Marriage and Family Therapy Master's Program

This course explores personality and counseling theories from an eclectic standpoint, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses in each theory. Students are encouraged to identify an approach or approaches that are compatible with their history, current philosophy, clients, and counseling settings. Insight into modern notions of cultural and family identity enhances counseling skills and provides the ability to accommodate the needs of individuals in diverse settings.

This course will address the psychological and biological aspects of human development from conception through childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, mid-life and aging. Familial, environmental and cultural factors will be explored as they impact the development of people across the continuum of life. Theory will combine with application related to physical, emotional, intellectual, learning, social, normal and abnormal development; plus cognitive, moral, and vocational adjustment. The processes of physical and psychological development including ethnic and gender differences will be studied. Includes the fundamental occupational tasks of assessment, case presentation, case collaboration, team membership and client interaction. This course addresses the following Massachusetts State Standard for School Adjustment Counselor/School Social Worker: b: Theories of normal and abnormal intellectual, social, and emotional development. This course addresses the following Massachusetts State Standards for School Guidance Counseling: c. psychology of learning, and e. theories of normal and abnormal, intellectual, social, and emotional development.

This course involves the study of the dynamics common to all small groups, through examining their structural and interactional properties and learning the bases for understanding groups as therapeutic, organizational, social, psychological, and collective phenomena. The class will be divided into two groups. All students will participate in an experiential, interactional group for one half of the term and observe another interactional group for one half of the term. Each experiential phase of a group will be followed by a didactic analysis of the process. The instructor will demonstrate various techniques as leader of all experiential sessions. Leadership styles will be examined as they influence group process. Students are required to write journal analyses of group sessions, complete assigned readings, and attend every session. Students are taught to develop self-awareness, sensitivity to others, and skills needed to relate to individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds. (No one will be admitted to the course in the event of failure to attend the first session.) Includes the fundamental occupational tasks of assessment, case presentation, case collaboration, team membership and client interaction. This course addresses the following Massachusetts State Standard for School Adjustment Counselor/School Social Worker: a: Principles of therapeutic relationships. This course addresses the following Massachusetts State Standard for School Guidance Counseling: l. group counseling and group leadership.

This course is only available at California locations and may not be offered at other locations. This course explores the intersection of the diversity of California culture and the practice of mental health counseling. Topics include: gender, gender identity and sexual expression; diversity in family organization and living arrangement; cultural and religious beliefs specific to California and the understanding necessary to provide effective therapy; family and community violence, crisis and emergency response, and treatment of trauma; local and regional supports and resources available to individuals and families; and socioeconomic factors specific to the diverse cultures found in California. Topics include child and intimate partner abuse, elder abuse and reporting requirements. (7 clock hours). this course include the fundamental occupational tasks of assessment, case presentation and collaboration, team membership and client interaction.

This course provides an experiential approach to career development for mental health, school and rehabilitation counselors to support clients with and without disabilities across the lifespan in both individual and group settings. Orientation to key assessment instruments, online resources, labor market information, transferable skills analysis, job placement strategies and work-related supports will be made to support the career guidance process and to develop comprehensive plans of action for clients.
This course addresses the following Massachusetts State Standard for School Counseling: i. Career counseling.

This course focuses on the role of culture in the development of psychological health and in psychopathology. Variations among diverse cultures in defining mental health and deviant behavior are discussed. The importance of understanding the cultural context is emphasized, both in the prevention and in the resolution of psychological problems. Students become aware of their own cultural beliefs regarding mental health issues, and the impact of their perspective in working with culturally different people. Techniques for working with families and schools are also discussed. Includes the fundamental occupational tasks of assessment, case presentation, case collaboration, team membership and client interaction. This course addresses the following Massachusetts State Standards for School Adjustment Counselor/School Social Worker: Standard f: Techniques for communicating and working with families and school and community personnel. b: Theories of normal and abnormal intellectual, social, and emotional development. This course addresses the following Massachusetts State Standard for School Guidance Counseling: e: Theories of normal and abnormal intellectual, social, and emotional development.

This course focuses on the integration of various treatment models for substance use disorders (SUDs) within a family systems framework. Students will develop the skills necessary to assess, diagnose, and treat SUDs in the context of diverse cultural and minority populations. Emphasis is on the creation of SMART goals for clients and culturally sensitive treatment strategies that account for the multifaceted nature of SUDs within families.

This course examines the evolution of the family in the context of the social environment in which it exists. Traditional family values and structures are examined as well as more modern and nontraditional situations that may include: the divorced family, the gay/lesbian family, families of war, immigrant families, religious families, foster/alternative family environments, families of abuse, grandparent/grandchild families, culturally blended families, addicted families, and families experiencing mental illness. An exploration of personal and professional experiences and the lenses through which we view families as well as challenges to traditional family concepts will be considered. Includes the fundamental occupational tasks of assessment, case presentation, case collaboration, team membership and client interaction.