Counseling Concentrations

This course covers ethical standards and an overview of the history of counseling, such as legislation, government policy and philosophy of the counseling profession and its specialty areas. The professional roles, settings, delivery modalities and functions of counselors including those in specialty areas are discussed. The role of certification and licensure and related responsibilities, public policy, standards and their relationships with human service and integrated behavioral health care systems are addressed. Additional topics addressed include benefits of membership in professional counseling organizations, current labor market trends in relation to credentialing bodies, the impact of technology on the profession, strategies for personal and professional self-evaluation and implications for practice and the importance of self-care strategies for the counselor.

Theories, models, and strategies of individual counseling and consultation. Students will practice a systems approach to conceptualizing clients and review ethical and culturally relevant strategies for developing and maintaining therapeutic relationships.  They will develop an awareness of the impact of technology on the counseling process. Students will also examine essential counselor characteristics and skills, developmentally relevant intervention plans, methods to assess client outcomes, and evidence-based strategies and practice. The goal of the course is to aid students in developing a personal model of counseling.  This course is a prerequisite for several courses.

This course is designed to provide a foundation of knowledge, awareness, and skills needed for providing more effective counseling services in a multicultural society. The course will cover theories, research, and practices associated with multicultural competence, social justice, and advocacy with emphases on pluralistic characteristics within and among diverse groups nationally and internationally and the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, country of origin, disability, and socioeconomic status. Students will be introduced to topics including oppression and privilege, racism, discrimination, sexism, power, and ageism.

This course includes the history and effective methods of conducting ethical and culturally sensitive assessments and testing in the field of counseling for individuals and groups relevant to career, educational, personal, and social development. It will include assessments of suicidal risk, harm to self and others, trauma and abuse, and mandatory reporting. Students will explore statistical concepts, including reliability, validity, scales of measurement, measures of central tendency, indices of variability, shapes and types of distributions, and correlations. Norm-referenced and criterion-referenced standardized and non-standardized data information gathering methods will be explored. A variety of assessment measures such as environmental assessments, behavioral observation checklists, personality, and psychological testing will be discussed to assist in diagnosing developmental, behavioral, and mental disorders.

This course is designed to provide students with an overview of the theories of learning, normal and abnormal personality development, and individual and family development from conception to late adulthood. The focus is on the biological, neurological, and physiological factors that affect human development and behavior, including the theories and etiology of addiction and co-occurring disorders. Systemic and environmental factors that affect human development, functioning, and behavior will also be addressed as well as the effects of crisis, disasters, and trauma on diverse individuals across the lifespan. In addition, classifications of pharmacological drugs will be discussed with an emphasis on appropriate medical referral and consultation with mental health providers. The course provides a general framework for understanding differing abilities and strategies for differentiated interventions. Emphasis will be placed on ethical and culturally relevant strategies for promoting resilience and optimum development and wellness across the lifespan.

This course reviews theories and models of career development, counseling, and decision-making. Students will learn approaches for conceptualizing the relationships among and between work, mental well-being, relationships, and other life roles and factors. They will develop processes for identifying and using career, avocational, educational, occupational, and labor market information resources, technology, and information systems. Students will develop strategies for assessing abilities, interests, values, personality, and other factors that contribute to career development; career development program planning, organization, implementation, administration, and evaluation; advocating for diverse clients’ career and educational development and employment opportunities in a global economy; and facilitating client skill development for career, educational, and life-work planning, and management.

This course serves as the student’s first formal exposure to essential interviewing, counseling, and case conceptualization skills to aid students in developing a personal model of counseling. As such, it will introduce the student, within a safe and controlled setting, to the dynamics and process of the counselor’s role, including core counseling skills, structure of the interview, and counselor characteristics. Prerequisites: COUN 6000 and COUN 6010.

This course will emphasize the importance of research in the counseling profession and the identification of evidence-based practices. Students will develop an understanding of statistical methods used in conducting research, and qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods. They will learn how to prepare and use needs assessments to develop outcome measures, and use accountability data to inform decision making, and to advocate for programs and individuals. Students will learn ethical and culturally relevant strategies for conducting, interpreting, and reporting the results of research and/or program evaluation.

This course introduces students to theory and principles of group dynamics as well as the developmental stages of groups. In addition, group members’ roles and behaviors and therapeutic factors of group work will be discussed. Students will have the opportunity to apply these principles through role-playing, participating as group members in an experiential component of this course as well as designing, planning,
leading, and co-leading group sessions for diverse client populations. Prerequisites: To be identified when course numbers are assigned. Prerequisites: COUN 6000 and COUN 6010.

This course focuses on an overview of substance addictions and process addictions: a) history, b) etiology models of addictions, c) types of addictions, d) different populations and settings effected by addictions, e) treatment, f) evaluation, g) ethics, and h) policies related to addiction. Additional emphasis is placed on the unique needs and characteristics of people with disabilities as they interact with addiction and dependency.

