This course focuses on several theories and approaches to group counseling.  A systems perspective on group interaction will be presented. This course is two-fold: (1) to acquaint students with the theories and techniques of major approaches to group counseling through didactic presentation; and (2) to encourage integration and practical application through encouragement of participation in various group exercises. Students will have opportunity to participate in group interaction simulations, small group discussions, and exploration of topics, selected to be of relevance to this class.  Several activity-based resources will be provided. The course is designed as a training course in group counseling facilitation rather than one of personal therapy and is designed to assist students in developing group facilitation skills. 

This is a three-credit hour online course. Please see your local Site Director or email our online site coordinator at [email protected]

Student materials are available at the OU Bookstore Website at https://ou.textbookx.com/institutional/index.php. The website has book selling, renting, buying, returning, and order tracking capabilities. If you need help with an order, or if you have any questions contact the toll-free phone at 1-(855)-790-6637, agents are available from 9a – 5p (EST) Monday – Friday. Text prices are available online

1. Corey, M.S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2013). Groups: Process and practice (9^th). Florence, KY: Brooks/Cole. ISBN 9781133945468.

Additional materials may be posted on the OU Canvas learning management system: Access Canvas at https://canvas.ou.edu, enter your OU NetID and password, and select course to access material. If you require assistance with Canvas, please click on the Help icon.  You can search the Canvas guides, chat with Canvas support, or contact OU IT.

All official correspondence from instructors will be sent only to students’ ou.edu address.

Email Account and Canvas: Students are expected to check their OU email accounts and the course site on Canvas daily for updates from the instructor

1. Students will be presented theoretical concepts of group counseling and information regarding the pragmatics of group counseling, i.e., screening group members, ethics of group counseling, formats for groups, etc.
2. Students will be presented opportunities to practice group facilitation skills. Students will practice facilitating group sessions, as well as participating in simulating group exercises.
3. Students will develop appreciation for stages of group formation, development, and termination and will understand group counseling with a variety of problems and populations.

1. Overview of Counseling Groups
   1. Philosophy pf Group Work
   2. The Group Leader as a Person
   3. Developing Your Group Leadership Style
   4. Diversity Competence4 in Group Facilitation
2. Ethical and Professional Guidelines for Group Leader
   1. Rights of Group Participants- Informed Consent
   2. Psychological Risks in Groups
   3. Uses and Misuses of Group Techniques
   4. Confidentiality
   5. Socializing Among Group Members
3. Stages of a Group
   1. Forming a Group: Member Selection and Screening
   2. Initial Stage
   3. Transition Stage
   4. Working Stage
   5. Ending a Group
4. Specific Types of Groups
   1. Topic focused, symptom focused
   2. Psychoeducational Groups
   3. Behavioral and Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches
   4. Rational Behavioral Therapy Applied to Groups
   5. Person-Centered or Non-Directive Groups
   6. Gestalt Theory and Techniques, Role-Playing, Enactment Techniques and Psychodrama
   7. Transactional Analysis applied in Groups
   8. Adlerian Theory and Application; Existential Theory and Application
   9. Use of Group Methods with Special Populations; Cultural nIss7ues Evident in Groups
5. Utilizing Group Discussion and Group Process to Address Special Topics
   1. Parenting and Family Issues
   2. Critical Incident Stress Debriefing: Combat Operational Stress Response
   3. Deployment Preparation: Issues of Reintegration
   4. Recognizing and Addressing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
   5. Separation from the Military and Retirement

Please see your Course Schedule (under the Modules Tab) for the “Assignments Overview” once the course becomes available on March 1^st, 2023.

You will have weekly assignments that will require you to stay current with the course and assessments. These will include but may not be limited to a Brief Paper you may work ahead to complete (detailed below), experiential assignments, reflection papers, discussion posts., and a Final Exam. Detailed information for assignments will be provided online once classes begin. A subset of completed assessments/activities will be used to calculate your final grade in this course.

