Program learning outcome 3: Psychodynamic Child Clinical Skills and Application
Psychodynamic Child Clinical Skills and Application (PLO 3): Graduates will integrate psychodynamically-oriented and neurobiologically-informed theory and scholarly research into their assessment and treatment of infant, child, and adolescents and their families. Graduates will:
3a. Apply theory to child psychotherapy interventions informed by diverse psychodynamic modalities.
3b. Formulate comprehensive assessments and diagnoses.
3c. Integrate psychodynamic concepts of the child’s unconscious processes within case formulations and treatment.
3d. Develop and apply cross cultural competence that facilitates effective clinical practice in a diverse social context.
3e. Demonstrate and advance professional conduct and skills.
3f. Uphold professional ethics.
Below are all courses that meet PLO 3.
PSY-730 Child-Parent Psychotherapy (3.0 units)
Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) is a psychodynamically-oriented evidence-based intervention from birth to age five who have experienced trauma (e.g., maltreatment, the sudden or traumatic death of someone close, a serious accident, sexual abuse, exposure to domestic violence) and, as a result, are experiencing behavior, attachment, and/or mental health problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The primary goal of CPP is to support and strengthen the relationship between a child and his or her parent (or caregiver) as a vehicle for restoring the child's sense of safety, attachment, and appropriate affect and improving the child's cognitive, behavioral, and social functioning. CPP is also used with latency-age children.
PSY-732 Case Conference I (3.0 units)
In this first course of a 3-part series, students learn how to develop comprehensive psychodynamic case formulations, and integrate their current casework with psychodynamic theories and interventions learned in first-year coursework. Emphasis is placed on the critical concept of including parents/caregivers in child and adolescent psychodynamic treatment and receive careful consultation about maintaining boundaries between parent work and adult individual therapy in this process. The formulation template will be introduced, and students will record casework progress on a weekly basis in a standard format. Oral presentations of current casework in a small group setting encourages a forum for stimulating dialogue under the leadership of the instructor.
PSY-734 Case Conference II (3.0 units)
The second session of this three-part series of Case Conferences Courses will focus on the ability of the student to integrate psychodynamic and neurobiological theories in a comprehensive case conceptualization and presentation. The student will chose a specific theoretical orientation and through a series of process notes will reflect their understanding of the therapeutic interventions and the application to their clinical work. Key psychodynamic principles of attunement, transference and countertransference will be discussed.
PSY-736 Case Conference III (3.0 units)
In this third course of a 3-part series, students master their skills in the construction of psychodynamic case formulations and integrate their current casework with psychodynamic theories and interventions learned in first, second-year and third year coursework. Emphasis is placed on issues of termination in child and adolescent psychodynamic treatment, and students receive careful consultation about properly planning and implementing these concepts into current casework. Students continue to use the case formulation template and record casework progress on a weekly basis in a standard format. Oral presentations of current casework in a small group setting further encourages stimulating dialogue under the leadership of the instructor.
PSY-738 Pre to Adolescent Psychotherapy (3.0 units)
This course will provide an overview of treatment modalities with emphasis on psychodynamic work with adolescents including group and family work. From building a working alliance through termination including transference and countertransference issues. Problem solving specific issues related to challenges related to working with resistant teens, as well as working with parents and significant others in the teen’s world.
PSY-740 Evaluating Psychodynamic Effectiveness (2.0 units)
This course is designed to review salient aspects of the psychodynamic therapeutic relationship which is the hallmarks of effective treatment. This course will include a review of several complementary psychodynamic theories which all emphasize the clinical relationship as central to the work. In particular, we will review the role of alliance variables, boundaries, relational factors, and approaches to therapeutic impasse in order to formulate evidence based psychodynamic strategies for assessment and intervention. The course is intended to deepen and expand participants’ understanding and clinical implementation of key theoretical concepts such as: the holding environment, containment, transference and countertransference, defensive styles, enactments, self-disclosure, and the roles of these methodologies in the relative clinical efficacy of these models. This course will also facilitate critical examination of existing psychodynamic research with a specific emphasis on enhancing students’ abilities to design research projects investigating efficacy of psychodynamic modalities.
