Northern Arizona University
College of Education
COURSE SYLLABUS
EPS 690 – MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Lakota Lynn Brown
TIME: Thursdays, 5PM—10:0PM
DATES: March 6—May 8, 2003
PLACE: Student Services Center, Room 310, Mesa
OFFICE HRS: I am in Flagstaff on Monday, Tuesday & Friday, and in Phoenix on Wednesday & Thursday.
Phoenix office hours are Thursday 1-3PM
Flagstaff, office hours are Monday, 11AM-2PM
Other times by appointment
Mailing address:
Northern Arizona University
Educational Psychology Dept.
Box 5774
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
PHONE: Phoenix:
Voice: 602/ 493-2747
FAX: 602/ 498-2730
Flagstaff:
Voice: 1-800-426-8315, ext. 3-6172
Or, 928-523-6172
FAX: 928-523-1929 (mark for my attention)
E-MAIL: Lakota.Brown@nau.edu
TEXT: Counseling the Culturally Diverse: Theory and Practice
Sue & Sue, 4th Edition, Wiley, c. 2003
Supplemental readings are also required. These will be provided as handouts, from Cline Library electronic course reserves, or from the Internet.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Multicultural Counseling, EPS 690, is a theoretical and skill development course for counselors and clinicians to strengthen multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills in the competencies necessary to evaluate presenting problems brought by ethnically and culturally diverse clients.
GOAL:
The goal of this class is to provide theories and exercises whereby students will examine their attitudes & beliefs and gain knowledge and skills in the area of multicultural counseling.
The course meets the requirements of the Educational Psychology Department under the area of Social and Cultural Foundations, "studies that provide an understanding of issues and trends in a multicultural and diverse society" as well as the CACREP Standards under the section Social and Cultural Diversity studies.
OBJECTIVES:
Students will:
1. demonstrate how their own cultural background and experiences have
influenced their attitudes, values, and biases about psychological processes.
2. demonstrate knowledge of ethical and legal considerations so that they will be able to contrast their own beliefs and attitudes with those of their culturally different clients in a nonjudgmental fashion.
3. demonstrate knowledge and articulate their understanding about how
oppression, discrimination, and stereotyping affect them personally,
professionally, institutionally, and actively seek a more culturally affirming
professional identity.
4. demonstrate knowledge about verbal and non-verbal communication style
differences, how their style may clash
with or foster the counseling process with persons different from themselves.
5. demonstrate specific knowledge and information about particular groups and
discuss life experiences, cultural
heritage, family systems, and historical background of identified
culturally different clients.
6.
demonstrate how culture may affect psychological processes such
as personality formation, vocational choices, psychological disorders and help
seeking behaviors.
7.
demonstrate knowledge
about sociopolitical and economic influences
that may impact self-esteem and self-concept in the counseling process.
8. examine relevant research regarding mental health issues and culturally
appropriate interventions including indigenous
helping practices and help-giving networks among communities.
9. participate in activities outside the academic setting(e.g., community events,
social and political functions,
celebrations, friendships, neighborhood groups, and so forth) to clarify their
role in social justice, advocacy, and conflict resolution, and to facilitate
their knowledge of culturally different groups.
10. articulate and demonstrate how culturally different clients' religious and/or
spiritual beliefs and values, including attributions and taboos,
affect worldview, psychosocial functioning, and expressions of distress.
11. identify assessment and testing instruments and demonstrate their
appropriateness with diverse clients.
12. demonstrate knowledge about how to advocate at institutional and community
levels on behalf of their clients.
Students will be expected to begin formulating a statement of their own philosophy of multicultural counseling in order to become more aware and sensitive counselors within a multicultural setting. Ethical issues will be stressed.
Effective multicultural counseling encompasses rational, emotive, and behavioral components, and class experiences will be designed to tap into all three areas of learning. A thoughtful exploration of one’s own biases and mindsets may bring to the forefront a number of unresolved and/or distressing personal issues for the student which may not be resolved solely within the class setting. Students are encouraged to address such issues in one of the following ways:
1) Discuss the concern within the class setting.
2) Discuss the concern with the instructor outside the group setting.
3) Discuss the concern with another Counseling Psychology faculty member (e.g., Dr. Ramona Mellott, Educational Psychology Faculty Chair).
4) Discuss the concern with another mental health professional such as a counselor, a social worker, or a psychologist.
PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS
Class attendance and participation are required. Please call or e-mail me if you are not able to attend class. More than one absence from class may result in a lowering of the final grade, at the discretion of the instructor.
Because of the intense class meeting schedule, pre-reading of textbook assignments is essential. Class sessions will contain a mixture of lectures, small group activities, audio-visual presentations, and structured exercises designed to increase self awareness and allow a real life application of specific multicultural theories to the counseling setting.
