COUN 5383 - Family Assessment

The purpose of this course is to enable students to assess marital and family systems in order to engage in effective individual, marriage and family counseling and treatment planning. An examination of current family demographics, characteristics of dysfunctional families, formal marriage and family clinical assessment strategies and instruments, and interviewing techniques are included. Special attention is given to initial use of the DSM for diagnosis, treatment planning and practice. Assessment and treatment strategies related to depression, crisis intervention and psychological first aid, anxiety, eating disorders, marital conflict, sexual dysfunction, personality disorders and behaviors that impede individual, couple and family functioning. Lectures, discussions, in-class assessments, and other methods are utilized to aid students in acquiring a critical understanding of the contextual/systemic aspects of a comprehensive assessment process and the resulting treatment plan. Student must make a B or better. Class 3.