Optional: A Look Ahead to Work Ahead

Self-Assessment Groups Paper- Due approximately the second week of classes- March 15^th, 2023:  Write a brief paper (5-8 pages) describing at least two groups experiences which have influenced your identity and self-concept.  In the paper, describe the ways in which these groups have influenced you, address the norms which governed each group, and how decision making and problem solving was handled in each of these groups.  Describe how members dealt with conflict and controversy.  There is no required format for this paper as it is intended as an experiential assignment.

Please submit a digital copy of your Brie Paper by the due date assigned in CANVAS. If this creates a problem for you, please discuss it with the instructor.

[Self-Assessment Groups Paper Total = 50 points]

Final Exam over Readings, Modules, and Discussions:

You will have an online Final Exam in this course that will require simple recollection of terminology or concepts, but also items that will require you to apply material that you have learned. To be successful, make sure that you have reviewed both your text and any module notes provided. The exam will be open book, but also timed, so you will want to be familiar with the material before you begin your exam.

Once you start, you will have 60 minutes to complete the exam.

[Exam Total = 100 points]

This is a letter-graded course: A (90-100 points), B (80-89 points), C (70-79) points, D (60-69 points), or F (59 points or less).Grades for the course will be based on a student’s combined score on the following:

Given the condensed format of this course, late papers, late presentations, and late exams will not be accepted.

Notice: Failure to meet assignment due dates could result in a grade of I (Incomplete) and may adversely impact Tuition Assistance and/or Financial Aid.

All assignments are due by 11:59 on the last day of class, April 30th, 2023.

It is a policy of the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma that students must receive in some form the full complement of contact hours in a course. Therefore, you are expected to engage consistently with our online colleagues and instructor. Absences and failure to login regularly can significantly affect quality of participation in discussions and planned exercises. This is a problem not only for the student, but for classmates as well. Absences can be excused for legitimate reasons such as emergencies, military duties, dangerous weather conditions, etc. However, absences for social events, non-official university events, or other non-excused reasons can result in lowering your grade. As a general rule, every incident of unexcused absence will result in lowering your grade by one-third of a full grade. For example, a B+ will be lowered to a B; an A- will be lowered to a B+; etc. Any absence can be troublesome, but large numbers of hours (e.g., 4-6 hours or more) can be very serious, and may even result in your having to repeat the course. Please see the instructor if you face circumstances that may result in your absence.

Please contact the professor regarding his/her policy for late work.

A grade of “I” is not automatically assigned, but rather must be requested by the student by submitting to the instructor a“Petition for and Work to Remove an Incompleted Grade” form. An “I” can never be used in lieu of an “F” nor can an “I” be assigned because of excessive failure to participate in class activities. Please note that a grade of Incomplete (I) will be given only for a justifiable reason (due to unavoidable circumstances, not lack of planning on the student's part) and only if the student is passing the course. It is the responsibility of the student to request a grade of "I" and to consult with me as early as possible to determine requirements for completing the course. Any incomplete granted must be removed by the deadline specified by the instructor. The time limit set for removal of an incomplete will take into account the circumstances of the situation but may not exceed one calendar year. Professors are not required to allow students a year to make up grades of “Incomplete.”  My requirement is more restrictive than the University maximum of one year.  Exceptions will be made only for documented Provost-approved University-sponsored activities or legally required activities such as emergency military service, jury duty, or documented serious illness or emergency and then only after discussion with me. Contact me by telephone or email if an emergency situation occurs.

If you experience technical problems, contact Information Technology by visiting their website at: http://webapps.ou.edu/it/ or contacting them by telephone at: (405) 325-HELP (4357).

Materials posted on the OU CANVAS system:

Access CANVAS at http://canvas.ou.edu; enter your OU NetID (4+4) and password, and select course to access the material.

Procedures for Completion of Course Evaluation: 

Upon completion of the course students should go to the Advanced Programs Online Learning Information webpage and click on the applicable semester link under “Online Course Evaluation” which will direct them to the evaluation.  The evaluation will take approximately five minutes to complete.  Completion of the online evaluation is an important tool allowing Advanced Programs to gain information and student feedback for improvement of courses.

