contact the Disability Compliance Coordinator, Karine Pierre-Pierre, at (973) 972-8594.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

INTERNSHIP PERFORMANCE: The following are required for the internship:
1. Complete a 600 clock hours supervised internship in an approved rehabilitation setting that provides rehabilitation counseling services to individuals with disabilities. The student’s internship site, role and responsibilities must be approved by the instructor before beginning internship hours. The 600 hours internship emphasizes working with individuals with disabilities, and students must document at least 240 hours (40%) of direct service with such individuals over the course of the internship. Direct service is defined as the application of counseling and case management skills with individuals with disabilities including the use of consultant and advocacy skills on behalf of such individuals.

2. Internship documentation of 600 hours: Time spent on the internship must be documented on the Internship Daily Time Log, which is completed each day you work at the internship and submitted to the internship clinical supervisor and course instructor. Use the Internship Site Time Sheet to keep a log of the total hours completed in the internship. The Internship Site Time Sheet is initialed weekly by the on-site supervisor and signed by the on-site supervisor when 600 or more internship hours including at least 240 direct service hours are completed. The original signed copy of the Internship Site Time Sheet is given to the course instructor. Keep a copy of this material for your own records. Students who have not documented a total of 600 hours of internship experience including 240 hours of direct service by the time that the Clinical Internship Evaluation Report is due should develop written plans with the clinical supervisor and on-site supervisor to complete the needed hours and submit the plan to the instructor to request an “In Progress” for the course until the required hours are completed. In the absence of a specific approved plan to complete the required hours, students will be assigned a failing grade due to incomplete assignments.

3. Learning Contract: Within the first three weeks of the semester, discuss with the clinical supervisor and the on-site supervisor specific learning objectives to be accomplished during the internship and develop a written Learning Contract for the internship. In developing the Learning Contract, consider the areas for change and objectives from the Personal Development Plan completed in the Practicum. Also include plans for the Internship Project. Your Learning Contract must have a behavioral focus, contain measurable objectives, and include detailed plans for how you will accomplish the learning objectives. It is the responsibility of the student to complete an acceptable written Learning Contract, which must be signed by the student, the on-site supervisor and the clinical supervisor. The Learning Contract must also be approved by the instructor. Submit your Learning Contract to the instructor for review as soon as possible and by the January seminar meeting at the latest.

4. Use the Internship Log: Weekly Summary to record day-to-day activities and experiences at the internship site. Topics to address include major activities of the week; your performance including counseling skills and behaviors, feelings and reactions; accomplishments and problems, and your progress on your Learning Contract. At the end of each week write a summary of progress toward internship goals and objectives including your Learning Contract, what you learned from the week’s experiences, and plans for the next week. Assess your current functioning and progress and establish personal objectives for the following week. Note any questions you have for your clinical and on-site supervisors. This summary can be used as a vehicle for communication between you and the clinical supervisor. These Weekly Summaries can also be useful for your Report on Internship Learning.

5. Individual Supervision: Participate in weekly individual supervision with the clinical supervisor for a minimum of one hour. Review audio and videotapes before the meeting. Bring all tapes from the previous week to the meeting. Prepare for the meeting by selecting one tape for discussion in the meeting. Identify a segment of about 10 to 15 minutes which is representative of the session and contains material either of concern or of particular success that you would like to review with the clinical supervisor for discussion or problem solving. Provide the supervisor with a written review of a tape before clinical supervision according to the format described in the next section of the syllabus. In addition to the written weekly tape summary, provide the clinical supervisor with a copy of the Internship Log: Weekly Summary. Give copies of these to the instructor per instructions given in class. As part of clinical supervision, you should be prepared to discuss your feelings, thoughts and concerns as they relate to your work as a rehabilitation counselor and your internship experiences.

