Northcentral University

S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 – I S S U E 7 7 Alicia G., Class of 2019 Pre-Clinical Experience Courses We were recently asked by a local supervisor what courses students engage in prior to being allowed to start their clinical experience. While we recommend that students complete at least nine courses before starting their clinical courses, students MUST complete the below six courses below to be cleared to see clients. We have provided the name and course description for each of them. Foundations for Graduate Study in MFT [Students] will complete this course with a better understanding of systems theory concepts and the role of systemic dynamics within diverse populations. This course is also an orientation to Northcentral University and to the essential skills needed to pursue a Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Graduate-level skills, such as goal building, time management, academic integrity, effective use of the Northcentral Library, the use of APA form and style in professional communication, and critical thinking skills are introduced. Treatment Planning and Traditional Family Therapy This master's-level course provides [students] with a strong foundation in classical/intergenerational models in the field of Marriage and Family Therapy. To deepen this understanding of these models, the course also focuses on [students'] application through theory-based treatment planning. The course is designed to allow [students] to gain a deeper awareness of the important relationship between theory and practice through the study and application of theory to client situations. The two primary areas of focus in this course are: 1) understanding the classic/classic models (also known as the foundational models or modernist models) of the field, and 2) the development of theoretically consistent treatment plans that include attention to the diversity of influences on family life using therapeutic models that purposefully address such influences. Recovery-Oriented Care and Post-modern Family Therapy This master's-level course focuses on postmodern models and treatment trends in marriage and family therapy, including the philosophy of social constructionism and the narrative, solution-focused, collaborative models, and the recovery model. Course content will enable [students] to conceptualize and distinguish recent epistemological issues and address contemporary conceptual directions in the field of marriage and family therapy. [Students] will complete short essays, case studies, and assorted assignments to address a wide variety of presenting clinical problems and issues, such as gender and racial diversity and discrimination, substance abuse, and recovery from mental illness. Legal, Ethical, and Professional Development in MFT This course focuses on legal and ethical issues in the profession of marriage and family therapy and the practice of individual, couple, and family therapy. It is designed to assist students in developing their professional identity and to facilitate appropriate decision-making when faced with legal and ethical dilemmas in their future clinical work. Systemic Evaluation and Case Management This master's-level course provides an opportunity to review various, assessments and evaluations tools utilized by marriage and family therapists for clinical and research purposes as well as an overview of psychological test construction, administration, and interpretation. The course will explore systemic evaluations measures for individuals, couples, and families. Students will examine differences between individually-based and systems- based forms of assessment. In addition, students will be invited to consider diversity as one of the fundamental components of a successful and productive evaluation. This course trains students how to conduct a "Needs Assessment" and standard case management methods, including identifying and aligning clients with appropriate community resources. Students will identify and visit community resources in their community. Psychopathology, Diagnosis, and Systemic Treatment Using a relational/systemic perspective, this course will address the traditional psychiatric diagnostic categories as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), with a special emphasis on client disorders that have an increased likelihood of presenting in a marriage and family therapy practice. The focus of the course content is on the assessment and treatment of major mental health issues, outlining the comparison between the psychiatric diagnostic classification system and relational, systems-based approaches.

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