Your responses will be kept confidential.  They will be reviewed by the department and only supplied to the professor once grades for the course have been submitted.

Materials posted on the OU CANVAS system:

Access CANVAS at http://canvas.ou.edu; enter your OU NetID (4+4) and password, and select course to access material. Please contact your local the IT Help desk at 405-325-HELP if you require assistance.  IT is available 24/7

Statement about the MHR Program Planner and Human Relations Website

Students should become familiar with the MHR Program Planner that was sent to each student upon admission into the program.  The planner has a description of the HR program objectives and requirements, suggestions for graduate study, financial assistance, and graduation information. Of particular interest is the information on the comprehensive exams and the internship.  For further information please visit the Department of Human Relations Website at: http://www.ou.edu/cas/hr

Reasonable Accommodation Statement

The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities.  Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me personally as soon as possible so we can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your educational opportunities.  Students with disabilities must be registered with the Office of Disability Services prior to receiving accommodations in this course.  The Office of Disability Services is located in Goddard Health Center, Suite 166, phone 405-325-3852 or TDD only 405-325-4173. For more information please see the Disability Resource Center website http://www.ou.edu/drc/home.html

Civility/Inclusivity Statement:

We understand our members represent a rich variety of backgrounds and perspectives. The Human Relations Department is committed to providing an atmosphere for learning that respects diversity. While working together to build this community we ask all members to:

• share their unique experiences, values and beliefs
• be open to the views of others
• honor the uniqueness of their colleagues
• appreciate the opportunity we have to learn from each other in this community
• value each other’s opinions and communicate in a respectful manner
• keep confidential discussions the community has of a personal (or professional) nature
• use this opportunity together to discuss ways in which we can create an inclusive environment in this course and across the University of Oklahoma community.

Religious Holidays

It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide without a penalty for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required class work that may fall on religious holidays, without penalty.

Attendance/Grade Policy

Attendance and participation in interaction, individual assignments, group exercises, simulations, role playing, etc. are valuable aspects of any course because much of the learning comes from discussions in class with other students. It is expected that you attend all classes and be on time except for excused emergencies.

Excused absences are given for professor mandated activities or legally required activities such as emergencies or military assignments. It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide without penalty for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required class work that may fall on religious holidays. Unavoidable personal emergencies, including (but not limited to) serious illness; delays in getting to class because of accidents, etc.; deaths and funerals, and hazardous road conditions will be excused.

If you are obtaining financial assistance (TA, STAP, FA, VA, Scholarship, etc.) to pay all or part of your tuition cost, you must follow your funding agency/institution’s policy regarding “I” (Incomplete) grades unless the timeline is longer than what the University policy allows then you must adhere to the University policy. Students who receive Financial Aid must resolve/complete any “I” (Incomplete) grades by the end of the term or he/she may be placed on “financial aid probation.” If the “I” grade is not resolved/completed by the end of the following term, the student’s Financial Aid may be suspended make the student ineligible for further Financial Aid.

Students are responsible for meeting the guidelines of Tuition Assistance and Veterans Assistance. See the education counselor at your local education center for a complete description of your TA or VA requirements.

OU faculty will submit grades online through ONE not later than 30 days after the course end date. Course end dates are approximately one calendar month after the final seminar date on this syllabus and are provided on the official scheduling website for reference.

Academic Integrity and Student Conduct 

Academic integrity means honesty and responsibility in scholarship. Academic assignments exist to help students learn; grades exist to show how fully this goal is attained. Therefore all work and all grades should result from the student's own understanding and effort.

