Courses

PSYC 600
Opening Retreat (noncredit)
An introduction to fundamental principles of contemplative psychotherapy, this weekend residential intensive provides the opportunity for community building, an introduction to meditation and the marking of the transition into the MA Psychology: Contemplative Psychotherapy program. Additional fee for room and board.

PSYC 605
Large Group Process I (0.5)
A cohort of students participates in a large group process and educational experience for three semesters. The course objective is to support the students' community experience as they study developmental, therapeutic and multicultural dimensions as these develop in the class community.

PSYC 608
Introduction to Buddhist Psychology (2)
Contemplative psychotherapy is based on the view of “brilliant sanity” or buddha nature, the idea that health is intrinsic and unconditional. This course presents teachings from Buddhist psychology on the mind in both sanity and confusion. In particular, we examine the mistaken notion of a solid, separate self as the foundation of suffering and misunderstanding. The importance of impermanence and transition is highlighted. We begin an exploration of how habitual patterns of mind may lead to addictive patterns of behavior. Meditation practice is introduced both as a method of self-care and of self-awareness and inquiry. Self-understanding is emphasized as the basis for ethical and helpful counseling relationships. Additional fee for one-on-one meditation instruction.

PSYC 609
Group Process I (1)
A cohor t of students par ticipates in a small group throughout their tenure in the program. Emphasis is on providing suppor t for the students' journey while providing the students the oppor tunity to study the many dimensions of small group dynamics as these develop in their respective groups.

PSYC 618
Human Growth and Development: Contemplative View (2)
This course traces psychological development through the life cycle, with a particular emphasis on the stages of life. A major focus of the class is on early childhood experience and its relationship to the patterns that may affect the rest of life. The material is presented through lectures, readings, class discussions, observations of children and the students' own experiences with children and their childhood. The purpose of the class is to develop both a theoretical and sympathetic understanding of the feelings, perceptions and ways of understanding themselves and others at various stages in the life cycle.

PSYC 619
Group Process II (1)
A continuation of PSYC 609.

PSYC 625
Large Group Process II (0.5)
A continuation of PSYC 605.

PSYC 628
Evolution of Concepts in Western Psychotherapy (2)
Western psychology has evolved its own lineage, traditions, concepts and vocabulary. This class explores the dynamics of Western psychology, with an emphasis on some of its most popular constructs, such as transference and countertrans-ference, defenses, narcissism and the ego. The conceptual bases of some of the more prominent schools of psychology are studied. Attention is given to the relationship between psychology as a conceptual framework and psychology as a practice discipline.

PSYC 629
Group Process III (1)
A continuation of PSYC 619.

PSYC 635
Large Group Process III (0.5)
A continuation of PSYC 625.

PSYC 639
Group Process IV (0.5)
A continuation of PSYC 629.

PSYC 650
Diversity Awareness and Multicultural Competence (2)
Effective multicultural counseling requires understanding individuals, couples, families, groups and communities in the context of their histories and worldviews. This course inspires students to cultivate multicultural competency, providing the theoretical ground to work skillfully with diversity of all kinds, including race, ethnicity, nationality, education, class, gender, sexual orientation, age and ability. Self-examination is the basis from which students develop the ability to listen to experiences far different from their own with empathy; bring culturally sensitive awareness to the counseling relationship; and provide advocacy to address institutional and social barriers that impede access, equity and success for clients. Buddhist principles of nonduality and the coexistence of ‘relative’ and ‘absolute truth’ provide the conceptual basis from which students learn to bring a sense of ‘maitri,’ or nonaggression, to their work as multiculturally competent therapists.

PSYC 658
Buddhist Psychology II: Abhidharma and the Psychology of Confusion (2)
The Abhidharma teachings on the five skandhas and the six “realms” provide precise understanding of the development of a false sense of self and how this mistaken view leads to a variety of styles of confusion and suffering. The study of karmic cause and effect leads to an understanding of how habitual patterns and addictive behaviors develop and may be interrupted. Pratityasamutpada is studied as an approach to understanding interdependence and systems thinking. The early ethical teachings of the Buddha are studied, and the practice of mindfulness-awareness sitting meditation is explored further, both experientially and intellectually. Additional fee for one-on-one meditation instruction.

PSYC 668
Family Process (2)
An introduction to family process and family systems. The purpose of the course is to assist students in experiencing the shift in perception that comes from seeing a family as a system—with its own organization and life—beyond that of the individual. In addition, students explore their families of origin as a ground for working with others. The course consists of lectures, student presentations, class discussions and experiential exercises.

PSYC 669
Buddhist Psychology III: Compassion and the Heart of Emptiness (2)
An introduction to the Mahayana teachings with their emphasis on skillfully helping others, the teachings on bodhicitta, awakened mind and the four brahmaviharas, as methods for cultivating compassion. The Buddhist teachings on sunyata, emptiness, are explored with respect to their implications for clinical work. Students apply these teachings both to their own personal experience and to clinical work. Additional fee for one-on-one meditation instruction.