PSY-742 Psychodynamic Supervision and Evaluation (3.0 units)
This course will examine supervision from a variety of psychodynamic perspectives. Topics will include parallel process, utilization of the countertransference, and managing therapeutic impasses. The instructor will demonstrate concepts and model various approaches by working with issues arising in the students’ practice.
PSY-744 Psychodynamic Family Therapy (2.0 units)
This course teaches students how to approach family therapy from a psychodynamic perspective. This approach to family therapy integrates classical Freud, Bowen, Ackerman, and Whitaker psychoanalytical theories into the unconscious aspects of individual personality development and function with an interest in the social context, and especially the family context, in which individual and relational dysfunction develops. Students learn to focus on the interaction between family members, analyzing the role played by each member in maintaining the system. Using this perspective, students develop case formulations, implement psychodynamic interventions and plan effective courses of treatment to address multiple aspects of individual and family psychological functioning.
PSY-746 Selected Topics I (2.0 units)
This course develops a specific area in psychodynamic child psychology and psychotherapy. The course will present advanced training based on the expressed interests of the cohort. This course differs from a regular course in that the course content may change from offering to offering depending on the chosen topic and instructor expertise in the relevant area. The course content will be selected six months prior to the quarter it is offered, and students will be notified.
PSY-748 Selected Topics II (2.0 units)
This course develops a specific area in psychodynamic child psychology and psychotherapy. The course will present advanced training based on the expressed interests of the cohort. This course differs from a regular course in that the course content may change from offering to offering depending on the chosen topic and instructor expertise in the relevant area. The course content will be selected six months prior to the quarter it is offered, and students will be notified.
PSY-750 Applications of Child & Adolescent Play Therapy (3.0 units)
This course integrates multiple approaches and modalities of play therapy with a focus on establishing and supporting therapeutic relationships with children and adolescents in treatment. Students learn ways to strategically apply play therapy principles to effect positive change and will have opportunities to apply these principles through hands-on application.
PSY-752 Evaluation & Analysis of Psychological Assessment I (2.0 units)
This first course of a two part series will begin with an introduction of relevant statistical terms such as percentiles, T Scores, and Standard Scores and the concepts of dispersion and variability needed to more critically analyze psycho-educational test results. It will next address underlying theories and principals of psychological testing, followed by introducing the student to standardized intelligence tests with a focus on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V). The course also addresses achievement testing with a focus on the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement (WJ-IV). The final part of the course will focus on the relationship of these two tests in assessing possible learning disabilities, ending with the review of actual learning disabled children’s and adolescents’ (disguised) reports.
PSY-754 Evaluation & Analysis of Psychological Assessment II (2.0 units)
In this second of two courses, students continue to use the basic tools of measurement required to understand and analyze data from psychological reports. The focus now moves to personality assessment both objective and projective, with an emphasis on the Rorschach Test and thematic testing measures including the Children's Apperception Test (CAT) and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). Students will then learn how the various tests in the report are integrated to “paint a picture” of the individual child in terms of his/her development, followed by how to critically prioritize and actualize the recommendations with a special focus on helping parents to access these recommendations with an emphasis on explaining the IEP process and the rights of parents to have services for their child. The final part of the course will focus on reviewing actual cases (disguised), to actualize what they have learned.
PSY-756 Jungian Theory & Therapy for Children and Adolescents (3.0 units)
This course will give an introduction to life, theory, and concepts of C. G. Jung and Sandplay therapy. Main topics discussed are the individuation process, the Self, the unconscious, shadow, persona, anima/animus, archetypes, symbols, dreams, active imagination, images of the psyche, and methods used in analytical psychology. The emphasis will be given to the methods of painting inner images and Sandplay. The history and origins of Sandplay as well as the use of this non-verbal method will be presented. The main elements of sand, water, tray and the miniature collection, will be introduced as well as specific factors in the transference in Sandplay. Case examples will be provided.
PSY-758 Jungian Sandplay for Children & Adolescents (3.0 units)
This course represents a continuation of the introductory course “Jung and Sandplay” and will deepen the Jungian concepts as well as explore practical applications of the method. Psychodynamics will be examined, and the different approaches to interpret the material. Jungian concepts of transference will be amplified and applied to the practical work with sandplay and clients.
PSY-760 Jungian Dream Work for Children and Adolescents (3.0 units)
This course will cover dream interpretation from a psychodynamic perspective. Clinical implications and the implementation of dream interpretation in the psychotherapeutic process will be discussed, including the use of the therapist’s unconscious process when listening to a dream and interpreting its meaning to the patient.
