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online Helpers and Helping Relationships course at Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: Helpers and Helping Relationships

Course Title: RS450 - Helpers and Helping Relationships
Department: Rehabilitation Management
Instructor: Suzanne Fraser, PsyD, NCC, LADC, CSAC - E-mail | Vita
Prerequisites: None
Emergency Phone Number: (518) 932-4725 (Cell-Eastern)


I. Textbooks: Online Book Store

Corey, G. (2001), Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy, (6th ed), Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
ISBN: 0534348238

Corey, G. (2001), Student Manual for Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy, (6th ed), Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
ISBN: 0534348246


II. Course Overview:

Welcome to Helpers and Helping Relationships. I’m excited to be able to share with you some of the important theories about helping relationships and my own professional experience with the application of these theories in different human services settings. I’ve been employed as a mental health professional for over twenty years, completing my doctorate in counseling psychology in 2001. I am currently employed as a licensed psychologist for the State of New York’s Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. I’ve enjoyed my work as an instructor for both Canyon College and University of Phoenix for the last 6 years. A more complete Bio is available on the Canyon College Web site for your information.

This course presents a review of the major theories in the helping professions: cognitive, behavioral, affective, humanistic and systems theory. Students will learn the philosophy, approach to change and techniques and interventions utilized by practitioners of each of these theories. This course also emphasized the development of each student’s personal theory and approach to human services and the nature of the helping relationship. This course will assist the student with the creation of a resource file containing practical applications of theory-based techniques for use in the human services (including health care) fields.


III. Instructor Availability:

I am available both Online and by phone. I am available during the day in case of emergency, but would prefer to be contacted by phone after 5:00pm at

(518) 932-4725 (Cell-Eastern)
My Canyon College email address is: srfraser@canyoncollege.edu
My personal email address is: duzer50@earthlink.net


IV. TOPICS: Overview of models and theories of helping
Existential/Humanistic theories and approaches to change
Behavioral Theories and Approaches to change
Cognitive Theories and Approaches to change
Systems theories and approaches to change
Personal model of helping and fostering change
Tools and Skills that promote change


V. OBJECTIVES: An accumulative of total points earned in this course.
  1. Identify the components of any model of theory of helping
  2. Examine the historical development of models and theories of change
  3. Examine major existential and humanistic theories
  4. Examine specific skills and techniques related to existential/humanistic theories
  5. Examine major behavioral theories
  6. Examine specific behavioral approaches, skills and techniques
  7. Examine the major cognitive theories
  8. Identify cognitive approaches and techniques for human services workers
  9. Examine major systems theories
  10. Identify systems approaches, skills and techniques
  11. Develop a personal model of helping and facilitating change
  12. Create a resource file of tools for promoting change
  13. Develop an understanding of ethnic and cultural considerations when working to promote change

VI. Course policies:


On-Line Participation:

Since this course is offered over the Internet, which allows students to participate at any time, it is important to plan your time carefully. Students are expected to pace themselves to access assignments, prepare their work and necessary research, and submit assignments to the instructor by the established due dates. Students are expected to make use of Internet resources as well as required readings.

Course Week and Due Dates:

Generally, Monday is the first day of the course week and Sunday is the last day of the course week. Assignments scheduled for completion during a class week should be sent to the instructor via e-mail by the end of the day Sunday, determined by your own time zone. If a student is sending assignments through the postal service, please make prior arrangements with the instructor, as there is no postal delivery on Sunday.


Submitting Assignments-Instructions:

There are Weekly Discussion Topics that are posted to the Classroom - Assignment page. Please be sure to label your posts as indicated in the Discussion Questions.

Formats for files received: Please email your instructor with any questions about formatting. Attachments are acceptable.

Please include name, reply address, title of assignment, title of course and date submitted on the document itself, in addition to the email text.


Late Assignment Penalties:

The instructor must receive weekly assignments no later than Sunday midnight (our time zone) of the week assigned. Students who anticipate that their schedule may cause assignments to be out of compliance are advised to contact the instructor at least one week in advance, as an extension may be permitted with prior mutual agreement. Instructor discretion regarding point penalties for any late work will be considered final.

Absentee Policy:

While this course is designed to be completed through independent study, “attendance” is recorded through assignment submissions in a timely manner to the instructor’s email address (or via post). However, please note that any student who has not participated (completed assignments for 14 consecutive days without prior discussion with the instructor regarding such absence shall be recommended for administrative withdrawal. The school shall make recommendations to the instructor regarding what action will be taken.


Academic Honesty:

Canyon College policies are in effect. All work must be your own. Presenting as one’s own the words, ideas, or expression of another in any form is cheating through plagiarism, and will not be tolerated. Instructor retains the right to engage academic search services for the Internet Plagiarism at any time on any student papers submitted for this course.


VIII. Grading:

Assignments will be graded based on completeness, correctness and timeliness of submissions. There is a total of 100 points possible.

Midterm and Final Weeks:

The Midterm grade is determined by the aggregate grade performance of work submitted in Weeks 1-4. The Final Point allocation is determined through aggregate points submitted for all weeks of the course.

Final Letter Grade:

Letter grades will be assigned at the conclusion of the eight weeks based on cumulative points achieved over the entirety of the eight-week course. The grading scale based on 100 possible points is as follows:

A=95-100%
A-=90-94.5 %
B+=86-89.5 %
B=83-85.5 %
B-=80-82.5 %
C+=76-79.5 %
C=73-75.5 %
C-=70-72.5 %
D=60-69.5 %
F=Below 60 %


Weighting of Assignments:

The following is the suggested weighting of assignments for this course:

AssignmentPercent of grade
Discussion Questions (Weekly)40
Quizzes on Models of helping (Weeks 2, 4, 5 & 7)40
Paper on Personal Model of helping Week 820



Weekly Topics and Assignments:

Week One:

Objectives:

Identify the components of a model of theory of helping
Examine the history of models and theories of helping

Complete Assigned reading in Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy.
Complete Discussion Questions and send to srfraser@canyoncollege.edu


Week Two:

Examine major existential/humanistic theories
Identify existential techniques and approaches for use in human services settings

Required reading in text
Complete Discussion Questions

Complete Quiz and send to instructor


Week Three:

Objectives:

Examine major behavioral approaches
Identify behavior techniques and skills used in human services settings

Complete reading
Complete Discussion Questions


Week Four:

Objectives:

Examine the major cognitive theories
Identify specific cognitive approaches and skills used in human services settings

Complete reading
Complete Discussion Questions
Complete Quiz


Week Five:

Objectives:

Examine major systems theories
Identify specific systems approaches and skills used in human services settings

Complete reading
Complete Discussion Questions
Complete Week Five Quiz


Week Six:

Objectives:

Develop a personal model of helping

Complete reading
Complete Discussion Questions
Submit Paper on Model or Theory of Helping


Week Seven:

Objectives:

Develop an understanding of ethnic and cultural considerations when facilitating change in clients from a variety of populations

Complete Reading
Complete Discussion Questions

Complete Week 7 Quiz


Week Eight:

Objectives:

Review and summarize the major points from the course
Create a resource file of practical tools for promoting change

Complete reading
Submit Final Paper on a Personal Model of Helping
Submit Discussion Questions for Week Eight




Suzanne Fraser, Psy.D.