Spring 2020Carlow University Department of Psychology & Co.docx

Spring 2020
Carlow University
Department of Psychology & Counseling
Professional Counseling Program
LGBT Lives Cultures & Theories
PRC-742-G1, PY-235-DA, WS-237-DA
3 Credits; No Prerequisites
Course Syllabus- Spring 2020
Wednesday’s 6:00pm-8:30pm
Instructor: Michelle Colarusso, Ph.D., LPC, NCC Office:
TBD
Cell phone: 724-396-9769 E-mail:
[email protected]
Office hours: By appointment only Location:
Antonian Hall 403
Carlow's Mission Statement
The mission of Carlow University, a Catholic liberal arts
university, is to involve persons, primarily women, in a process
of self-directed, lifelong learning which will free them to think
clearly and creatively, to discover and to challenge or affirm
cultural and aesthetic values, to respond reverently and
sensitively to God and others, and to render competent and
compassionate service in personal and professional life.
Course Description
This course will address issues related to counseling gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender clients. These include issues
of sexual identity development, coming out, homophobia and
heterosexism, family and relationship issues, multicultural
issues, youth, aging, spirituality, HIV/AIDS, and substance
abuse as well as ethical and professional issues in working with
gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender clients through

affirmative counseling/therapy.
Learning Outcomes and Assessment
What students will learn
How students will learn it
How students will demonstrate learning
Impact dominant culture has on LGBT individuals
Readings, Experiential Activities, Class Discussions
Class Participation, Reflection Journals, Exam
Multifaceted issues facing specific LGBT populations
Familiarize themselves with theories of identity development
Affirmative counseling/therapy and their knowledge and skill in
providing it.
Variety of counseling issues that have particular relevance to
LGBT clients.
Access to local and national resources available to assist in
work with LGBT clients.
Course Requirements and Resources
Methods of Involvement & Examination
Methods of Instruction
Classes will consist of didactic and experiential elements,
including lectures, large and small group discussions, modeling,
structured role-plays and simulations, live or video

demonstrations, and student presentations in class and on
CelticOnline/Schoolology. Primary methods include
lecture/discussion, readings, and a variety of experiential
exercises. Students will immurse themselves into the LGBTQ
Culture and will be asked to share the results with others,
within their own comfort level. These instructional methods
make your attendance and active participation essential to your
learning.
Readings and Class Participation
Students are expected to have read assigned material by the date
noted in the syllabus prior to class. All additional readings will
be provided in class or online. A large portion of learning will
take place through class discussions, which each student has
equal responsibility for facilitation. Contributions to the
discussion should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the
material. Lack of informed participation in class discussions
will negatively impact earned grade.
1. Textbooks
· Dworkin, S. H., & Pope, M. (2014). Casebook for Counseling
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons and Their
Families. Wiley. (PDF in Celtic)
· Kort, J. (2018). LGBTQ clients in therapy: Clinical issues and
treatment strategies. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
· Roland, C. B., & Burlew, L. D. (Eds.). (2017). Counseling
LGBTQ adults throughout the life span. Retrieved from
http://www.counseling. org/knowledge-center/lgbtq-resources
(PDF in Celtic)

Assignments
1. Experiential Cultural Paper.Students are being asked to
immerse themselves in the LGBTQ culture in order to truly
experience the culture from a phenomenological perspective.
This can include attending LGBTQ community events, local
establishments for LGBTQ, LGBTQ organizations, etc. Location
must be approved by the instructor ahead of time. Submit a 3-5
page reflection on your experience.
2. Reflection Journal. Students are asked to submit five (5)
journal entries, a minimum of one page double spaced, of your
critical analysis of your emerging understanding of LGBTQ
issues. Topics could include: your emerging understanding of
your role as an ally and advocate, the week’s readings, lecture
content, your understanding of your multicultural identity as it
relates to LGBTQ issues, or current LGBTQ-related topic.
Attend to issues of systemic privilege and oppression,
intersection of identities, personal growth and understanding,
and/or professional considerations. These assignments may help
you develop your multicultural identity paper (see below).
3. Multicultural Identity Research Paper. Students will provide
a critical self-reflection about your development of
multicultural competence regarding LGBTQ issues over the past
few years and your current assessment of your strengths and
areas for growth with this diverse population. Integrate relevant
models and theories reviewed in this course. Include your self-
assessment of your role as an ally, member, and/or advocate for
the LGBQ community, if applicable. Describe your plan for
continued growth in your LGBTQ competence in the coming

