Journal Questions for Counseling Skills – Dr. Brian Burke – Spring 2014
You will be asked to keep a regular journal in which you write down your thoughts about the readings and
reactions to what you are learning in this class, as well as your attempts to apply what you are learning to
your own life. The journal will count for one third of your grade in this course.
SUBMITTING JOURNALS: You must submit your journal AT LEAST 3 TIMES throughout the semester for
full grading – you get to choose when to submit it. If you submit more than 3 times, your lowest grade will be
dropped. In addition, every Thursday class, someone will roll the “magic die” and, if it lands on a 1 or 2,
everyone will submit all of their entries (between that day and the last time they submitted the journal for
grading) to me at the class break that day or you will get a grade of zero on that section (even if you are absent).
Those random submissions will be graded on completion only – i.e., that you have answered all questions and
your journal is up-to-date. Note that the “magic die” will increase to 1-4 (instead of 1-2) if students begin
lagging behind on their journals, as it adversely impacts the whole class if students are not up on the reading.
GRADING: Your journal will be graded on several key elements as follows:
 Consistency (i.e., writing regularly and answering all these questions in each entry)
 Quality & depth of your ideas (i.e., thinking about each question before answering, and reflecting on the class
in addition to the specific journal questions)
 Evidence that you completed & processed the class readings (i.e., include specific details and quotes
from the readings in your entries)
 Applying course concepts to your own life
 Presentation will also be considered, so journals should be typed or neatly hand-written
NOTE: The journal questions are designed for you to answer AFTER the previous class but BEFORE the
current class (e.g., “Journal Questions for Jan. 16” should be answered after the Jan. 14 class but before
the Jan. 16 class). Each entry (i.e., set of 2-3 answers) should be about a page or more in total length.
Journal Questions for Jan. 16:
• What do you know about counseling and psychotherapy?
•
What do you hope to get out of this class?
•
Based on the Health Care Reform article: Why does the President of the American
Psychological Association like the new (2010) law? Name 5 ways it could benefit
psychologists. What can psychologists do from here to make sure the law works?
•
What is the OQ-45 and why is it important for counselors?
Journal Questions for Jan. 21:
• What did you learn about counseling after reading chapter 1 that you did not know before?
•
Take the 10-minute survey at http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/292359/Perceptions-oftherapeutic-advice-C and then discuss your reactions in your journal: Was Dr. Miller right to
give Fern all that advice?
•
Why is a good intake important before beginning counseling with any client?
Journal Questions for Jan. 23:
• What did you learn about interviewing or counseling intakes from Dr. Mory Framer?
•
Who are you? Discuss one thing you like and one thing you dislike about yourself…
•
As you read chapter 7, what are your thoughts about Carl Rogers and the client-centered
approach to therapy? Refer to specific details from the chapter.
•
Knowing what you do of “Stan” so far, does he have the capacity to find his own way
without active intervention on your part as his therapist? Refer to specific details about
Stan in your answer.
Journal Questions for Jan. 28:
• How did Rogers interact with Loretta? [Use the “Counselor Observations” sheet handed out
in class to code the session and report the results in your journal.] What was Loretta’s DSM
diagnosis and why was Rogers’ approach with her unusual?
•
After seeing & reading an example of Carl Rogers’ therapy in action, what do you think?
Would you like to have Rogers as your therapist?
COUNSELING PROJECT INTAKE SUMMARY DUE Jan. 28th
Journal Questions for Jan. 30:
• Based on the Scientific American Mind reading, why don’t people change? Cite specific
terms from the reading in your answer.
• According to the first chapter of the 2013 motivational interviewing (MI) book, what is MI
and how can it help people change?
REMEMBER: Reflect upon the class in your journal and how you are applying the course
material to your own life (in addition to these specific journal questions)
Journal Questions for Feb. 4:
• Draw YOUR OWN model (the class model appears below; but yours should be different –
i.e., be creative) in your journal that represents the basic theory behind motivational
interviewing (MI). In this model, how do humans change?