PSYC 678
Psychopathology I: Sanity and Neurosis (2)
Intrinsic health is the ground of experience, yet one repeatedly loses touch with it. This course explores the sequence of events through which one can become absorbed in "story-lines." The painful nature of this experience, which is a patchwork of events, real and imagined, is explored. Emphasis is on recognizing the experience of sanity within pathology. Students experience the personal and painful nature of such psychopathology as it occurs in their own lives and in the lives of others. The recovery stages of health are introduced along with an introduction to diagnosis and the use of testing in appraisal.

PSYC 689
Maitri I (2)
Conducted during a four-week residency, the Maitri program’s emphasis is on self-knowledge and selfacceptance. The practices of intensive sitting meditation, walking meditation and Maitri Space Awareness are directed toward becoming increasingly at home with oneself and with others. The academic portion of the program helps students refine their understanding of meditation practice as well as introducing them to the Five Buddha Families of Tibetan Buddhist teachings as a way of understanding how the seeds of clarity are often hidden within the manifestations of confusion and suffering. A limited number of nonprogram students may be allowed by permission of the department chair. Taken for pass/fail only. Additional fee for room and board.

PSYC 699
Independent Study (1–3)

PSYC 700
Research and Statistics (2)
A survey of research methods and statistics as they apply to counseling psychology and psychotherapy. Topics include philosophical issues, rigor, types of psychological research, descriptive and inferential statistics, experimental and correlational methods, qualitative methods, test construction, needs assessments, program evaluation, research ethics, the structure of research reports and strategies for literature searches. The course seeks to be applicable and useful for both professional and personal growth and includes lectures, discussion and practice exercises.

PSYC 701W
Research and Psychological Testing (1)
Designed to be as experiential as possible, this course covers psychological testing and assessment in the context of counseling psychology and psychological research. Course work seeks to be applicable and useful for both professional and personal growth and includes lecture, discussion and exercises.

PSYC 702
Assessment and Appraisal (2)
This course provides students with a broad understanding of important topics in appraisal and its application to counseling. Included are group and individual psychometric theories and approaches to appraisal; data and information-gathering methods; validity and reliability; psychometric statistics; and factors influencing appraisals. Students also explore the possible implications of a contemplative counseling model in applying appraisal methods.

PSYC 709
Meditation Practicum V: Mandala and Clinical Applications (0.5)
Teachings on the mandala principle are introduced as they apply to clinical work, including advanced study of the five “Buddha Families” as potent resources available to therapy clients. Taken during the internship year, the class has a format that includes group meditation and exploration of clinical topics in light of Buddhist teachings from previous course work. Additional fee for one-on-one meditation instruction.

PSYC 718
Community (2)
The practice of being in community is one of the powerful teaching vehicles in this program. Students learn from each other through positive support, conflict and the myriad ways they interact with each other. This course provides the opportunity to study roles, subgroups, group mores, interaction patterns and pluralistic trends. Each individual works with the tensions aroused in them through participation in the group and explores ways to be involved and to include others thereby contributing to the overall health of all the individuals and the community at large.

PSYC 719
Group Process V (1)
A continuation of PSYC 639.

PSYC 728
Therapeutic Relationships I (2)
Introductory exploration of the professional practice of psychotherapy, which is seen as the joining of the personal discipline of mindfulness/awareness practice that cultivates self-understanding with the interpersonal discipline of cultivating healing relationships. The course includes both experiential and intellectual components, and emphasizes current counseling theories and their applications, a culturally sensitive orientation to the fundamental health of the human mind, and contemplative self-care strategies for working with human suffering and cultivating wellness. The course utilizes experiential training and practice in clinical skills and on-the-spot feedback.

PSYC 729
Group Process VI (1)
A continuation of PSYC 719.

PSYC 738
Psychopathology II: Psychosis (2)
From the Buddhist point of view, psychosis is an extreme state of mind that occurs when one attempts to radically and/or aggressively transform one’s ‘self.’ This course examines psychosis through clinical material and a discussion of the Buddhist understanding of mind. Assessment and diagnosis of psychotic disorders are highlighted and strategies for facilitating optimum development and wellness over the life span are discussed. Students examine selected approaches to treatment and the journey of recovery that allow students to cultivate new social and individual treatments that provide the advocacy processes needed to address institutional and social barriers that impede access, equity and success for clients.

PSYC 739
Buddhist Psychology VI: Review of Buddhist Psychology and Clinical Applications (0.5)
An opportunity for students to review the Buddhist teachings while considering their internship experiences. The format of the class includes group meditation and individual presentations of clinical concerns, together with group discussion aimed at integrating Buddhist, clinical and other contemporary approaches to counseling. Additional fee for one-on-one meditation instruction.

PSYC 758
Therapeutic Relationships II (2)
Advanced study of professional roles and standards including ethics, legal issues and credentialing. The course provides continuing training and practice in culturally sensitive clinical skills, including crisis intervention, client advocacy and healing through the therapeutic relationship. It provides an overview of different aspects of therapeutic relationships, including alliance building, case conceptualization, treatment planning and clinical endings.

