31 courses with the subject PRC, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
PRC 701Human Growth and Lifespan Development3
This course explores the nature and needs of individuals across the lifespan, including theories of individual and family development and transitions across the lifespan, theories of learning and personality development, human behavior including an understanding of developmental crisis, disability, exceptional behavior, addictive behavior, psychopathology, spirituality, and situational and environmental factors that affect both normal and abnormal behavior. Strategies for facilitating optimum development over the lifespan; ethical and legal considerations are also addressed.
This course explores the social and cultural contexts of relationships and issues that surface in a multicultural and diverse society related to such factors as culture, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental and physical characteristics, education, family values, religious and spiritual values, socioeconomic status, and unique characteristics of individuals, couples, families, ethnic groups, and communities. Topics include individual, couple, family, group, and community strategies for working with diverse populations and the counselor’s roles in social justice, advocacy and conflict resolution, cultural oppression and discrimination, and other culturally supported behaviors that are detrimental to the growth of the human spirit, mind, or body. Ethical and legal considerations are reviewed within the context of social and cultural diversity.
An introductory skills-focused course for the graduate student pursuing a career in one of the helping professions. Basic counseling/helping skills will be explored with emphasis on experiential learning. Students will be expected to acquire and demonstrate basic counseling and helping skills using classroom demonstrations, role-play, peer consultation, and videotape. Students will be introduced to the therapeutic relationship. Reflecting skills, challenging, and goal-setting skills as well as techniques for enhancing self-efficacy, lowering, and raising emotional arousal, and evaluating the helping relationship are included. 3 credits 79
This course addresses the ethical standards of the American Counseling Association and related organizations (i.e., APA, NASW), and ethical and legal considerations in professional counseling. Examples of common ethical issues in professional counseling are presented and discussed. Professional roles, functions, and relationships with other human service providers, as well as the impact of professional organizations on the counseling profession, are explored. Requirements for professional credentialing, such as the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) certification and licensure in Pennsylvania as a professional counselor will be discussed. The role of the professional counselor as an advocate for the profession will be explored.
Counselors and other mental health professionals use a number of different theories to explain personality, understand the development of psychopathology, and explain the process of change. This course provides the student with an opportunity to critically examine the predominant theoretical approaches to counseling, the assumptions underlying the theoretical approaches, and the basic principles necessary to understand the role of the counselor from the perspective of each theory. Throughout the course, students will be provided with opportunities to apply each of the theories to case studies in an effort to promote a greater understanding of the material. Students are expected to make significant progress toward developing a personal model of counseling. The course will address multicultural and gender issues as they pertain to the subject matter.
This course provides an in-depth review of mental health disorders as described within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition. Current etiological explanations for the disorders are examined, and diagnostic considerations including structured and semi-structured interviewing techniques and mental status exams are reviewed. An in-depth exploration of bio-psycho- social treatments for these disorders is considered. This course also reviews the practices of community intervention programs and facilities for inpatient, outpatient, partial treatment, and aftercare, and the human services network in local communities.
This course offers an in-depth exploration of systems theories of the family and other systems that include marital, couple, and family life-cycle dynamics, healthy family functioning, family structures, and development. Other topics include family of origin intergenerational influences, cultural heritage, socioeconomic status, human sexuality, and working with diverse family systems (e.g., families in transition, dual career couples, and blended families). Ethical and legal considerations related to the practice of marital, couple, and family counseling/therapy (e.g., the ACA and IAMFC Code of Ethics) will be addressed. 3 credits
Designed to provide counseling students with the primary theoretical bases as well as the essential knowledge and skills for understanding, organizing, and working with groups in the counseling field. The course will incorporate didactic and experiential learning through lecture, large group discussion, and small group activities.
Advanced Counseling Skills offers an in-depth and personalized approach to the exploration and refinement of counseling skills, theory, and techniques. In addition to intensive practice of counseling skills, each student formulates and demonstrates her/his own theory of counseling change and growth. Each student's theory is compared and contrasted with several major theories of counseling. A comparative evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of each viewpoint are discussed with a focus on the application to specific counseling cases. Participants in the course have an opportunity to critique the methodology and theoretical soundness of each student's counseling concept.
A theory- and skills-focused course for the graduate student pursuing a career in the helping professions. The course is intended to introduce crisis theory, principles, concepts, and intervention techniques. Emphasis will be placed on understanding both individual and group crisis as well as thinking about these concepts in a variety of settings (hospitals, schools, clinics, community, etc.). The course will focus on the use of basic counseling skills to promote stabilization and will also emphasize gaining a working knowledge of completing lethality risk assessments. Upon course completion, students should be able to predict the need for crisis intervention services and demonstrate the provision of first-order crisis intervention. 3 credits 80
This course focuses on career development and related lifestyle factors that include career development theories, sources of occupational and educational information, approaches to career decision-making processes, and career development exploration techniques. Assessment instruments and techniques that are relevant to career planning and decision making are reviewed and the use of technology-based career development applications and strategies and appropriate Internet sites are presented and discussed. Ethical and legal results are explored.