Academic misconduct is any act which improperly affects the evaluation of a student’s academic performance or achievement. Misconduct occurs when the student either knows or reasonably should know that the act constitutes misconduct. Academic misconduct includes: cheating and using unauthorized materials on examinations and other assignments; improper collaboration, submitting the same assignment for different classes (self-plagiarism); fabrication, forgery, alteration of documents, lying, etc…in order to obtain an academic advantage; assisting others in academic misconduct; attempting to commit academic misconduct; destruction of property, hacking, etc…; intimidation and interference with integrity process; and plagiarism. All students should review the Student’s Guide to Academic Integrity at http://integrity.ou.edu/students_guide.html 

Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. All students should review policies regarding student conduct at http://studentconduct.ou.edu/ 

Accommodation Statement

The University of Oklahoma is committed to making its activities as accessible as possible. For accommodations on the basis of disability, please contact your local OU Site Director.

Adjustment for Pregnancy/Childbirth-Related Issues

Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact the professor as soon as possible to discuss. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability. Please see http://www.ou.edu/content/eoo/faqs/pregnancy-faqs.html. 

Title IX Resources

For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no-contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office at [email protected] or (405) 325-2215 (8-5), or the Sexual Assault Response Team at (405) 615 -0013 (24/7) to report an incident. To learn more about Title IX, please visit the Institutional Equity Office’s website at http://www.ou.edu/content/eoo.html 

Course Policies

Extended Campus (also and formerly known as Advanced Programs) policy is to order books in paperback if available. Courses, dates, and professors are subject to change. Please check with your OU Site Director. Students should retain a copy of any assignments that are e/mailed to the professor for the course. Neither duplicating services nor office supplies are provided.

Any and all course materials, syllabus, lessons, lectures, etc. are the property of professor teaching the course and the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma and are protected under applicable copyright.

For more information about OU Extended Campus, visit our website at: http://www.goou.ou.edu/

Statement on Respect

The classroom should provide a safe learning environment where students can express their views without fear of reprisal. That freedom of expression must be balanced by demonstrated respect for other’s viewpoints and appropriate and reasonable sensitivity, especially within the context of scholarly disagreement.  Disrespectful or uncivil dialogue (including, but not limited to, personal attacks, insults, or harassment) will not be tolerated.

Recording Devices/Phones/Computers

It is important for students to be fully present during class to fully benefit from lectures, discussions, and experiential assignments. Class sessions may not be tape-recorded. All telephones and pagers should be turned off or placed on silent mode. Computers may not be used during class. Students who require an exception to this policy should discuss exceptional circumstances with the professor.

Luz-Eugenia Fuenzalida, M.S., Ph.D.

Education

• D. in Psychology, December 2000, OU
• S. in Psychology, May 1997, OU
• A. in Psychology, May 1994, OU

Current Positions

• Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, OU
• Chairperson, Citizen’s Advisory Council, Norman Public Schools
• Advanced Programs professor since 2010

Frequently Taught Advanced Programs Courses

• Foundations (HR)
• Personality Styles (CLS)
• Personality and Personality Disorders (HR)
• Staffing, Selection, and Compensation (ODYN)

Major Areas of Teaching and Research Interest

• Personality and Individual Differences
• Human Factors
• Biologically based traits
• Workload history/shifts
• Neuroticism
• Adaptation
• Anxiety
• Workload Transitions
• Stress
• Extraversion

Representative Publications and Presentations

• Ashley, J., Stone, B., Sun, J., Shelley, J., Beneda-Bender, M.L, McCollum, D., Fuenzalida, L. E., Kellawan, J. M. (2020, April). High Intensity Exercise Compromises Prefrontal Cortex Oxygenation and Executive Function in Reserved Officer Training Corps Cadets. The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 34(S1), 1-1.

doi:10.1096/fasebj.2020.34. s1.06071.

• Stone, B., Beneda-Bender, M. L., McCollum, D., Sun, J., Shelley, J., Ashley, J., Fuenzalida, L. E., Kellawan, J. M. (2020, August). Understanding Cognitive Performance During Exercise in Reserved Officer Training Corps: Establishing the Executive Function-Exercise Intensity Relationship. Journal of Applied Physiology.

doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00483.2020.

• Trent, J., Stone, B., Ashley, J., Sun, J., Shelley, J., Beneda-Bender, M. L., McCollum, D., Fuenzalida, L. E., J Kellawan, J. M. (2020, April). Impacts of Concurrent Cognitive Challenge on Aerobic Performance During Graded Exercise. The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 34(S1), 1-1.

doi:10.1096/fasebj.2020.34. s1.06299. 