years and how this course has changed, altered, or enhanced
your worldview in working with LGBTQ Clients. This response
should include relevant citations from academic and non-
academic sources (3 Total). Please include personal reflections
in relation to your narrative. A narrative rather than scholarly
academic style is appropriate for this assignment. (Graduate
Students: 6-8 Pages, Undergraduate Students: 4-6)
4. Exam. There will be one comprehensive final exam at the end
of the course. The Exam will be 100 points and consist of
multiple choice, essay, and short answer questions.
Additional Important Information
Submitting Assignments
Students will submit assignments and receive grades via Carlow
email and CelticOnline. All assignments submitted via email are
expected to 1) have the course name in the subject line and 2)
should be saved as Microsoft Word documents and be “saved
as”/given the same name as the student’s AND the name of the
assignment. For example, Colarusso- Individual paper.
Policy regarding work that is submitted late
Work that is submitted after the due date will not be accepted.
Due dates are listed on the syllabus ahead of time and should be
completed in a timely manner. Exams are also not able to be
made up. Arrangements for Final Exam to be taken on the day
listed on the syllabus should be made ahead of time.

Academic Integrity
Carlow University aims to educate and challenge students to
reach their highest potential by guiding students along a path of
honesty and integrity throughout their intellectual pursuits.
Students are thus expected to uphold the highest standards of
academic integrity. Forms of academic misconduct include (but
are not limited to):
· Cheating—providing or receiving inappropriate assistance on
any coursework.
· Plagiarism—submitting another’s work as one’s own; not
properly citing sources, using exact wording without quotations
or proper attribution, paraphrasing without proper citation, or
improper paraphrasing; attributing citations to inaccurate or
misleading sources.
· Self-plagiarism—unauthorized use of one’s own work or part
of a work, either from the same course or from another course,
in more than one assignment.
· Academic deceit—use of false or altered information or
withholding information critical to the processes of the
University; providing false information or documentation with
the intent to obtain an exemption, extension or exception to
one’s coursework; signing other students into classes or on
group reports.
· Fabrication of data—using falsified or fabricated data,
forgery, or unsanctioned documents for research or other
coursework.
· Interference with other students’ learning or achievement—
sabotaging (including failing to contribute to) group projects or
laboratory work, disrupting in-class work, altering computer
files or online posts, or making educational materials
unavailable to others.
· Unauthorized acquisition or exchange of coursework—
purchasing, borrowing, stealing, or otherwise obtaining material
with the intent to use as one’s own coursework; selling, lending,
or otherwise offering one’s own coursework to others with the
intent of allowing the recipient to use the work as one’s own;

obtaining a copy of one’s own completed tests and exams
(either a physical copy, an electronic image, or a screenshot)
without explicit permission from the course instructor.
· Copyright violation—distributing copyrighted material,
including course material provided by the instructor or obtained
from the textbook, without explicit permission from the
copyright holder.
All violations of Carlow’s academic integrity policy will be
kept on permanent record. Serious or multiple violations will be
forwarded to the Academic Integrity Committee for a judicial
hearing.
It is the student’s responsibility to become familiarized with
Carlow’s Academic Integrity Policy. The full policy can be
found in the Course Catalog.
Attendance Policy
All Students are expected to regularly attend class and to
participate in class discussions. The “give & take” of the class
discussion is a key learning experience and cannot be fully
experienced unless the student regularly attends class and
contributes to the discussion. There will be no make-up work
for missed classes. Poor attendance/participation will negatively
impact your grade.
Policy on Sharing of Course Material Syllabus Statement
All course material, including but not limited to presentation
slides, lecture notes, handouts, audio or video recordings,
syllabi, assignments, quizzes, tests, and exams, are the legal
property of the instructor who developed them, the University
that commissioned the work, or the textbook publisher. Students
may use this material for their own learning and for discussion
with other students in the class, but may not redistribute it in
any way, including uploading it online for others to access.
Doing so violates the copyright law and Carlow’s policy on
sharing of course material. In addition, sharing or accessing

course material for the purpose of gaining an unfair advantage
in the course or allowing others to gain an unfair advantage in
the course violates Carlow’s academic integrity policy.
Center for Academic Achievement
The Center for Academic Achievement (CAA), 4th floor
University Commons, offers free in-person tutoring for
improving writing skills and understanding course content. We
also offer academic coaching for time management and learning
skills. Make an appointment through
https://carlow.mywconline.com at least 48 hours in advance, or
call 412-578-6146. Cancellations can be made online within 8
hours of the appointment time. For last minute cancellations,
please call 412-578-6146. Students can also access “CAA
Resources” under Groups on celticonline for guides on college
survival skills, reading, learning strategies, math, and
writing/research.
If a student has a grade of C- or lower at the mid-term point (8
weeks) they will receive an email indicating a mid-term report
has submitted by their faculty. Students who receive a mid-term
report are encouraged to speak with their faculty to discuss a
plan for improvement and to see a CAA tutor and/or academic
coach (appointments at www.carlow.mywconline.com).
Students with Disabilities Policy
Carlow University makes every effort to provide reasonable
accommodations for students with disabilities. This includes
individuals with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and
mental health disorders who meet the definition of disability
under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students with
disabilities have the same responsibility as other students to
meet the University's academic, technical, and behavioral
standards and to follow the University's general policies and
guidelines regarding standards of conduct. Students who plan to
request accommodations should contact the Disabilities Services
Office at the beginning of each semester since accommodations
cannot be granted retroactively. To determine whether you