6. Written weekly tape summary should focus on the specific area(s) of interest demonstrated on the tape as discussed with your clinical supervisor as well as your personal learning objectives in your Learning Contract. The written summary must include the sections listed below. Label each section in your summary. Keep in mind that the summary is primarily about your work as a counselor, not about the client. You must present a written tape summary and tape to your clinical supervisor each week that you are in the internship. The instructor will give directions in class about the number of tapes to be submitted for formal grading.
a. Brief summary of background information such as client’s age, gender, educational and employment background, presenting problem, disability and functional implications, and reasons the person is seeking services from your agency.
b. Agenda and counseling goals for the session: This focuses on what you expect to accomplish during the session. This should be based on your summary with the client from the previous session plus your conceptualization of the major issues for the client and is reflected in the agenda you develop with the client at the beginning of the session.
c. Exchanges: Transcribe five exchanges between you and the client. An exchange consists of the client’s comments and your response. For each of your responses, identify the technique you used from Egan’s skills. For three of the five exchanges, write an alternative response. Identify the technique reflected in the alternative response.
Example:
Client:
Counselor:
Name of type of response:
Alternative response:
Name of type of alternative response:
d. Self-critique of skills in transcribed replies: Discuss your use of skills as well as your goals/objectives for this part of the session.
e. Egan stage and substage: What stage and substage of the Egan model was primarily reflected in this session? Include rationale.
f. Case conceptualization: Discuss major issues related to your work with this client, plans, goals and objectives you and the client have identified, and your strategies for working with this client. If relevant, include your “hunch”.
g. Overall Evaluation: Your self-critique of the session in relation to counseling goals and strategies including what you did that went well and what you would like to do differently. Include what you will do to improve your counseling skills.
h. Counseling agenda and goals for next session: Identify your agenda for the next session as developed with the client at the end of this session. The agenda should be directed toward promoting action outcomes.
i. Questions for clinical supervision: Identify areas from this session that you wish to discuss with your clinical supervisor including specific questions.

7. Maintain an identified caseload for the internship experience. It is suggested you identify with the clinical supervisor 12 to 15 individuals with disabilities who will be the focus of clinical supervision. Tape record at least two interviews per week for discussion with the clinical supervisor. Keep a written record of each session. With the approval of the clinical supervisor, you may use other formats for recording interviews such as scripts recorded from memory with your comments about counseling responses and interventions. Note: You must have signed consent from each client according to agency policy to audio or videotape sessions.

8. Site visit: Coordinate plans with the clinical supervisor, on-site supervisor and instructor for an agency site visit before the end of the internship.

9. Internship Evaluations: Written internship evaluations must be submitted by your internship clinical supervisor at midterm and at the end of the semester. The Midterm Evaluation will be due February 27. A specific due date for the Clinical Internship Evaluation Report, which is completed at the end of the internship, will be identified by the instructor. Your clinical supervisor will provide you with an opportunity for self-evaluation before competing each of these written evaluations. You must also submit directly to the instructor at the end of the internship a written evaluation of your experience with the agency using the Student Evaluation of Internship Agency form. Note that this is a different requirement from The Internship Learning Report, which focuses on your personal learning and experiences in the internship.

10. Complete all other internship requirements as outlined in the course syllabus and the Internship Manual. It is your responsibility to read the entire Internship Manual and to assure that you are completing all activities required for the internship.

CASE PRESENTATION: Conduct a clinical case presentation for the class. Your presentation should include a videotape of your work with the client. Your presentation must also include a written case summary. In your written case summary, use the headings from assignment instructions distributed in class. The suggested format for the first part of the written case summary on background and case history is the format used in PSRT 5123, Rehabilitation Services and Resources. Presentations should be approximately one hour in length. Cases will be presented in class at times to be arranged. Additional information about the case presentation will be given in the first class. If you wish to use facilities at Scotch Plains for videotaping, please contact the instructor to make arrangements.

Case presentations will be evaluated on the following criteria:
a. Case history: Clarity and comprehensiveness of case history including evaluation of the functional implications of the person’s disability, evaluation of psychosocial and family issues, and evaluation of vocational testing and other assessments, if available.
b. Main rehabilitation issues and case conceptualization: Conceptualization of key rehabilitation issues. Use Egan’s The skilled helper (7th ed.) to assist in formulating your conceptualization of the case.
c. Rehabilitation goals: Development of rehabilitation goals including rationale and relevance to the main rehabilitation issues. This includes development of plans for employment.
d. Rehabilitation planning: Identification of specific strategies with the client to accomplish rehabilitation goals. Quality of rehabilitation planning including planning to evaluate effectiveness of services and interventions.
e. Micro counseling skills: Demonstration of micro counseling skills in the videotape.
f. Self evaluation: This includes both self-evaluation of micro counseling skills and overall self-evaluation of your work in the session. Discuss your counseling strengths and areas for improvement as reflected in the tape with specific recommendations and plans for making improvements as needed.
g. Presentation: This is your presentation of the case, both written and in class, including organization of material and correct grammar and English usage in the written case summary.

INTERNSHIP PROJECT REPORT: Write a summary of your internship project according to guidelines to be supplied by the instructor. Your report should start with an abstract of the project and must include a literature review; rationale for and description of the project; methods section including project participants, procedures used and evaluation procedures; project results, discussion of the results with regard to outcomes of the project itself, and discussion of what you learned from the project including how you plan to incorporate what you learned into your counseling practice. Be sure to include a List of References in APA format. Review the guidelines at the end of the syllabus when writing the report.

