DIGEST - Volume 9, Issue 4- FULL DIGEST

18 TPC Digest Neuroscience for Counselors Deborah L. Duenyas, Chad Luke N euroscience-informed counseling is a growing force in the counseling profession. The integration of neuroscience into the profession of counseling has been evident over the past two decades. Examples include the development of neuroscience interest networks by the American Counseling Association (ACA), the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES). There have been numerous books published that focus on neuroscience for counselors and an increased amount of scholarly literature focused on integrating neuroscience into counseling practice. Researchers have called for greater training for counselors who seek to integrate neuroscience into their practice. They also have identified the challenges associated with infusing neuroscience into counseling courses. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards now require competency in the neurobiological and physiological factors that can influence a person’s learning, behavior, and ability to function. CACREP standards, along with growing momentum in the field, support the development of a course designed specifically for integrating neuroscience for counselors. The AMHCA clinical training standards include recommendations for competence in understanding and applying the biological bases of behavior. The standards outline basic knowledge and skills, which include integrating research into practice as well as clinical interventions. A foundation for incorporating neuroscience-informed counseling across the CACREP curriculum that addresses neuroscience in pre-existent courses has been suggested, yet there is limited availability of literature on how to teach a graduate content course in neuroscience-informed counseling. In the absence of well-established models for teaching a course in neuroscience-informed counseling, counselor educators and others may feel at a loss for how to proceed. The purpose of this article is to provide recommendations for developing a neuroscience-informed counseling course designed for graduate students. This includes the course structure (e.g., content and resources), methods for effective instruction (e.g., teaching approach and assignments), and ethical considerations. The course was designed as an introduction to neuroscience research and clinical interventions for counselors. Specific attention was given to reviewing the structures, systems, and functions of the brain. Psychodynamic, behavioral, humanistic, and constructivist counseling theories were explored in relation to neuroscience research. The neuroscience of mental health disorders, such as anxiety, depression, stress, and addictions and substance use, were discussed. Course assignments included a neuroscience-informed guided metaphor; completing a brain resource book on structures, systems, and functions; dyads to practice using neuroscience-informed counseling interventions; and reflection in a neuroscience process analysis log (N-PAL). A final paper included a case conceptualization based on an 8-factor meta-model of case conceptualization to explore a client’s presenting concerns. Integrating neuroscience- informed counseling into the counseling curriculum while simultaneously addressing ethical and cultural considerations has the potential to improve graduate students’ case conceptualizations, treatment planning, and counseling skills. Deborah L. Duenyas is an assistant professor at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. Chad Luke is an associate professor at Tennessee Technical Institute. Correspondence can be addressed to Deborah Duenyas, OMA Wing - Room 412, P.O. Box 730, Kutztown, PA 19530, duenyas@kutztown.edu. Recommendations for Developing and Teaching a Graduate Course |