qualify for accommodations, or if you have questions about
services and procedures for students with disabilities contact:
Jacqueline M. Smith
Disabilities Services Office
University Commons, 4th floor
Phone - 412.578.6257 (Office line)
412.578.6050 (Direct line)
Fax - 412 578.2027
[email protected]
Carlow University Temporary Disability Policy
Carlow University values each student and is invested in
encouraging his or her academic success in line with the Mercy
mission “to respond reverently to God and others; and to
embrace an ethic of service for a just and merciful world.” In
keeping with the mission, the University has chosen to offer
assistance to those with temporary conditions such as short term
illnesses, injuries, or other temporary medical conditions. While
the University is not required to provide such support under the
Americans with Disabilities Act, some assistance may be
arranged via the Disability Services Office (DSO). Each
situation will be reviewed; however, the office cannot guarantee
that services will be provided.
In order to determine if a student with a temporary condition
may receive some assistance via the DSO, he/she should contact
the office at 412 578-6257. The student will be asked to meet
with Jackie Smith, Disabilities Services Representative, and to
provide the requisite documentation of his/her condition. Mrs.
Smith will review the documentation and may consult with the
student accommodation committee to determine what, if any,
assistance may be provided. All documentation will remain
confidential.

Carlow University Email Statement
You are expected to read email sent to your Carlow email
account. The instructor WILL NOT send email to alternate
email accounts. If you would like to forward your email from
your Carlow account to another, more convenient, email
account, please use the following documentation for assistance:
http://www.it.carlow.edu/quicktips/forward.html.
Graduate Grade Scale
A = 94-100
B = 84-87
C = 74-77
A- = 91-93
B- = 81-83
F = 73 and below
B+ = 88-90
C+ = 78-80
Special note: It is the University’s Graduate School policy that
no grade below a B- can be applied towards graduation.
Undergraduate Grade Scale
A+ = 97-100
B += 87-89
C+ = 77-79
D+= 67-69
A = 93-96
B = 83-86
C = 73-76
D= 66-63
A-= 90-92
B- = 80- 82

C-= 70-72
D-=60-62
F= 59 & Below
Assignment Grading Scale
Assignments
Total Points- 250
Multicultural Identity Paper
50
Experiential Cultural Paper
25
Reflections (5)
25
Final Exam
100
Attendance/Participation
50
Course Schedule

*Subject to Change
Date
Topic
Assignments Due for Class
1/15
Introduction to Course; Syllabus
1/22
Therapy for LGBTQ
Chapter 1 (Kort)
Casebook Ch. 13
1/29
Therapy for LGBTQ; Clinical Practice
Chapter 2 & 12 (Kort)
Reflection 1 Due
Casebook Ch. 3
2/5
Growing Up/Family Influences
Chapter 3 (Kort)
Casebook Ch. 10
Experiential Cultural Paper Due
2/12
Transgender
Chapter 14 (Kort)
Reflection 2 Due
Casebook Ch. 10
Wellness Event- 5:30p-6:30p
2/19
Trauma; Culture and Sexual Abuse
Chapters 4 & 5 (Kort)

Pgs. 20, 52, 85 (Life Span)
Casebook Ch. 9 & 26
2/26
Developmental Challenges/Milestones
Chapter 6 (Kort)
Pgs. 13, 43, 74 (Life Span)
3/4
Coming Out
Chapter 7 (Kort),
pgs. 3, 27, 61 (Life Span)
Casebook Ch. 2
Reflection 3 Due
3/11
Spring Break
No Class
3/18
LGBTQ Families and Couples
Chapters 8 & 10 (Kort)
pgs. 16, 46, 80 (Life Span)
Guest Speaker
3/25
Sexuality
Chapter 9 (Kort)
Reflection 4 Due
Casebook Ch. 5 & 6
4/1

Marriage and Relationship
Chapter 11 (Kort)
Casebook Ch.
Multicultural Identity Paper Due
4/8
Working with Teens
Chapter 13 (Kort)
Casebook Ch. 1
4/15
Religion and Health
Reflection 5 Due
pgs. 10-16, 40-46, 71-80 (Life Span)
4/22
Bisexual/Sexual Fluidity
Chapter 15 & 16 (Kort)
4/29
Final Exam

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