Students are encouraged to bring into class their experiences in classroom and other work settings in order to test the applicability of theoretical perspectives to multicultural counseling. Although theories are based on verifiable research, there is room for interpretation and critical thinking. Therefore, I want you to question what is being presented and how it may or may not apply to your own counseling beliefs. Please feel free to disagree, ask questions, and share information. You bring to class a rich panoply of experiences, and we can learn from each other.
COURSE EVALUATION AND GRADING
The final course grade is comprised of a possible 400 points:
The keeping of a personal journal, 10 points each (50 points);
Due: Mar 13, Mar. 27, April 10, April 24, May 8
Reading & reporting on three reference articles in on-line resources,
25 points each (75 points)
Due: Weekly
A personal multicultural experience, 75 points;
Due: April 17
A formal paper elaborating your own worldview – 100 points
Due: May 1
A group presentation, 100 points;
Due: May 8
400-360 points = A; 359-320 = B; 319-280 = C; 279-240 = D; <240 = F
The journal is your personal reaction to information presented in class together with your own readings in multicultural issues. Each bi-weekly entry is worth 10 points and should be approximately 2-5 pages long, (preferably typed and double spaced). These entries should NOT be the daily activity, “I-had-eggs-for-breakfast” type of reporting, but rather, thoughtful, considered reactions to current multicultural issues, class discussions, and outside readings.
The on-line readings require logging on to either the Cline electronic reserves for this course (located under either class: EPS690 or Instructor, Brown), using the electronic journals at Cline, or logging onto the New York Times series on Race in America at: http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/race/.
There will be a signup sheet for your articles. You will need to select your article the week prior to reporting, so that we can minimize duplication. Please plan to bring an annotated bibliography source slip for each class member listing: 1) the reference site, 2) where you found it, and 3) one or two sentences of summary of article content. You may choose which articles you wish to read, but must be ready to report orally to the class on at least one new article per week.
The personal multicultural experience involves devising a personal experience with someone from a different culture. Supplemental information is given at the end of this syllabus.
Your worldview paper: Drawing from the readings, knowledge about yourself and experiences in our multicultural society, you are to describe your cultural identity development. You may refer to models proposed in the text and readings and should include information such as: What are your underpinnings and foundations? How will your cultural self‑understanding enable you to be a culturally effective counselor? What are some personal biases and limitations that may hinder you? You can use a cultural genogram, the Personal Dimensions of Identity Model or another tool to discuss your cultural identity development. Describe the cultural competencies that reflect your sense of cultural identity. This paper should be about 8‑10 pages, double‑spaced, complete with bibliography (if you quote or refer to outside sources), APA style (the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th edition—available on the Internet or the NAU Cline Library site.)
The group project: You will be divided into groups of 3-4 and assigned a form of media to examine over the course of the next several weeks. Talk media, movies and TV, commercials, educational periodicals/journals, newspapers and popular magazines, as well as The Internet may be used.
Your team will select one form of media, with only one team per media. Prepare an approximate 30 minute presentation for the class including an overview of the process employed and your findings including complete demographic information about each site. Be alert to bias (or not) which you may discover in the materials you survey.
Each group will submit one executive summary, 2-3 pages in length of the presentation. Your summary and presentation will focus on the following questions:
ü How are multicultural perspectives introduced with regard to ethnicity, race, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomics, class and religion?
ü What covert and overt messages are heard through your form of media?
ü Does your group observe any particular patterns of how certain groups of people are portrayed? If yes, what concerns might you have?
ü Describe how this feedback can impact a client and counselor's worldview.
ü Recommend multicultural competencies for the media.
EPS 690—MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING
Tentative Lecture Schedule
Spring 2003
DATE TOPICS/ READING ASSIGNMENTS
Introductions, syllabus
Defining populations and terms
Origin of worldviews
Within-Group Differences among racial/ethnic minorities
[Video: The color of Fear, VT 4918]
Discuss in class: chapters 1, 2, 8- Counseling the Culturally Diverse ( CCD).