This course provides students with their first supervised field experience. Students must complete 100 clock hours of supervised counseling practice of which 40 hours must be direct service to clients. Students must also receive 1 hour a week of individual or triadic supervision with their site supervisors and 1.5 hours a week of group supervision. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Pre-arrangement and permission of instructor. COUN 6000, COUN 6010, COUN 6050.

COUN 6981. Internship: CMHC
COUN 6982. Internship: Clinical Rehabilitation
COUN 6983. Internship: Rehabilitation
COUN 6984. Internship in School Counseling

After successful completion of the practicum, students complete 600 clock hours of supervised counseling internship in roles and settings with clients relevant to their specialty area. Internship students complete at least 240 clock hours of direct service. The internship is the final and most comprehensive professional experience in the counseling program. To ensure that the students’ individualized career goals are met in the internship experience, arrangements for the internship are negotiated between the student, the on-site supervisor and the student’s supervising professor at New Mexico Highlands University. Minimum of 6 credits. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Pre-arrangement and permission of instructor. COUN 6000, COUN 6010, COUN 6050, COUN 6070, COUN 6340.

This course is a study of the foundations, contextual dimensions, and practice of clinical mental health counseling. It will cover the history and development of clinical mental health counseling, and theories and models specific to CMHC. Contextual dimensions in CMHC including roles and settings, etiology, nomenclature, treatment, referral, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders will be examined. Mental health service delivery modalities within the continuum of care, such as inpatient, outpatient, partial treatment and aftercare and the mental health counseling services networks will be reviewed. Students will examine legislation and government policy relevant to clinical mental health counseling. They will learn about record keeping, third party reimbursement, and other practice and management issues in clinical mental health counseling. In addition, students will explore strategies related to interfacing with legal systems and behavioral health care professionals while advocating for persons with mental health issues.

This course will introduce the basic concepts and principles of family and couple therapy. The emphasis is on understanding family and other systems theories, the structure and function of marriage/domestic partnerships, and models of family and systemic interventions. Considerations from a historical perspective are presented along with current developments within marriage/domestic partnership and family systemic models. Issues include evaluation of families, diagnosis in a family context, interviewing strategies, redefining problems in a family systems context, and treatment principles. Prerequisites: COUN 6000 and COUN 6010.

This course explores the nature and experience of trauma and related crises and natural disasters. Multiple theories are explored regarding the effects of traumatic impact on the individual psyche. Theoretical constructs are analyzed, from a bioecological perspective, for their potential application in trauma, crisis, and disaster; numerous examples of interventions and therapeutic techniques are examined for their usefulness in working with survivors of trauma.

This course explores the way counselors frame and diagnosis difficult and problematic human behavior and characteristics. It begins with an exploration of the historical, philosophical, and scientific foundations of the field’s primary diagnostic framework, the DSM. It discusses the strengths and limitations of that framework and the reasons it is important for counselors to understand and master that framework. The course then explores the ways counselors use the DSM framework to provide diagnoses of clients and prepare treatment plans based on those diagnoses. The discussion of treatment plans also provides an overview of how various psychopharmacological treatments are used to treat various DSM diagnoses and the strengths and limitations of such treatments. Learning tools include reading, discussion, simulated client presentations and explorations of how those presentations might be diagnosed using the DSM framework.

Foundations, case management, and job placement in rehabilitation acquaints the student with the legislative, historical, and philosophical roots of rehabilitation counseling in America. This course will present an introduction to the case management process and procedures used in counseling and human service settings. In addition, this course aims to enhance the ability of rehabilitation counseling students to develop and implement successful job placement strategies for people with disabilities. Topics covered include federal and local mandates for rehabilitation of individuals with disability, organizational structures to assist individuals with disability, screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, job development, client education, referral, record keeping and consultation, as well as ethics and confidentiality. Current legislation and practice emphasize participation, capabilities, adapting environments and building community for people with disabilities.

This course is an overview of human disability and medical terminology. It provides a review of human body systems, major disabling conditions, and their implications for rehabilitation counseling.

Additional description for COUN 6730/SPED 6730: Medical Aspects of Disability
This course reviews the theories of normal and abnormal development in relation to biological, neurological, and physiological factors that affect human development, functioning, and behavior. Students will understand the medical aspects of disability, including attention to coexisting conditions. They will explore principles, models, and documentation formats of biopsychosocial case conceptualization to support individualized treatment planning. Students will learn the etiology, effects, and related terminology of physical, mental, and cognitive disabilities. They will review indications, and contraindications of commonly prescribed psychopharmacological medications for appropriate medical referral and consultation. In addition, students will learn the effects of the onset, progression, and expected duration of disability on clients’ and assistive technology to reduce or eliminate barriers and functional limitations, and strategies to enhance coping and adjustment to disability.

This course provides an overview of psychosocial and cultural aspects of disability emphasizing emotional issues influencing the adjustment process of persons with disabilities.