•
Based on the 2009 MI meta-analysis, for whom does MI work best and how does it compare
to other treatments? Why is meta-analysis a valuable tool and what info does it give us?
Journal Questions for Feb. 6:

According to the short article on Self-Help Books, what are the pros and cons of self-help
treatments? If you are a counselor, is it a good idea for you to suggest self-help books for
your counseling clients to read?
FEB. 11: Catch up on your journal entries and submit yours to the TA asap!
FIRST COUNSELING VIDEO SUPERVISION DUE FEBRUARY 13th – MOTIVATIONAL
INTERVIEWING; SCHEDULE YOUR 30-MINUTE SUPERVISION ASAP!
Journal Questions for Feb. 13:
 How was the first counseling lab for you? What did you learn from watching fellow students
use client-centered therapy and motivational interviewing in the sessions?
• Think about a few salient events from your childhood: How were those events important in
shaping who you are today?
•
As you read about Sigmund Freud’s ideas (chapter 4), what merit do you think they have for
psychotherapy and human health?
Journal Questions for Feb. 18:
• What resistances might you expect in your work with Stan? From a psychodynamic
perspective, how might you interpret and work with this resistance? Cite specific terms
from the readings in your answer.
•
What is a “core story” and why does Dr. Vaughan believe these stories are important?
•
Write down one or two of your recent dreams in your journal and be ready to share one in
class on February 18th
Journal Questions for Feb. 20:
• Has your reaction to Freudian ideas changed at all over the last week? How do think
psychodynamic concepts could be applied to your future clients if you become a counselor?
•
What are some of the keys of Jungian dream interpretation according to Colin Smith?
•
What type of therapy did Dr. Irvin Yalom use with his old friend Bob Berger in “I’m Calling
the Police”? Why was Yalom helpful to his friend?
SECOND COUNSELING VIDEO DUE FEB. 26th – PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY
SCHEDULE YOUR 30-MINUTE SUPERVISION ASAP!
Journal Questions for Feb. 25:
•
What movies have you seen with psychotherapists in them? How were the therapist
portrayed in these films? How accurate were these portrayals?
REMEMBER: Reflect upon the class in your journal and how you are applying the course
material to your own life (in addition to these specific journal questions)
ONLINE CASE ANALYSIS DUE Feb. 25th!
Journal Questions for Feb. 27:
According to the online reading, “Why Psychodynamic Psychotherapy,” what are some of the
essential features of psychodynamic psychotherapy? Why might these elements be valuable or
beneficial for clients?
Journal Questions for March 4:
• Think about one change you might like to make in your life…How might a behavior
therapist help you make this change? Have you used behavioral techniques to make
personal changes in the past?
• How would you apply behavioral principles in working with Stan? What specific behaviors
would you help Stan change and how? Be sure to cite specific terms from the readings
(chapter 9) in your answer.
•
What did you think of “Quitters, Inc”? How does it relate to behavior therapy?
•
Complete the Behavioral Activation online module before today’s class and bring your
completed schedule/worksheet to class. Visit http://impact-uw.org/training/onlinetraining.html; then
click for table of contents, then select “Module 3: Behavioral Activation” and then click on
“Section A: Introduction to Behavioral Activation.”
Journal Questions for March 6:
• What did you think about the cognitive therapy reading (chapter 10)? How do any of these
ideas or concepts apply to your own life?
•
In your work with Stan, what specific concepts would you borrow from each of the different
cognitive therapy approaches and why? What are some of Stan’s irrational thoughts and
how would you help him change these thoughts?
•
FILL OUT the “Chain Analysis of Problem Behavior” handed out in class
Journal Questions for March 11:
 After the half of the semester, how has your view of psychotherapy changed?
 What do you think of “The 6 Steps to Happiness”?
 Please try these 6 steps during the week and report your progress each day in your journal,
as well as samples of your “6 steps”…(You can use the worksheet from the readings)
Journal Questions for March 13:
 According to the two short Scientific American articles on EMDR, how necessary are the
actual eye movements for treatment success? What is likely the key ingredient in EMDR, in
addition to empathy (HINT: it’s another “e” word but it’s probably not “eye”)?