PSYC 778
Transition, Lifestyles and Career Development (2)
Major life transitions are explored, including lifestyle choices, career selection, identity shifts, relational transitions and transitions between life and death. Beginning with an exploration of transitional space, paradox and play, students are encouraged to integrate impermanence, interdependence and groundlessness. A significant focus of the class is major career theorists and the foundations and practice of career counseling. Students are also encouraged to apply the class material to their own major life transitions including the changes involved in beginning their graduate study.

PSYC 788
Therapeutic Relationships III (2)
The emphasis in this course is on preparing for and deepening students’ learning in the internship, including an exploration of culturally sensitive professional counseling roles within different treatment settings; working in collaborative, interdisciplinary environments; and models of supervision and consultation. Students deepen and build on the learning from previous course work and further integrate their application of contemplative grounding and opening practices for both therapist and client. This course provides integrated approaches to clinical work, including several conventional approaches and more specialized contemplative approaches.

PSYC 789
Maitri Program II (2)
Conducted as a four-week residency, the Maitri program emphasizes the relationship between individual contemplative practice and working with others both in the Maitri community and in clinical practice. Intensive sitting meditation, walking meditation, Maitri space awareness practice and community living provide opportunities for increased self-understanding, selfacceptance and openness to differences. These learnings continue to form the ground upon which ethical and healing relationships may be cultivated. The academic portion of the program focuses on the Lojong teachings of the Buddhist Mahayana tradition and their application to clinical work. Additional fee for room and board.

PSYC 798
Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy (2)
A comprehensive introduction to the theoretical and practical aspects of group theory and effective group leadership. Theories of group dynamics and approaches to group therapy are studied. Issues considered include factors that affect group dynamics such as selection criteria, group size, composition and group theme. Group leadership is discussed in the context of leadership style and approach regarding the contract, group resistance, transference and countertransference, cohesion, diversity issues, aggression and hostility, and acting out. Students have the opportunity to lead practice groups and receive feedback from the instructors.

PSYC 808
Field Placement I (3–5)
During this nine-month internship, students work twenty to thirty hours per week (minimum of 700 hours required) in a psychological fieldwork setting. While studying and working alongside mental health professionals, students bring the principles of contemplative psychotherapy to the practices of counseling, therapy, group work and patient care.

PSYC 818
Clinical Tutorial I (2)
During the internship year, students meet weekly in small groups with members of the clinical faculty and use a contemplative approach to case presentation. These presentations are directed toward a deeper understanding of how the principles of contemplative psychotherapy manifest in clinical work. Group members also practice clinical skills in these groups.

PSYC 858
Field Placement II (3–5)

PSYC 864
Contemplative Psychotherapy Practicum (3)
The Contemplative Psychotherapy Practicum is designed to provide a supportive and instructional forum for students’ initial experiences counseling clients in clinical settings. The practicum provides for the continued development of counseling and therapeutic skills with consultation and supervision, utilizing both group and triadic models. Students discuss professional and personal issues as they relate to their development as beginning counselors. Topics include understanding client issues for a specific theoretical orientation, including a contemplative therapeutic approach, case planning, clinical decision-making, client transference and therapist countertransference, as well as dynamics of the studentsupervisory relationship, organizational issues at the site, and balancing personal and professional responsibilities.

PSYC 868
Clinical Tutorial II (2)
A continuation of PSYC 818.

PSYC 874
Extended Clinical Tutorial (0.5–2)
Students who have not completed internship may be required to register for extended clinical tutorial. See Special Student Status in the Academic Information section. May be repeated.

PSYC 881
Extended Paper (Section B) (0.5)
Students who have not completed the paper may qualify for an extension of the paper semester. See Special Student Status in the Academic Information section. May be repeated.

PSYC 888
Master's Paper Seminar (1.5)
This class supports students in the preparation of the master's paper. See program description for more details. Students present their work to fellow students and members of the clinical faculty. Grading is on a pass/fail basis.

PSYC 889
Maitri Program III (0.5)
A weeklong retreat held during spring break, the thirdyear Maitri program brings attention to endings: the ending of the three-year program for the students and the termination process in therapy. Students are encouraged to bring mindfulness and awareness to the experiences that arise during termination. The traditional teachings on death and dying found in the The Tibetan Book of the Dead provide surprisingly relevant guidance for the contemporary therapist in dealing with endings of all kinds. Additional fee for room and board.

Somatic Counseling Psychology (PSYS)

PSYS 615
The Discipline of Authentic Movement/Body Awareness Practice (3)
Authentic Movement, a self-directed movement process employing the wisdom of the body as a pathway to awareness, provides direct experience of the individual and collective body as a vessel for integration, healing, transformation and creative process. This course explores the ground form of Authentic Movement: the mover, witness and the relationship between them. Students explore their own process while experiencing this therapeutic movement form. Through learning how to increase the authenticity of presence, students explore the ground of the healing relationship. Authentic Movement provides a model for life lived in authentic relationship to self, others and community. This course is offered through the Somatic Counseling Psychology Dept. for PSYC students only.