This course offers the opportunity to deepen one's understanding of spirituality and to learn therapeutic skills that foster spiritual growth in oneself and in others. The approach is phenomenological, not theological or religious. Among others, topics include differential theories of spirituality, dynamics of spiritual growth, spiritual displacements, spirituality and sexuality, the relationship between psychology and spirituality, therapeutic ways to engender and nourish spiritual growth, and the results of living a spiritual life. 3 credits
This course explores the counseling and consultation processes used with children. Specific problems/disorders presented by children will be explored, with emphasis placed on the use of cognitive behavioral counseling techniques, non-directive play, and the use of games, activities, and expressive arts in addressing those problems. Additional emphasis will be placed on skills needed to work with and educate parent(s) regarding their child’s emotional and behavioral needs to ensure that the parent(s) become “part of the solution,” rather than “part of the problem.” Factors that influence the helping processes with children, including age, gender, and ethnic differences, and verbal and nonverbal behaviors, will be explored.
PRC 726Study Abroad: Cross Cultural Perspectives/Behavioral Health1-3
The Study Abroad in Ireland program offers students from various disciplines (special education, counseling, general education, nursing, psychology, social work, art therapy and health related services) an international experience in schools and organizations working with this population. This program, designed jointly by faculty from Carlow University and St. Angela’s College, combines a course focusing on collaborative planning for individuals with special needs, field work in various settings serving individuals with special needs and didactic instruction regarding Ireland’s approach to mental health. The course will focus on valuing persons with different abilities utilizing a holistic approach while exploiting the synergy created by including students from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and interests. Opportunities to interact with a variety of related service providers enhance the experience while offering students multiple perspectives and techniques for enriching the lives of individuals with different abilities. Each student will be placed in a setting for individuals with special needs and be provided with an Irish mentor for guidance. In addition to the field placement, students will gain an understanding of Irish culture, history and experience the natural beauty of the island through sightseeing tours and activities.
The use of the expressive arts in the context of therapy is an intrinsically healing process. This course provides the student with an opportunity to experientially explore the creative process as a means to help clients connect with feelings, bring the unconscious to consciousness, and gain heightened self-awareness. The experiential aspect of this course will allow students to connect to the material in a meaningful way, thereby increasing their ability to apply the expressive arts to the therapy setting. An overview of the use and application of the expressive arts to psychotherapy will be conducted. Additionally, the general principles and techniques of expressive arts therapies will be examined, as well as applied to a variety of clinical populations. A specific emphasis on the creative process as a healing force will be explored.
This course is a counseling-laboratory course designed to provide supervised practical counseling experience that can be applied in agency settings. Students will apply academic content from pre- requisite courses to both participatory and observational counseling skills and techniques. The course will prepare students for their clinical placement experiences for both school and community-based settings. The overarching theme of this course is to establish your professional identity for you to begin to define who you are as a counselor and then how to communicate this identity to clients in a clinical setting. 3 credits 81
PRC-701 PRC-702 PRC-705 PRC-708 PRC-710 and PRC-711 or PRC-715
PRC 731Special Topics
An analysis of selected topics in professional counseling. The course is organized in any given semester to study particular subject matter or to take advantage of special competence by an individual faculty member. May be repeated for credit as content changes. Credits vary
Human Sexuality examines sexual development as an intrinsic and pervasive force in life. The body of knowledge incorporates various disciplines including biology, psychology, and sociology, and explores the counselor’s role in helping individuals, couples, and families with intimacy and relationships. Culture and diversity issues are considered along with the professional, ethical, and legal parameters relevant to sexuality and counseling.
This course reviews descriptive and inferential statistics and examines research methods commonly used by counselors, needs assessment, and program evaluation. An introduction to computer-based statistical analyses used in conducting research and program evaluation will be provided. Emphasis will be placed on research methods used to improve counseling effectiveness. Ethical and legal considerations will be explored.
This course examines individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation, including basic concepts of standardized and non- standardized testing and other assessment techniques, which include norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessment, environmental assessment, performance assessment, individual and group test and inventory methods, behavioral observations, and computer-managed and computer-assisted methods. Issues include age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, language, disability, culture, spirituality, and other factors related to the assessment and evaluation of individuals, groups, and specific populations. Emphasis will be placed on the use of strategies for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessment and evaluation instruments and techniques in counseling. Ethical and legal considerations in the assessment of clients will be examined, as will the ethical guidelines for the use of psychological assessment instruments.
This course introduces the professional counseling student to the field of traumatic stress studies. The history of the field, current trauma theory, and practice, as well as prevalence rates, will be reviewed. Consideration is given to the responses of a variety of traumatic experiences including childhood trauma, adult sexual assault, combat, domestic violence, homicide, witnessed violence, etc. The psychology of the victim’s response to trauma will be explored in detail, as will societal, cultural, and historical influences on our understanding of the impact of trauma. Trauma occurs in relationships. The importance of a reparative relationship developed with authentic, honest, and unconditional love between the victim (survivor of trauma) and the therapist will be discussed in depth.