 During the week, watch one episode of Dr. Phil (weekdays at 3 PM on CBS) and comment
upon his therapeutic techniques (you can also check out his website at www.drphil.com or
www.youtube.com for episode excerpts). Based on your research (and short reading), what
model(s) of therapy does Dr. Phil use? Check out more info about Phil at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_McGraw
 Please continue applying the “6 steps to happiness” during the week and report your
progress each day in your journal, as well as samples of your “6 steps”…(You can use the
worksheet from the readings)
Journal Questions for March 18:
 What kinds of automatic thoughts did you identify in applying the “6 steps” to your life?
 Based on the Scientific American article, what are your thoughts about evidence-based
psychotherapy? How do you like the authors’ suggestion of focusing on “principles of
change”? Why is it important to scientifically study psychotherapy outcomes?
THIRD COUNSELING VIDEO DUE April 1st – CBT
SCHEDULE YOUR 30-MINUTE SUPERVISION ASAP!
March 20: Catch up on your journal entries and submit for the 2nd time to the TA asap!
Journal Questions for April 1:
 How is existential philosophy relevant for the field of psychotherapy?
 Imagine that you died at the age of 80 after living a full life. Write your own obituary: What
will it say?
 From an existential perspective, how would you view Stan’s anxiety and how might you
work with it in creative ways? Cite specific terms from the readings (chapter 6) in your
answer.
Journal Questions for April 3:
 What do you think of Yalom’s therapy with Marvin, the dreamer? How did Yalom use
existential therapy to help Marvin? (ALSO COMPLETE HOMEWORK SHEET)
 How does existential therapy differ from psychodynamic and client-centered therapy?
REMEMBER: Reflect upon the class in your journal and how you are applying the course
material to your own life (in addition to these specific journal questions)
Journal Questions for April 8:
 How do existential themes relate to your own life?
 What kind of therapy did Yalom employ in “I Never Thought It Could Happen to Me”?
Why was Yalom helpful to his client, Elva?
Journal Questions for April 10:
• Based on the “Babel” article: Why do the authors feel that we need a unifying language for
psychotherapy? Describe each of the four common curative elements that could form the
basis for a unifying therapy language…
•
What have you learned about yourself by being the counselor in the role plays done in class
(counseling labs and/or in-class exercises)? What are your strengths and weaknesses as a
beginning counselor?
Journal Questions for April 15:
 What are your thoughts about Dr. Akeret’s story “Final Analysis”? What were his
conclusions about therapy?
 What did you think of the project in this course? What was it like for you to “try out” 3
different models of psychotherapy?
 What has it been like for you to be the client in the role plays in class (counseling labs and/or
in-class exercises)?
COUNSELING PROJECT CASE SUMMARY/ANALYSIS DUE April 17th!
 Bring your case summary to class so you can use it as you conduct your 4th and final
integrative session with your classmate-client in class on April 17th (everyone must attend)…
Journal Questions for April 22 (double):
• Based on Lambert’s (2013) article, does psychotherapy work?
•
Now that you have seen various films featuring therapists, what do you think about
Hollywood’s depiction of psychologists? Please comment on the accuracy, ethics, techniques
used, and so on.
•
As you read chapters 15 & 16 on integrating various counseling styles, how might this apply
to your own counseling practice? Name 2-3 key elements from the textbook (chapter 15 &
16) that you feel can enhance your own counseling skills.
•
What is your favorite model of psychotherapy and why? If you wanted to see a therapist,
which kind would you choose?
•
What are your overall reflections about this course and what you have learned this
semester? What have you learned about yourself in this course?
PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR FINAL JOURNAL IN CLASS ON APRIL 22nd. IF YOU WANT YOUR
JOURNAL RETURNED, PLEASE COME SEE ME IN MAY OR NEXT FALL, OR GIVE ME
YOUR MAILING ADDRESS AND I WILL MAIL YOUR JOURNAL TO YOU IN 2 WEEKS.