Practicum III

This course is a stand-alone course and cannot be taken simultaneously with any other courses. This course offers the student field experience in working with couples and families. Students are expected to complete within this course a minimum of 100 hours of the mandatory 300-hour practicum required for licensure in the State of Texas for Marriage and Family Therapy. Participation in continuing education, staff meetings, case presentations, and case observations is expected. The MFT board requires a 300-hour mandatory practicum including 75 hours of direct counseling contact with couples and families out of an overall minimum of 150 hours of direct client contact. Students may not meet existing or potential counseling clients on the premises of Amberton University for any reason.

PREREQUISITE: CSL6845. Note: Practicum III is for students who plan to pursue LMFT licensure in the state of Texas.

UPON COMPLETION OF THE COURSE, THE STUDENT WILL BE COMPETENT IN:

• Discussing specific cases with reference to leading counseling theories.
• Differentiating counseling theories in terms of their relevance for particular cases.
• Conducting a thorough assessment of client systems.
• Conducting a thorough assessment of functional and dysfunctional group dynamics.
• Deciding appropriate interventions based on the client assessment.
• Preparing an action plan to be used in work with the clients.
• Participating in psychodrama with groups.
• Critiquing one’s own performance in light of identified performance criteria.
• Preparing a comprehensive assessment of one’s personal theoretical framework for work with groups and families.
• Conducting group counseling sessions with at least one group per week.
• Writing accurate reports of group counseling sessions which conform to standards in the field.
• Incorporating the results of psychological testing into one’s treatment plan with clients.
• Assessing family and/or group stages of development.
• Participating as a member of an interdisciplinary team through activities such as referrals, consultations, and training programs.
• Adapting one’s approach with clients based upon specific feedback from professor-supervisors.