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Graduate Studies in Counseling
Counseling the Terminally Ill & the Bereaved Fall 2007 –
Thursday 6:00 to 9:00pm CH204 3 Semester
Hours Instructor: Daniel R. Cruikshanks, Ph.D., PCC-S, Associate
Professor College Hall 207 (800)925-9250 ext. 2308 or
(419)448-2308 (direct line) dcruiksh@heidelberg.edu Office
hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 1pm to 5pm by
appointment Also
available at other times by appointment.
Prerequisites:
COU 503, COU 505, COU 506, COU 509, COU 532. Conceptual Framework: Vital Connections The graduate counseling
programs at Specifically, the
students build or construct their new knowledge about counseling with several
tools - theory, practice, and reflection. These are the building
tools that connect the constructivist core of the conceptual framework to
each of the counselor education licensure programs.
Course Description Seminar on the theory and application of
clinical counseling procedures (e.g., crisis intervention, grief counseling, cognitive
therapy) with special problems. Emphasis on the behavioral/psychological
methods of intervention to provide a working familiarity with contemporary
psychotherapies and their application to specific clinical situations.
Application of psychotherapeutic methods will be explored within the context
of serving diverse populations including culturally different, children,
substance abusers, elderly, sexual problems, physically and mental disabled,
terminally ill, gay clients. Crisis situations, marriage and family problems,
rehabilitation, and child abuse as they relate to intervention and prevention
of emotional and mental disorders will be covered in the various seminars. Seminar
Specific: The
purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the issues and
implications of dying, death and loss in their own lives and in the lives of
their clients. Death and loss will
impact each of us personally and professionally throughout our lives. Counselors must be prepared for this
impact both because of its importance with regard to “self-care” and because
regardless of whether or not you specifically serve the terminally ill and
the bereaved, you will encounter clients facing death or loss during the
course of your career. This seminar presents an overview of the basic
historical and cultural issues related to our efforts to grapple with dying
and death and explores the social processes by which we recognize,
understand, and allow grief in our culture (and others). This seminar will present opportunities for
self-exploration and reflection on this difficult topic so that students can
gain a better understanding of how best to work with people who are dying
and/or grieving. Theories on loss and grief processes will be explored as
well as established best practice models for evaluating, assessing and
treating clients with terminal illness, their family members, and the
bereaved. Objectives By the end of this semester, students will: 1)
be able to
articulate the processes of dying, death, and loss from historical, cultural,
and psychological perspectives. 2)
become familiar
with personal as well as social attitudes toward death and dying. 3)
be able to
articulate theories of how dying can be made a more meaningful part of the
human experience. 4)
be able to
articulate an understanding of the medical and personal consequences of life
threatening illness and how their impact can be lessened through appropriate
counseling strategies. 5)
be able to
articulate legal that impinge on dying and death and thus increase one’s range
of choices available for decision making and examine the complex ethical
questions and choices that have arisen in conjunction with the technological
advances in medicine. 6)
be able to
articulate a basic understanding of best practices in assessment of and
intervention with suicidal clients. 7)
be able to
articulate various culturally based religious, philosophical, and
parapsychological views of what follows death and how appropriately to
integrate this into counseling practice. 8)
identify the
definitions of behavioral and emotional phenomena surrounding grief and the
implications for survivors; develop an awareness of age-related losses from
childhood through adulthood and explain how age and coping styles influence
individual responses to loss Course Conceptual Framework
This course provides students with an understanding of psychological theories of dying, death and grief from a multi-cultural perspective. Based on these theoretical constructs, students will be provided with current standards of practice in counseling the terminally ill and bereaved. A variety of experiential exercises and pedagogical approaches will provide students with opportunities to gain first hand experience and understanding of essential principles and practices allowing them to link theory to practice.Standards
This course is designed to meet OCSW&MFT Board Clinical Content area 4
Byock, I., Dying
Well: Opportunities for Growth at the End of Life, Nuland, S. B., How
We Die: Reflections on Life’s Final Chapter, Rosenblatt, P. & Wallace, B., African American Grief, New Yor:
Routledge Worden, J. W., Grief
Counseling and & Grief Therapy, 2nd Edition, Additionally: I reserve the right to assign
additional readings (such as journal articles) that I encounter and find
appropriate to this context. Requirements/Grading
During the semester, you will have opportunities to
earn up to 1000 points toward you final grade. Grading is on the following scale: 90% = A;
80% = B; 70% = C; less than 70% = F.
Note: This syllabus is a learning contract between
you and me. Although there may be need
to change specific requirements for assignments as the semester progresses,
no such changes will be made without prior discussion and negotiation with
you.