3a. Apply theory to child psychotherapy interventions informed by diverse psychodynamic modalities.
3b. Formulate comprehensive assessments and diagnoses.
3c. Integrate psychodynamic concepts of the child’s unconscious processes within case formulations and treatment.
3d. Develop and apply cross cultural competence that facilitates effective clinical practice in a diverse social context.
3e. Demonstrate and advance professional conduct and skills.
3f. Uphold professional ethics.
Below are all courses that meet PLO 3.
PSY-730 Child-Parent Psychotherapy (3.0 units)
Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) is a psychodynamically-oriented evidence-based intervention from birth to age five who have experienced trauma (e.g., maltreatment, the sudden or traumatic death of someone close, a serious accident, sexual abuse, exposure to domestic violence) and, as a result, are experiencing behavior, attachment, and/or mental health problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The primary goal of CPP is to support and strengthen the relationship between a child and his or her parent (or caregiver) as a vehicle for restoring the child's sense of safety, attachment, and appropriate affect and improving the child's cognitive, behavioral, and social functioning. CPP is also used with latency-age children.
PSY-732 Case Conference I (3.0 units)
In this first course of a 3-part series, students learn how to develop comprehensive psychodynamic case formulations, and integrate their current casework with psychodynamic theories and interventions learned in first-year coursework. Emphasis is placed on the critical concept of including parents/caregivers in child and adolescent psychodynamic treatment and receive careful consultation about maintaining boundaries between parent work and adult individual therapy in this process. The formulation template will be introduced, and students will record casework progress on a weekly basis in a standard format. Oral presentations of current casework in a small group setting encourages a forum for stimulating dialogue under the leadership of the instructor.
PSY-734 Case Conference II (3.0 units)
The second session of this three-part series of Case Conferences Courses will focus on the ability of the student to integrate psychodynamic and neurobiological theories in a comprehensive case conceptualization and presentation. The student will chose a specific theoretical orientation and through a series of process notes will reflect their understanding of the therapeutic interventions and the application to their clinical work. Key psychodynamic principles of attunement, transference and countertransference will be discussed.
PSY-736 Case Conference III (3.0 units)
In this third course of a 3-part series, students master their skills in the construction of psychodynamic case formulations and integrate their current casework with psychodynamic theories and interventions learned in first, second-year and third year coursework. Emphasis is placed on issues of termination in child and adolescent psychodynamic treatment, and students receive careful consultation about properly planning and implementing these concepts into current casework. Students continue to use the case formulation template and record casework progress on a weekly basis in a standard format. Oral presentations of current casework in a small group setting further encourages stimulating dialogue under the leadership of the instructor.
PSY-738 Pre to Adolescent Psychotherapy (3.0 units)
This course will provide an overview of treatment modalities with emphasis on psychodynamic work with adolescents including group and family work. From building a working alliance through termination including transference and countertransference issues. Problem solving specific issues related to challenges related to working with resistant teens, as well as working with parents and significant others in the teen’s world.
PSY-740 Evaluating Psychodynamic Effectiveness (2.0 units)
This course is designed to review salient aspects of the psychodynamic therapeutic relationship which is the hallmarks of effective treatment. This course will include a review of several complementary psychodynamic theories which all emphasize the clinical relationship as central to the work. In particular, we will review the role of alliance variables, boundaries, relational factors, and approaches to therapeutic impasse in order to formulate evidence based psychodynamic strategies for assessment and intervention. The course is intended to deepen and expand participants’ understanding and clinical implementation of key theoretical concepts such as: the holding environment, containment, transference and countertransference, defensive styles, enactments, self-disclosure, and the roles of these methodologies in the relative clinical efficacy of these models. This course will also facilitate critical examination of existing psychodynamic research with a specific emphasis on enhancing students’ abilities to design research projects investigating efficacy of psychodynamic modalities.
PSY-742 Psychodynamic Supervision and Evaluation (3.0 units)
This course will examine supervision from a variety of psychodynamic perspectives. Topics will include parallel process, utilization of the countertransference, and managing therapeutic impasses. The instructor will demonstrate concepts and model various approaches by working with issues arising in the students’ practice.