• Vincent, A., Roebuck-Spencer, T., Fuenzalida, L. E., & Gilliland, K. (2017). Test-retest reliability and practice effectsfor the ANAM General Neuropsychology Screening The Clinical Neuropsychologist.
• Vincent, , Roebuck-Spencer, T., Fuenzalida, L. E., Block, C., Scott, J., Kane, R. (2017). Validation of ANAM for cognitive screening in a mixed clinical sample. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult.
• Vincent, S., Bailey, C.M., Cowan, C., Cox-Fuenzalida, L.E., Dyche, J., Gorgens, K., Krawcyzk, D., Young, L.(2016). Normative Data for Evaluating Mild Traumatic Brain Injury with a Handheld Neurocognitive Assessment Tool. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult.
• Freeman, E. K., Cox-Fuenzalida, L. E., & Stoltenberg, I. (2011). Extraversion and arousalprocrastination: Waiting for the kicks. Current Psychology, 30(4), 355-374.
• Gries, H., Prewitt-Freilino, J. L., Cox-Fuenzalida, L. E., & Zhang, Q. (2009). Contentious histories and the perception of threat: China, the United States, and the Korean War—An experimental analysis. Journal of East Asian Studies, 9, 433-465.
• Hauck, , Anderson Snyder, L., & Cox-Fuenzalida, L. E. (2008). Workload variability and social support: Effects on stress and performance. Current Psychology, 27(2), 112-125.
• Cox-Fuenzalida, E. (2007). Effect of workload history on task performance. Human Factors 49 (2), 277- 292.
• Cox-Fuenzalida, E., Angie, A., Holloway1,3S., & Sohl, L. (2006). Extraversion and task

performance: A fresh look through the workload history lens. Journal of Research in Personality,

• Swickert, R. J., & Cox-Fuenzalida, L. E., & Gilliland, K. (2006). Brainstem auditory evoked responses inintroverts and extraverts: A cross Individual Differences Research, 4(14), 292-298.
• Schell, L. & Cox-Fuenzalida, L. E. (2005). Neuroticism and quality control in health services: A laboratory simulation. Current Psychology 24 (4), 231-241.
• Cox-Fuenzalida, E., & Angie, A. (2005). Effects of workload history on dual task performance. Current Psychology 24 (3),171-179.
• Schell, L., & Cox-Fuenzalida, L. E. (2005). The role of human factors in pharmacy errors. In

A.F. Grasha, M., O'Neill, D. Brushwood, and K.L. Schell (Eds.), Enhancing performance and patient safety series, Module 7. Published electronically at http://www.pharmsafety.org/.

• Cox-Fuenzalida, E., Swickert, R. J., & Hittner, J. B. (2004). Effect of neuroticism and workload history on performance. Personality and Individual Differences, 36, 447-456.
• Swickert, J., Hittner, J. B., Kitos, N., & Cox-Fuenzalida, L. E.(2003). Direct or indirect, that is the question:A Re-evaluation of extraversion’s influence on self-esteem. Personality and Individual Differences, 36, 207-217.
• Cox-Fuenzalida, L. E., Gilliland, K., & Swickert, R. J. (2001). Congruency of relationship between extraversionand the brainstem auditory evoked response based on the EPI and Journal of Research in Personality, 35, 117-126.

Major Professional Affiliations

• Phi Beta Kappa
• American Psychological Association
• American Psychological Society
• Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology
• Society for Personality and Social Psychology
• Human Factors Society

The classroom should provide a safe learning environment where students can express their views without fear of reprisal.That freedom of expression must be balanced by demonstrated respect for other’s viewpoints and appropriate and reasonable sensitivity, especially within the context of scholarly disagreement. Disrespectful or uncivil dialogue in this online course (including, but not limited to, personal attacks, insults, or harassment) will not be tolerated.