Attendance; preparation;
participation. Learning and teaching is a group
process. For you to learn and for me to
claim to have taught, we must be present and engaged. Preparation and
participation means that you know the reading material and are prepared to
question and discuss these readings in class. I understand that there are occasions for
extenuating circumstances. Please talk
with me (in advance when possible) in the event of such. Otherwise, please plan to attend class
prepared and ready to discuss the material and ask questions about it.
Absences will only be excused (no grade penalty) in the event of a documented
family emergency (e.g. illness), acts of God (e.g. weather closing the
college), terrorist attacks, or class cancellation by the professor. Attendance – With the second unexcused absence, semester grade
drops 1 letter and 1 for each for each additional absence. Research/Reflection Paper: Students will complete a research/reflection paper
based on one of the following topics (topic should be of particular personal
importance or meaning to you): ·
Counselor
attitudes toward death and dying and how these affect treatment ·
The role of
counselors in treatment of terminal illness ·
suicide or
euthanasia or violent death ·
Multicultural
aspects of death and dying or grief: Best practice recommendations for
counselors ·
Diagnosing and
treating complicated/pathological grief The
paper is an in-depth exploration of the chosen topic in which you will
integrate a discussion based on your personal experience related to this
topic with what you learn from the literature about this topic. At
least four references from professional literature must be cited. References
should be limited to professional journal articles or studies. This
paper should be three to five pages in length and APA style must be followed. Reflection Paper: This assignment is designed to examine the concepts,
issues, and dilemmas related to death and dying through the use of
contemporary film. You will watch and review two films, either alone or with
a group of classmates (group discussion is sometimes more fruitful than
individual viewing) and compare and contrast the way that the two films deal
with these issues. Your paper should
include: a) a brief summary of the
film; b) discussion of the relationship of the main theme to dying, death
and/or loss; c) whether the ideas in the film support or run counter to class
lectures, readings, and discussions.
Additionally, discuss the main focus/point/message in each and the
effect that watching these films had on you in light of the class discussions
we’ve had. What affect might they have
on other people who have seen these films? Do you feel these effects be
different for someone who is dealing with dying or grief currently? How so? What does the manner in which this film
portrays the subject say about the human experience (e.g. beliefs, attitudes)
and our cultural/societal views related to dying, death, and/or loss? Reflection
Paper worth 200 points (APA
is not
required) Group Project: Working in groups, design and develop an
intervention activity that could be used in a grief support group. This should be an activity that could
either a) help to facilitate both a group process and the grief process or b)
it could be a therapeutic homework project that could be used either in
individual or group counseling to help facilitate the grief process. You may draw from class discussions and
experiences and you should look to the literature for guidance. Groups will present their projects on the
last night of class. You will turn in an overview of the activity which
includes: purpose, rational, goals, objectives, procedures, materials needed
(if applicable), expected outcome and instructions. Group Project is worth 300 points. Exam: At
the end of the term, there will be a final exam that will cover readings from
the texts /discussions from class.
This exam may be comprised of multiple choice and and/or essay
questions (Format yet to be determined).
Exam is worth a total of 200 points.
Film List
Additional
films include: Accidental Tourist,
Lorenzo’s Oil, Boyz ‘N the Hood, Schindler’s List, Ordinary People,
Shadowlands, Of Mice and Men, Philadelphia, Terms of Endearment, A River Runs
Through It, Forrest Gump, Howard’s End, Prince of Tides, Saving Private Ryan,
Courage Under Fire, Titanic. DIVERSITY STATEMENT: The MAC program is
committed to maintaining a community that recognizes and values the inherent
worth and dignity of every person; fosters sensitivity, understanding, and
mutual respect among its members; and encourages each individual to strive to
reach his or her own potential. In pursuit of its goal of academic
excellence, the MAC program seeks to develop and nurture diversity, believing
that it strengthens the organization, stimulates creativity, promotes the exchange
of ideas, and enriches campus life. The American Counseling
Association has explicit policies, standards, and ethical guidelines
regarding diversity issues. In this class, you will be expected to reflect
the standards and ethics of the counseling profession, especially in the area
of diversity. Any use of written or verbal language should be consistent with
the respect and tolerance that are the cornerstone of the counseling
profession and should reflect the ACA Human Rights Committee’s 1987 statement
on tolerance, which states: In order to guarantee that each individual is free
to pursue his/her potential, each member of AACD (now ACA) is charged to (a)
engage in ongoing examination of his/her own attitudes, feelings, stereotypic
views, perceptions and behaviors that might have prejudicial or limiting
impact on others; (b) contribute to an increased sensitivity on the part of
other individuals, groups or institutions to the barriers to opportunity
imposed by discrimination; (c) advocate equal rights for all individuals