PRC 738Introduction to Substance Abuse Counseling3
This course reviews key concepts of substance abuse counseling, including theoretical models for understanding and treating chemically dependent clients. Various screening and assessment tools, drug history, and interviewing skills will be reviewed to help students assess the severity of addiction and develop an initial treatment plan. Treatment settings and interventions commonly used with chemically dependent clients will also be reviewed. The purpose of this course is to provide students the introductory knowledge and techniques necessary to provide basic competent counseling and psychological services to substance abusers. Attention is paid to the interplay of conceptual knowledge and specific clinical skills and interventions, and the process of familiarization and personal introspection necessary to work comfortably with substance abusers. Additionally, students will be able to make appropriate diagnosis of substance- related disorders, and to make appropriate referrals for treatment.
PRC 739Substance Abuse Counseling Theories and Interventions
This course examines counseling theories and interventions to provide competent, ethical counseling and psychological services to people in addiction treatment and recovery, and their families. Students will be introduced to the primary theories of counseling and behavioral change, including empirically supported models of prevention and treatment used when working with addictions and their families. This course will focus on developing case conceptualization skills and teach students how to make informed decisions regarding the theories they may choose to use and integrate into their own future practice in addiction counseling. Students will become 82
Designed to support graduate-level professional counseling students in their ongoing development as counseling practitioners. To that end, students will be provided with a variety of experiences, both on and off campus, which will promote an increased awareness of the various roles and clinical skills required of the professional counselor. Course objectives will include increasing the graduate student’s understanding of the operations of a counseling organization (e.g., clinic, college counseling center, etc.), helping the students identify other skills that contribute to their effectiveness as professional counselors, and providing experiences that enhance students’ individual and group counseling skills. Students are required to complete 100 contact hours in a counseling setting, which includes 40 hours of direct counseling experience. Students will be challenged to become increasingly aware of personal qualities relevant to the effective practice of professional counseling and to acquire insight into the supervision process and the role of the supervisee in the counseling process. Ethical and professional behavior will be emphasized.
PRC 741The Biological Bases of Alcohol and Other Drug Addiction3
This course will introduce students to the biological bases of drug and alcohol addiction and the neurobiological mechanisms of action. Students will develop an understanding of how experience with drugs and alcohol may lead to the development of prominent symptoms of addiction. Students will become familiar with how various drugs of abuse are introduced into the body, absorbed, distributed, and eliminated. The physiological, psychological, and social consequences of long-term substance abuse will be addressed. Students will learn about the relationship between risk behaviors of people who use drugs and/or alcohol and the development of diseases such as hepatitis, tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS, and common sexually transmitted diseases (STIs).
PRC 743Co-Occurring Disorders: Counseling Clients with Substance Abuse and Psychiatric Disorders3
This course will provide students with an understanding of the nature of the overlap between psychiatric disorders and psychoactive substance use disorders, and the assessment and treatment of clients with co-occurring disorders. Students will acquire an understanding of the differential diagnosis of chemical dependency and mental disorders. Students will learn about the mental disorders likely to be present in clients with co-occurring disorders, and the assessment strategies and intervention approaches for working with clients who have co-occurring disorders.
This is an advanced clinical course covering the basic knowledge and skill competencies to facilitate play therapy. This course provides students with the philosophical basis for play therapy, including a review of the history of play therapy, how to develop a relationship with a child through a child-centered theoretical framework, and an introduction to various theoretical applications and play therapy best practices. Students will become familiar with play therapy micro-skills, treatment planning in play therapy, assessment of treatment progress, and applications to a variety of populations and therapeutic contexts.
PRC 751School-Based Mental Health Counseling Field Experience3
This is an advanced clinical course that provides an in-depth exploration of the application of evidence-based modalities including play therapy to support prevention and intervention with children and adolescents in a school-based counseling setting. Students will develop the ability to conceptualize common presenting problems through a developmental, sociocultural lens, utilizing empirically validated theories and methods. The course will also cover the impact of trauma on child and adolescent mental health, development, and functioning in a school environment. Students will gain practical experience and clinical supervision while providing counseling services and collaborating with school personnel in a school-based counseling setting.
This is an advanced course that is built upon material taught in PRC 749 Introduction to Play Therapy. The course employs a hybrid approach to cultivate advanced knowledge and clinical competencies in play therapy. Students will engage in both didactic and 83
The internship provides the student with a supervised experience in the practice of counseling in a setting similar to one in which the student wishes to work. Each internship session includes a minimum of 300 hours of supervised experience within the internship site plus an additional seminar session that meets on campus weekly.
This internship is a continuation of Internship with Seminar I (PRC 760) and continues to provide the student with a supervised experience in the practice of counseling in a setting similar to one in which the student plans to work. Each internship session includes a minimum of 300 hours of supervised experience at the internship site plus an additional seminar session that meets on campus weekly. 3 credits COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WORK
