PSC 501A Theories of Psychotherapy in Context
3 units
In this course, students critically examine some of the most influential theories of
western psychotherapy by exploring the social, cultural and historical contexts that
produced them. Students will learn the personality constructs, theory of change, and therapeutic interventions of individual psychotherapy theories. The course emphasizes the critical evaluation of the strengths, and weaknesses of each school and the beginning identification of a personal therapeutic orientation.

PSC 503 Methods of Inquiry: Evaluating Approaches to Psychological Knowledge
3 units
This course examines different approaches to the generation and evaluation of
psychological theory and data. Strengths, weaknesses, and ethical practice of
quantitative and qualitative methods are examined with attention to the descriptive and
inferential statistical methods used in hypothesis testing and psychological
assessment.

PSC 504A Life-Span Human Development
3 units
This course examines the process of human growth and development through-
out the life-span. Development is examined from the perspectives of
psychodynamic, cognitive, and social psychological theories, with emphasis on
students gaining and deepening an awareness of their own developmental stories.

PSC 505A Multicultural Awareness: Self, Culture and Context
3 units
Professionals in a multicultural society must be aware of psychological, social,
economic and political issues associated with culture, race, class, ethnicity, age and
gender. This course examines the experience of cultural and the experience of
difference, with particular emphasis on power, oppression and marginalization.
The course promotes self-awareness and cross-cultural exploration.

PSC 505 Clinical Skills in the Multicultural Context
3 units
This experiential course fosters multicultural awareness, teaches students about the
impact of multiple cultural influences and identities on clinical issues, and introduces
students to culturally responsive assessment practices and clinical skills.
Cultural influences and identities include: age, disability, religion/spirituality,
race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, indigenous heritage, national
identity, and gender.

PSC 506A Psychopathology: The Politics of Deviance
3 units
Psychopathology is a phenomenon of naming which may reduce the complexity
of personal suffering. This course examines the historical and social contexts of
wellness and suffering, the use of psychological theory to understand and treat
psychological problems, and the political implications of diagnostic process.

PSC 507A Theory and Application of Family Therapy
3 units
This course examines the major concepts and theories of the family systems orientation in psychotherapy. By exploring the history, premises, cultural influences and
approaches of family therapy practice, students learn to conceptualize and think
about individuals, couples, and families from a systemic point of view.

PSC 507 Clinical Skills with Families and Couples
3 units
This experiential course focuses on the application of systems theory with couples
and families. Students learn assessment and intervention techniques that consider
the context of the client and are aimed at changing the interactions between
individuals as well as at the level of the system.

PSC 508 Psychological Assessment: Evaluating Individuals and Systems in
Context
3 units
Appropriate clinical interventions require appropriate assessment of the individual,
the family system and the human context. This course introduces students to
methods of psychological assessment within the social, cultural and interpersonal context.

PSC 511 Latino Mental Health
3 units
This course focuses on the mental health needs of Latino adults, families and children within the social context of southern California. The course addresses multicultural issues of specific relevance to Latinos such as subgroup differences, immigration, acculturation, family structure and values, and language differences.

PSC 512 Clinical Skills in the Latino Context
3 units
In this experiential course students work on the development of basic counseling skills and the building of a therapeutic relationship that is accomplished within and with reference to the Latino cultural context and healing practices. Students will contrast traditional approaches to the therapeutic relationship with culturally sensitive practices.

PSC 513 Culture & Diagnosis
1 unit
This course is designed to help students differentiate between behavior and thinking that is acculturation or culturally determined vs. symptomatic of psychiatric and emotional distress.
Students will come to understand how misdiagnosis can occur due to a lack of cultural sensitivity concerning a client’s cultural beliefs and traditions

PSC 514 Process of Bilingual Therapy
3 units
Because Spanish speakers do not constitute a homogeneous group and clients may switch between using English and Spanish, this course will focus on developing bilingual language fluency using experiential learning methods. Skills are developed for differentiating between content and process, and for working with client affect, resistance and defense, transference and counter transference

PSC 515 Interventions w/ Latino Couples & Families
3 units
This experiential course focuses on the applications of systems theories to Latino couples and families. Students will learn assessment and intervention techniques that consider the systemic context of the client with the aim of changing family interaction patterns.

PSC 520 The Process of Group Psychotherapy
3 units
Students are introduced to concepts of group process, group membership and behavior. All students participate in the classroom group process under the leadership of the instructor, and opportunity is provided for learning group facilitation skills.

PSC 520A Clinical Skills I: The Psychotherapeutic Relationship
3 units
This course provides an introduction to basic psychotherapeutic concepts and
skills, with particular attention to the nature of the relationship between the
psychotherapist and client. In this highly experiential course, students practice
fundamental psychotherapy skills in the roles of therapist, client and observer.

PSC 520B Clinical Skills II: The Psychotherapy Process
3 units
In this course, students learn to attend to process variables in psychotherapy.
Skills are developed for differentiating between content and process, and for working with client affect, resistance and defense, transference and counter transference.

PSC 521 Professional Seminar: Integrating Clinical Cases
3 units
In this capstone class, students integrate the knowledge, clinical skills, and self-
awareness that they have been developing throughout the program. Learning
objectives include understanding the beginning, middle and ending phases of psychotherapy, and the importance of ongoing supervision as an essential element
in the development of a responsible professional identity. Students are required to
be in a practicum in order to make use of case material in class.