PSY-744 Psychodynamic Family Therapy (2.0 units)
This course teaches students how to approach family therapy from a psychodynamic perspective. This approach to family therapy integrates classical Freud, Bowen, Ackerman, and Whitaker psychoanalytical theories into the unconscious aspects of individual personality development and function with an interest in the social context, and especially the family context, in which individual and relational dysfunction develops. Students learn to focus on the interaction between family members, analyzing the role played by each member in maintaining the system. Using this perspective, students develop case formulations, implement psychodynamic interventions and plan effective courses of treatment to address multiple aspects of individual and family psychological functioning.
PSY-746 Selected Topics I (2.0 units)
This course develops a specific area in psychodynamic child psychology and psychotherapy. The course will present advanced training based on the expressed interests of the cohort. This course differs from a regular course in that the course content may change from offering to offering depending on the chosen topic and instructor expertise in the relevant area. The course content will be selected six months prior to the quarter it is offered, and students will be notified.
PSY-748 Selected Topics II (2.0 units)
This course develops a specific area in psychodynamic child psychology and psychotherapy. The course will present advanced training based on the expressed interests of the cohort. This course differs from a regular course in that the course content may change from offering to offering depending on the chosen topic and instructor expertise in the relevant area. The course content will be selected six months prior to the quarter it is offered, and students will be notified.
PSY-750 Applications of Child & Adolescent Play Therapy (3.0 units)
This course integrates multiple approaches and modalities of play therapy with a focus on establishing and supporting therapeutic relationships with children and adolescents in treatment. Students learn ways to strategically apply play therapy principles to effect positive change and will have opportunities to apply these principles through hands-on application.
PSY-752 Evaluation & Analysis of Psychological Assessment I (2.0 units)
This first course of a two part series will begin with an introduction of relevant statistical terms such as percentiles, T Scores, and Standard Scores and the concepts of dispersion and variability needed to more critically analyze psycho-educational test results. It will next address underlying theories and principals of psychological testing, followed by introducing the student to standardized intelligence tests with a focus on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V). The course also addresses achievement testing with a focus on the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement (WJ-IV). The final part of the course will focus on the relationship of these two tests in assessing possible learning disabilities, ending with the review of actual learning disabled children’s and adolescents’ (disguised) reports.
PSY-754 Evaluation & Analysis of Psychological Assessment II (2.0 units)
In this second of two courses, students continue to use the basic tools of measurement required to understand and analyze data from psychological reports. The focus now moves to personality assessment both objective and projective, with an emphasis on the Rorschach Test and thematic testing measures including the Children's Apperception Test (CAT) and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). Students will then learn how the various tests in the report are integrated to “paint a picture” of the individual child in terms of his/her development, followed by how to critically prioritize and actualize the recommendations with a special focus on helping parents to access these recommendations with an emphasis on explaining the IEP process and the rights of parents to have services for their child. The final part of the course will focus on reviewing actual cases (disguised), to actualize what they have learned.
PSY-756 Jungian Theory & Therapy for Children and Adolescents (3.0 units)
This course will give an introduction to life, theory, and concepts of C. G. Jung and Sandplay therapy. Main topics discussed are the individuation process, the Self, the unconscious, shadow, persona, anima/animus, archetypes, symbols, dreams, active imagination, images of the psyche, and methods used in analytical psychology. The emphasis will be given to the methods of painting inner images and Sandplay. The history and origins of Sandplay as well as the use of this non-verbal method will be presented. The main elements of sand, water, tray and the miniature collection, will be introduced as well as specific factors in the transference in Sandplay. Case examples will be provided.
PSY-758 Jungian Sandplay for Children & Adolescents (3.0 units)
This course represents a continuation of the introductory course “Jung and Sandplay” and will deepen the Jungian concepts as well as explore practical applications of the method. Psychodynamics will be examined, and the different approaches to interpret the material. Jungian concepts of transference will be amplified and applied to the practical work with sandplay and clients.
PSY-760 Jungian Dream Work for Children and Adolescents (3.0 units)
This course will cover dream interpretation from a psychodynamic perspective. Clinical implications and the implementation of dream interpretation in the psychotherapeutic process will be discussed, including the use of the therapist’s unconscious process when listening to a dream and interpreting its meaning to the patient.