Assignment for next week: CCD, Chapters 6, 7, 11
Investigate the New York Times “Race in America” website
African American communications
The Cross theory of cultural assimilation
White racial identity Development
[Video: Counseling African-American Clients VT 4334]
Reading Assignment for next week: CCD, Chapters 9, 13
Due: Reading report, Journal #1
March 27: American Indian Clients
Introduction to the American Indian client
Working with Native American healers and spirituality issues
Bicultural competence
Arizona American Indian Tribes
[Video: More than Bows & Arrows VT 2176,
Counseling the American Indian Client, VT 8049]
Due: Reading report, Journal #2
Reading Assignment for next week: CCD, Chapters 3, 12
Hispanic Cultures
[Video: More than Bows & Arrows VT 2176,
Counseling Hispanic clients,VT 4065
Diversity within Hispanic cultures
Counseling interventions with Hispanic clients
[Video: Una Segunda Vista VT 4076]
Due: Reading report, Personal multicultural experience, Journal #3
Ethical and research issues
Sociocultural factors of the psychological development
Of Asians in America
The “model minority” stereotypes and bimodal distributions
[Counseling Asian American Clients VT 4087]
Reading Assignment for next week: CCD Chapters 5, 14
Due: Personal Experience
Independence and lifestyle planning for individuals with disabilities
Sexuality issues
Confronting personal bias
[Video: How difficult can this be? VT 3370]
Due: Journal #4
Reading Assignment for next week: CCD, Chapters 15: pp.304-308, 4
Affirmation psychotherapy
Gay adolescent issues
[Video: Psychotherapy with gay and lesbian teens, VT 6823]
Due: Formal worldview paper
Reading Assignment for next week: CCD, Chapters 15: pp.309-320
Integration and recapitulation of multicultural counseling theory
Due: Journal #5, group presentations on media
********************
COURSE POLICIES:
1. All assignments should be the original work of the student completed for this class.
2. If you must be absent, arrange for another student to pick up handouts for you. You are responsible for getting class notes, announcements, etc. from another student.
3. You are responsible for all assigned readings, whether or not discussed in class.
4. Unless otherwise arranged, all assignments must be typed or completed on a word processor. Writing errors such as spelling, punctuation, grammatical errors, etc., will be taken into consideration and may lower the grade.
5. Students are permitted and encouraged to proofread each others' assignments.
6. Make a copy of every assignment before you submit it to the instructor.
7. Assignments should be submitted on the due date to receive full credit.
In the event of an unusual final point distribution, the final point requirements may be lowered. This will be solely at the instructor's discretion.
A Personal Experience
1) Pick the type of experience that will give you the most potential for personal growth: Experiences will vary. Students have attended a service in a church that is radically difference from their own, spent part of a day in a wheel chair, visited a gay bar, volunteered at a homeless shelter, spent a night with a Navajo family on the reservation, and visited at a nursing home. The important thing is to share some of yourself with others, while being aware of how YOU feel being the different one. Be sure to use your counselor’s tact and sensitivity!
2) Write a two to three page summary of your experience including 1) a summary of the event, 2) what you learned about the culture, 3) how you would go about counseling someone from this culture, and 4) what personal biases/ethical issues might be involved for you. Be prepared to give a short (5 min) discussion of what you’ve learned.
Alternative assignment: Read or view TWO of the books or videos listed below, and do a comparison/contrast between the perspectives of the particular culture chosen.
BOOKS: Read a new book; retreads are not acceptable!
African-American: Makes Me Want to Holler(McCall); Autobiography of Malcolm X; Up South: African American Migrations (Adero); Beloved—Jazz—Tar Baby (Toni Morrison); How Stella Got hHer Groove Back (McMillan); I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou); Honey Hush! African American Women’s Humor; Black on White: Black Writers on What It Means To Be White. Asian-American: Snow Falling on Cedar; Joy Luck Club; Living for Change, an autobiography (Gree Lee Boggs). Hispanic: House of Spirits—Stories of Eva Luna—Infinite Plan (Isabel Allende); Bless Me, Ultima (Rudolfo Anaya); Fragile Night (Stella Duarte, counselor at Carl Hayden HS in Phx); La Maravilla (Alfredo Vea); Like Water For Chocolate (Laura Esquivel); Growing up Chicana/o (Tiffany Lopez). Native American: Education of Little Tree (Forrest Carter); Lakota Woman (Mary Crow Dog); From the Glittering World: A Navajo Story (Irvin Morris); The Dancing Healers: A Doctor’s Journey of Healing with Native Americans (Hammerschlag); Molded in the Image of Changing Woman: Navajo Views on the Human Body and Personhood (Schwartz); Mankiller—A Chief and her People (Wilma Mankiller); Black Elk Speaks (Neihardt).
MOVIES: It is OK to watch a movie with other classmates—just be sure that you write your own summary in your own words of your own impressions.
African-American: Boyz N the Hood; Driving Miss Daisy; The Color Purple; Long Walk Home; Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner; Roots I & II, Finding Forester Asian-American: Dim Sum; Come See the Paradise; Wedding Banquet; Joy Luck Club. Hispanic: Milagro Bean Field War; Mi Familia; Ballad of Gregorio Cortz; Born in East L.A. Native American: The Mission; Never Cry Wolf; Pow Wow Highway; Thunderheart, Smoke Signals, Hoop Dreams. People with disabilities: Children of a Lesser God; If you can see what I can hear; Patch of Blue; My Left Foot. Gay/Lesbian: Priscilla, Queen of the Nile, Bird Cage, Kiss Me, Guido.