PSC 528A Imagination and Play: Psychotherapy with Children
3 units
This course examines the treatment of children from diverse backgrounds with
particular attention to the necessity of adapting therapeutic interventions to the
child’s cultural and familial context. Students will become familiar with
theories, practices and experiences of play therapy, non-verbal techniques, and the
use of cognitive/emotive therapies.

PSC 529A Initiation and Identity: Psychotherapy with Adolescents
3 units
This course will cover the transitional stage of adolescence and the formation of
identity. Students will explore the consequences of initiation within our
contemporary context, emerging sexuality, the effects of social pressures and the
transition out of the home.

PSC 531A Intimate Relationships
3 units
In this course, students examine relationships of intimacy, including same-sex and
opposite-sex partnering, marriage, and significant others. Theories and processes
for facilitating change in intimate relationships will be explored, including
communications theory, cognitive-behavioral theory, psychodynamic theory, and
systems theory.

PSC 537A Human Sexuality
1 unit
In this course students examine current topics including biological, psychological,
psychosocial and cultural aspects of sexuality. Students also explore their own sex-
ual identities and their values regarding sexual behavior.

PSC 538B Professional Ethics and the Law
3 units
The complexity and ambiguity of ethical issues is explored in this course covering
the laws and ethical standards governing the practice of Marriage and Family
Therapy in California. Students will learn to understand family law, to apply
legal and ethical knowledge to cases, and to create a structured approach for dealing
with legal and ethical decisions as they occur in clinical practice.

PSC 545 Substance Abuse: Prevention and Treatment
2 units
This course examines the conditions in self and society which are associated with
the abuse of substances such as alcohol and drugs. Various approaches and models
for prevention and treatment, including community-based programs, will be
explored.

PSC 546 Psychopharmacology for Therapists
3 units
This course covers what every therapist should know about referring a client for
medical consultation, and what to expect from consulting psychopharmacologists
and how to insure that both the therapist and the client get what they need from
the consultation. Attention is given to a review of the diagnostic criteria for major
DSM IV disorders treatable with medication, including a list of these medications,
their therapeutic dosage range, and side effects.

PSC 550 Domestic Violence: Prevention and Treatment
2 units
This course examines the causes and consequences of the cycle of violence in the
home. Topics include the psychology of abuse in intimate relationships, assessment
of violence, community resources and methods for prevention and treatment.

PSC551 Community Mental Health
3 units
This course examines the theories, history, research, and practice of community mental health in order to learn the information and skills needed to sustain effective community based treatments for people with serious mental illness. The biopsychosocial factors that support this population’s ability to live as symptom free as possible, with the highest quality of life in the least restrictive environment will be examined. Additionally, evidence based methods & promising practices of rehabilitation, recovery, & empowerment for currently served & underserved people with serious mental illness will be explored.

PSC551A Public and Community Based Systems of Care
3 units
This course describes the continuum of mental health care delivered by government and nonprofit agencies with particular attention to the recent shift in focus on the prevention of mental illness and early intervention with populations at risk. Also examined are the legal, educational, community and medical settings in which populations at risk are found. Students will obtain skills in billing and documentation for reimbursement in public services, cultural competence with mentally ill families, and interagency collaboration.

PSC563K Professional Orientation
1.5 units
This seminar will give students an understanding of the professional role of a therapist and assist in the development of the skills needed to start a traineeship. Skills such as how to: greet clients, complete agency paperwork, keep progress notes, handle money issues, set boundaries, make referrals, and handle no shows and terminations will be addressed. Students will learn the Board of Behavioral Sciences Regulations associated with functioning as a Trainee in an approved training site including the required paperwork, counting hours for licensure, and preparing for interviews with sites.

PSI 510 Career and Lifestyle Planning
3 units
This course introduces career planning concepts to clinicians and counselors. Students will learn major theories, and assessment techniques that allow for an initial formulation of a client’s vocational needs or problems. Also covered are basic interventions such as helping clients prepare for job searches. Students will explore career topics by an examination of their personal career trajectories.

PSC549A Child Abuse Reporting
1 unit
This course meets the BBS seven-hour requirement for the study of assessment and mandated reporting of child abuse of various types. Physical and behavioral indicators of abuse, crisis counseling techniques, community referral resources, and treatment issues are also covered

PSC504G Lifespan Human Development: The Older Adult
0 units
This workshop meets the ten-hour BBS requirement for the study of the biological, psychological and social aspects of aging. Students will learn to identify red flags, assess common disorders such as depression and dementia, consider treatment options for elderly clients and their families, and make community referrals.

PSC 600 Applied Psychotherapeutic
Techniques of Marriage, Family and
Child Counseling
9-12 units
As part of the degree program, students in participate in traineeships which provide
them with experience in psychotherapy with individuals, couples, families, and/or
groups under the supervision of a licensed professional. Students may perform
primary prevention in the community or social systems interventions on behalf of
clients in addition to traditional counseling or psychotherapy interventions in a
community agency. Supervised hours may also be applied toward licensure with the
Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS). Students must complete 18 units of course
work, including PSC501A, PSC 520A and PSC 538B in order to register for this practicum.