I have used Peterson & Niesenholz, Orientation to Counseling plus Ivey's Basic Attending Skills."  I have mixed feelings about the P&N, but it does provide coverage of the various types of counseling (community based, school, etc.)   My students are required to do an in-depth review of one of the major theories of counseling to get more depth in that area.  When I cover theories, I focus on one or two from each major orientation.  I used to use Corey, but like you I had no time to do anything except the theories and I think undergraduate students need to see the applications as well.  They love the hands-on skills components and I think it makes the work of counseling/psychotherapy come alive, plus they are useful skills regardless of their future career goals.

Hetzel, Rod wrote:
Hi everyone:

I'm thinking about selecting a new text for my undergraduate Theories
and Techniques of Counseling course.  So far, I have always used Corey's
text, "Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy."  For the
most part I like this text, but my students have routinely disliked it.
Until recently I have never considered switching texts, probably because
I "grew up" on Corey throughout my graduate training.  All of our
psychology majors are required to take this course, many of whom will go
on to graduate study in psychology or counseling.  But because I teach
at a school with a religious affiliation, I also routinely have students
who take this particular course so they can be more equipped in some of
their volunteer ministry activities.  They understand that this course
does not prepare them to be counselors, but they are still hoping to
learn something that will be useful for their various roles. 

So, I've finally decided to more seriously consider some other texts.
I'm looking for a text that provides a good overview of the theories but
also addresses the application of techniques as well as some of the
practical aspects of the field (developing a therapeutic alliance,
ethical issues, working with special populations, etc.).  I've been
thinking about switching to Kottler's, "Introduction to Therapeutic
Counseling - Voices from the Field."  My questions for you:

1.  Have any of you used the Kottler text before?  

2.  Do you have recommendations for other texts?

3.  When teaching theories of counseling at the undergraduate level, do
you feel it is important to have a skills component that teaches basic
active listening skills?  Or is a course on theories and associated
techniques adequate?  When using the Corey text, I found that we didn't
have enough time in the semester to cover the majority of the theories
AND teach basic active listening skills.

4.  When teaching theories of counseling at the undergraduate level, is
it more educational for students to go into the detailed specifics of
each of the major theories (Freudian, Jungian, Adlerian, Gestalt,
Existential, Person-Centered, Behavioral, CBT, Reality, TA, Systems,
Feminist) or to discuss general counseling approaches (Insight-Oriented,
Action-Oriented, Systems-Oriented)?  This approach might not go into as
much detail as the former approach, but it would provide a broader
conceptual framework for understanding the various types of counseling
approaches.  Perhaps this approach could be supplemented with a project
that requires a student to study one particular approach in more detail.


I look forward to the dialogue on this issue.

Rod

______________________________________________
Roderick D. Hetzel, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
LeTourneau University
Post Office Box 7001
2100 South Mobberly Avenue
Longview, Texas  75607-7001
 
Office:   Education Center 218
Phone:    903-233-3893
Fax:      903-233-3851
Email:    [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Homepage: http://www.letu.edu/people/rodhetzel
  

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