Additional description for COUN 6740/SPED 6740 Psychosocial and Cultural Aspects of Disability
This course reviews the systemic and environmental factors that affect human development, functioning, and behavior with particular attention on the ethical and culturally relevant strategies for promoting resilience and optimum development and wellness across the lifespan in individuals with disabilities. Students will learn about the theories and models related to rehabilitation counseling and the social science theory that addresses psychosocial aspects of disability. The impact of crisis, trauma, physical, mental, cognitive, and co-occurring disabilities on the client and family are addressed. Students will understand the role of the family, social networks, and community in the provision of services for and treatment of people with disabilities and learn about the assistive technology to reduce or eliminate barriers and functional limitations. Students will examine the impact of psychosocial influences, cultural beliefs, values, diversity, social justice issues, stigma, poverty, and health disparities on the individual with disabilities, their families and employment.

In this course students will learn about vocational evaluation, assistive technology, and transition planning. Students will learn how vocational evaluation is utilized in identifying and appraising an individual’s level of functioning in relation to vocational preparation and employment decision making and serves as an educational process in which an individual gains greater self and work knowledge through participation in work activities designed to evaluate vocational skills, interests, and abilities. Through this process individuals learn about the functional impact of their disability in relation to their career options. Vocational assessment is essential to school to career transition planning. Students will learn how transition plans built upon accurate, current, and relevant information are most likely to result in positive outcomes. Assistive technology will be addressed from high to low tech in addition to the impact of relevant legislation and regulations.

This course explores the way counselors frame and diagnosis difficult and problematic human behavior and characteristics. It begins with an exploration of the historical, philosophical, and scientific foundations of the field’s primary diagnostic framework, the DSM. It discusses the strengths and limitations of that framework and the reasons it is important for counselors to understand and master that framework. The course then explores the ways counselors use the DSM framework to provide diagnoses of clients and prepare treatment plans based on those diagnoses. The discussion of treatment plans also provides an overview of how various psychopharmacological treatments are used to treat various DSM diagnoses and the strengths and limitations of such treatments. Learning tools include reading, discussion, simulated client presentations and explorations of how those presentations might be diagnosed using the DSM framework.

In this course students will learn about psychiatric rehabilitation concepts and principles, techniques, history, treatment settings and modalities; emphasizing issues central to mental health consumers such as empowerment, the consumer movement, family intervention, cross-cultural issues, recovery and reintegration within the community and the prevalence and impact of co-occurring disorders. Students will be introduced to the philosophical and empirical bases of psychiatric rehabilitation, including an overview of programming models, service-system issues, current research in psychological co-occurring disorders, and their treatment.

This course provides knowledge and skills necessary for school counselors to implement a developmentally appropriate, comprehensive school counseling program. Students learn school counselor roles as counselors, educators, leaders, advocates, members of multidisciplinary teams, and systems change agents in P-12 schools. They will explore models of school counseling programs with a special emphasis on developing a RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program). They will explore core curriculum design, lesson plan development, classroom management strategies, and differentiated instructional strategies. Students will learn interventions to promote academic development, techniques of personal/social counseling in school settings, and to discuss assessments specific to P-12 education. Other topics include school-based collaboration and consultation.

This course will introduce the basic concepts and principles of family and couple therapy. The emphasis is on understanding family and other systems theories, the structure and function of marriage/domestic partnerships, and models of family and systemic interventions. Considerations from a historical perspective are presented along with current developments within marriage/domestic partnership and family systemic models. Issues include evaluation of families, diagnosis in a family context, interviewing strategies, redefining problems in a family systems context, and treatment principles. Prerequisites: COUN 6000 and COUN 6010.

This course is intended to prepare students to design and implement a data-driven comprehensive college and career counseling program for students in the P-12 academic setting. To prepare students to become effective school counselors who will assume a primary role in helping their students become college and career ready, specialized information about college and career search resources, college admission and selection practices, and the financial aid process will be presented. Additionally, the role of the school counselor in facilitating school and postsecondary transitions, methods to improve promotion and graduation rates, and strategies to promote equity in student achievement and college access will be emphasized throughout the course.

This course provides knowledge and skills necessary to provide developmentally appropriate therapeutic interventions for children, adolescents, and their families. Topics include characteristics, risk factors, and warning signs of students at risk for mental health and behavioral disorders; common medications that affect learning, behavior, and mood in children and adolescents; and signs and symptoms of substance abuse in children and adolescents as well as the signs and symptoms of living in a home where substance use occurs. Interventions to promote academic development and techniques of personal/social counseling along with ethical and legal considerations regarding minors and families will be examined throughout the course. Prerequisites: COUN 6000 and COUN 6010.

Conflict resolution skills can prove helpful where a lack of academic, social, and/or behavioral skills may lead to significant consequences for students in conflict, such as social isolation or academic decline. Conversely, students who exhibit competency in conflict resolution skills may be better able to adhere to the various academic and social demands as well as the peer norms. This course looks at school-based prevention models focused on conflict resolution, peer mediation, and other options for decreasing or resolving the incidence of peer conflicts. A particular emphasis is placed on examining the origins of interpersonal conflict and the methods of communication used in effectively dealing with differences and managing conflict in the future.