In this program, we'll explore human developmental across the lifespan and apply it directly to developmentally-appropriate counseling practice with children and youth. We'll look at the complexities of human development through an interdisciplinary lens, taking up the age-old, "nature or nurture?" question to see how biological, psychological, and social factors shape our developmental paths. We'll also engage critical perspectives, actively engaging a core tension in developmental theories as they're engaged in counseling and social work: these theories are indispensible in helping practice and they don't always map on to life as it's lived, particularly for people with marginalized identities. We'll engage a sociological lens to explore how sociocultural factors shape this tension, and to explore how social, cultural, and community factors impact development across the lifespan.

Using this developmental lens, we'll then turn towards direct practice with children and youth. Focusing on middle childhood (ages 6-12) and adolescence (ages 13+), we'll look at what child-centered helping practice looks like. We'll cover a brief introduction to basic helping skills, before moving towards child-centered therapeutic work, covering topics including expressive arts therapies, directive and non-directive play therapy, and narrative practice. Students can expect to receive an introduction to a variety of counseling theories, particularly psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral perspectives. We'll also briefly touch on family work, including dyadic work with youth and caregivers, family-based interventions, and how to support parents while working primarily with youth.

Class time will include seminar discussion, brief lecture, and workshop time learning and practicing counseling interventions. Students will watch ad discuss video recordings of counseling practice with youth, and can expect to practice expressive arts and directive play therapy techniques during workshops. Asynchronous work will include discussion, collaborative assignments, and group work.

Students enrolled in this program should not enroll in the 4-credit course Lifespan Development.

Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:

4 - Developmental Psychology

4 - Counseling Theory and Practice