CSD 8235 Counseling Applications
in Communication Disorders

Behind this unassuming index page lies many more pages of useful information for the students of CSD 8235. You will see a navigation bar of major links hovering to the left of each page. Use these links to take you to the major pieces of information that you will need. From those links, you will find your way to more detailed information, such as the outlines for each unit of discussion and the details of assignments and grading. Check this page regularly; things change. Watch the Announcements box above for new items that become available.

The area of counseling has received sporadic attention in our profession over the years. Most clinicians agree that, as practicing professionals, we need to have good counseling skills. At the same time very few education programs offer students consistent course work or practice in the area of counseling. In the introduction to the 5th edition of his book, David Luterman paints a more hopeful picture than in the previous 4 editions: changes have happened in the area of counseling in communication sciences and disorders; slow, quiet changes compared to the changes in technology and regulations.  Still, many speech-language pathologists and audiologists leave school feeling poorly prepared to handle normal issues of grieving, change, and growth with their clients. A parent once told me that the ability to help families through these normal issues of change makes the difference between a person with a degree and a professional. This tells me that effective counseling skills help to define professionals and separate them from people with degrees.

Through this course I hope you come to realize that counseling is more an attitude or way of life than it is a set of behaviors that we can practice and improve upon. Technique without a caring, supportive, nonjudgmental attitude is just technique. Our job in this course is to bring our attitudes into congruence with our behaviors. Most of the issues and skills we will talk about are useful for transcending common life experiences with confidence and dignity. The fact that all of this information has a professional purpose is like icing on the cake.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
©2009 Cindy S. Spillers. For concerns about this course contact the instructor at cspiller@d.umn.edu

posted September 2009