INTERNSHIP LEARNING REPORT: Complete a self-evaluation report reviewing and evaluating your internship experience including your evaluation of the outcomes of your Learning Contract. Your report should include your progress toward accomplishing each area of the Learning Contract, your accomplishments in the internship, strengths and areas for improvement in your counseling approach, your reaction to the experience, your overall evaluation of the internship including strengths and areas for improvement in the internship experience itself, future career plans, and your personal plans for professional growth after the internship. Your evaluation should be expressed in a report of about three to five pages.

COURSE SCHEDULE: There will be a class meeting at the beginning of the semester to review course requirements and answer questions about the internship. At that time, a schedule of class meetings including case presentations will be developed. The major focus of the course is completion of the required internship hours and related requirements.

UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY OF NEW JERSEY
SCHOOL OF HEALTH RELATED PROFESSIONS
Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation

PSRT 6012: INTERNSHIP IN COUNSELING

Internship Project Report

1. Project Overview: Write a brief abstract of the project.

2. Literature Review: Read, summarize and discuss relevant journal articles which provide background about the topic.

3. Description: Describe your project including the purpose(s) of the project and the need that led to that project. Include the goals of the project.

4. Procedures: Describe how you conducted the project including planning to implement the project, participants and how they were selected, the methods/interventions you used to carry out the project, and the procedures you used to measure and evaluate the outcomes of the project.

5. Project Outcomes: Summarize the results of the project. Consider both formal and informal outcomes measurement. Attach copies of questionnaires or other measures used to assess outcomes.

6. Project Discussion: Discuss the results of the project. Consider what went well with the project and what could be improved if the project method to make it more successful.

7. What You Learned: Discuss what you learned from the project. Be specific. Consult your learning plan. Also, discuss how you plan to incorporate what you learned into your counseling practice.

8. Reference List: Include a list of references used. This must be in APA format.






Rev. Spring 2006

UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY OF NEW JERSEY
SCHOOL OF HEALTH RELATED PROFESSIONS
Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation

PSRT 6012: INTERNSHIP IN COUNSELING

Case Presentation

The case presentation is one of the major learning components of the internship. Presentations should focus on your conceptualization of the rehabilitation issues presented by the client, your plans for rehabilitation interventions, and your use of counseling skills with your client. You will be preparing both a written and a verbal presentation. The written report must address all areas outlined below. Use these headings in your report to assure that all areas are addressed. Be sure that confidentiality is preserved in your presentations.

Your presentation should include:
1. Background and case history: This includes information such as:
a. Demographic information: Age, ethnicity, gender
b. Details about the client’s disability, treatment, and functional limitations.
c. Educational and vocational background.
d. Family constellation and relevant history.
e. Client’s support system in the community.
f. Cultural and gender issues.
g. Client strengths related to vocational rehabilitation
h. Vocational evaluation and assessment information: Present any relevant vocational evaluation and assessment information that may be available about the client. Describe why these measures were selected and how you are using or plan to use this information in your rehabilitation interventions.

2. Main rehabilitation issues and case conceptualization: Identify the major issues for this client that you have targeted for intervention. Use Egan’s model to specify the stage(s) of Egan’s model that your client is working through in your tape. This is your working model for your recommendations about current interventions and planning for the future with the client. You should include the client data that supports your identification of the major issues and of Egan’s stages.

3. Rehabilitation goals/objectives: What are the rehabilitation goals and objectives for your client in the session you are presenting? How did the client participate in selecting these goals and objectives? Remember objectives are stated in behavioral terms and must be observable and measurable. What is your rationale for these goals and objectives? The charts on pages 240 and 293 in Egan’s The skilled helper (7th ed.) may be useful.

4. Rehabilitation planning: What strategies are you planning to use with the client to accomplish rehabilitation goals? Discuss strategies both in terms of this session as well as overall in your work with the client including your plans for working with this client in the future. You may find the charts on pages 161 and 217 of Egan’s text helpful in making this assessment and identifying areas for future work with your client. How will you evaluate effectiveness of your services and interventions? Include how the client is participating in the planning process.

5. Specific counseling skills: What specific counseling skills did you use in the tape you will be presenting? Give examples of skills used effectively and identify what made your use of these skills effective. Give at least one example of specific skill use you would like to improve, describe what you would like to improve, and your plans to do this. Be specific.

6. Consultation with class members: Identify specific questions and issues for consultation with your peers during your presentation.

7. Self evaluation and future plans: What is your overall evaluation of your work with your client in this session? Be sure to include strengths as well as any areas you want to improve. What are your goals and objectives for future work with your client?

Plan a presentation of approximately one hour. Show selected segments of a videotape of your work with this client to illustrate the major points of your presentation. Be sure to proofread your written presentation. Correct grammar, usage and spelling are expected.