through concerted personal, professional, and political activity. Academic
honesty: Heidelberg College values
integrity in academic pursuits. It expects
students to complete their work honestly and to report academic dishonesty. Dishonesty in any form,
including but not limited to academic cheating or falsification on any
official college record will result in disciplinary action. I expect adherence to the APA ethical guidelines for
publication with regard to the proper citation of non-original materials used
in papers (e.g. plagiarism). All papers are subject to an electronic database
screening (Turnitin.com)
to ensure that they are free of plagiarized material. |
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Semester Schedule |
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Date |
Topic |
Assignment |
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Aug. 30 |
Introduction: Dying, Death,
and Loss Historical and cultural overview The
Perfect Death |
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Sep. 6 |
How We Die: Sudden,
Unexpected, Traumatic Death |
Nuland Intro./Ch’s 1, 6 & 7 R & W Ch’s 2-3 |
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Sep. 13 |
How We Die: Disease
Processes |
Nuland Ch’s 2-5, 8-12 R & W Ch’s 4-5 |
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Sep. 20 |
The good death: terminal
illness Dying
Simulation |
Byock Intro./Ch’s 1-3 |
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Sep. 27 |
The Nature of Suffering and
Quality of Life Assisted suicide,
euthanasia, Hospice Research/Reflection
paper due |
Byock Ch’s 4-7 |
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Oct. 4 |
End of life development Counseling the Terminally
Ill The Life Review Project:
Facilitating Growth at the End of Life |
Byock Ch’s 8-12 Appendix |
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Oct. 11 |
ACES
Conference ~ no class |
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Oct. 18 |
Suicide and Assessment of
the Suicidal Client Counseling the Suicidal
Client: Interventions, Strategies, and Protective Measures |
handouts |
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Oct. 25 |
Life, Loss, and Everything:
The psychology of grief. Attachment Theory The Assumptive Reality |
Worden Ch. 1-2 R & W Ch’s |
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Nov. 1 |
All
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Nov. 8 |
Grief Counseling:
Uncomplicated Loss |
Worden R & W Ch’s 1; 6-8 |
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Nov. 15 |
Grief Counseling:
Complicated Loss & Pathological Grief |
Worden R & W Ch’s 9-12 |
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Nov. 22 |
Thanksgiving
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Nov. 29 |
Grief Counseling: Special
considerations for a-typical losses Grief and Family Systems Counselor self Care: Stress
& Burnout Reflection
paper due |
Worden R & W Ch’s 13-16 |
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Dec. 6 |
Group
Project Presentations Wrap up loose ends |
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Dec. 9 |
Final Exam Due by midnight |
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Incompletes Students
who, at the end of the semester, wish to be considered for an
"Incomplete" must request this in writing to the professor,
explaining the reasons and identifying a specific date that the assignment(s)
will be submitted. It is the professor's discretion to approve or decline the
request for an incomplete. If promised work has not been completed and
submitted by the agreed upon date, the incomplete will become an F. Students
with Disabilities
Students with documented
physical, psychological, and/or learning disabilities are eligible for
reasonable and appropriate accommodations under the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA). Under
provision of the ADA, Heidelberg College will assess student disabilities and
determine reasonable and appropriate accommodations for students with
documented disabilities on a case by case basis. To seek accommodation for disabilities,
students should refer to the Heidelberg College Learning Center
(www.heidelberg.edu/offices/learning-center/) for further information and
documentation forms and procedures. Please feel free to discuss
any concerns regarding disabilities with me for further guidance and
information. Grade Disputes Students who feel that they have received an inappropriate grade for
any assignment or for the course have the right to challenge that grade. To challenge a grade, students should
adhere to the following procedures.
In the event of a grade conflict, you must follow this
procedure. If you fail to follow this
procedure (for example calling the Dean first), you will be re-instructed to
follow this procedure. I encourage you to discuss any concerns regarding this course with me
early, and I will make every effort to address these concerns and resolve
them. I understand that this is not
always possible, and in such events, I invite you to pursue such matters
following the above procedures as needed. WEATHER
EMERGENCY POLICY When
the Seneca County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Tiffin Police
Department declare the roads in Seneca County and the City of Tiffin
impassable and motorists to stay off the roads and highways, classes may be
cancelled or delayed. The decision
should be made by 6:30 am. The following media sources, WTTF (Tiffin –
103.7FM), WTVG – TV (Toledo – Channel 13), WNWO – TV (Toledo – Channel 24),
and WTOL – TV (Toledo – Channel 11), will be notified of the closing or delay
immediately. If the weather worsens
during the day, you may benefit by calling Heidelberg College
(1-800-925-9250), the Graduate Studies in Counseling Dept. office
(419-448-2300). Be sure that you are
subscribed to the MAC
list serve as this is our primary way of quickly communicating critical
information such as class cancellations to you. |