Converse College Master of Marriage and Family Therapy ...

MMFT Student Handbook Rev 6/17 1

Converse College

Master of Marriage and Family Therapy

Student Program Handbook

Kelly Kennedy, Program Director

Amanda Szarzynski, Clinical Director



Mission Statement

The mission of the master of marriage and family therapy at Converse College is to train

clinically-skilled and culturally-competent systemic marriage and family therapists who can

practice effectively and ethically with a wide variety of clients.

Diversity Statement

The program values diversity in its faculty, students, and the client population it serves. Our definition of diversity includes, but is not limited to, the following: race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, ancestry, relationship status, veteran status,

physical status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We do not discriminate against students or faculty based on any of the aforementioned characteristics. The program is

committed to creating a learning environment in which the accompanying values, beliefs,

traditions, and symbols of diverse cultures are respected and cultivated.

Currently, the student body in the MMFT program has 44 members, 34 of which are Caucasian, 6 are African American, 1 is Indian, 3 are Latina, 43 are female, and 1 is male. The faculty is

comprised of seven females. One faculty member is Haitian American and the others are

Caucasian. One member identifies as Gender Queer.

Converse College strives for a diverse student body and faculty. We publish our diversity statement on our admissions materials and flyers to send out to perspective students. In addition, the core faculty have specifically targeted historically black undergraduate institutions in the

state for advertisement and invitation to a MFT Open House in the fall in an attempt to recruit minority graduate students. The program director encourages current students to confidentially

share any diversity-related concerns in Student Representative meetings to help create an inclusive environment on campus. On a campus wide level, Converse College has hired a Director of Community and Inclusion whose responsibility is to develop programs and trainings

that foster respect and raise awareness of diverse experiences and perspectives.

The faculty

Retention and Graduation Statement

Retention and graduation are important components in an effective training program. The

following table track’s the program’s retention and graduation rates for the past 5 years:

Year Retention Rate Graduation Rate-Full Time (Within 2 years,

Within 5 years)

Graduation Rate-Part Time (Within 2 years,

Within 3 years, Within 5

years)

2015-2016 100% Not yet past minimum years Not yet past minimum years


2014-2015 93.3% 81.8% (81.8%, Not yet past maximum)

0% (0%, not yet past advertised or maximum)

2013-2014 96.3% 95.5% (54.5%, 95.5%) 80% (0%, 80%, 80%)

2012-2013 86.4% 85.7% (78.6%, 85.7%) 75% (0%, 75%, 75%)

2011-2012 100% 100% (83.3%, 100%) 88.9% (0%, 66.7%, 88.9%)

Students may also access SAC Disclosure Data at http://www.converse.edu/program/master-of-

marriage-and-family-therapy-mmft/.

Accreditation

Converse College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The master

of marriage and family therapy is also accredited nationally by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). Accreditation provides the oversight and accountability necessary to assist the program to insure our students are provided with the

best academic and clinical experience possible.

The following are the program outcomes and student learning outcomes.

Program Outcomes: The MMFT program will:

1. Train students to be effective, systemic clinicians who positively contribute to the well-being of individuals, couples, families, and communities.

2. Teach students MFT models, theories, treatment techniques, and how to use and understand research to inform systemic practice.

3. Prepare students to practice in a culturally competent manner with a wide variety of client populations.

4. Prepare students to develop into professionals who practice ethically in the field of

MFT.

Associated Student Learning Outcomes: The MMFT students will:

1. Learn to practice skillfully in collaboration and communication with other disciplines,

agencies, and professions. 2. Use basic clinical skills, including admission to treatment, establishing a therapeutic

alliance, maintenance of treatment records, case management, crisis intervention, and

systemic treatment planning. 3. Demonstrate proficiency in assessing, diagnosing, and treating serious mental illness

as defined by the state of South Carolina, and will understand its impact on the system.

4. Demonstrate an understanding of the theories and history of marriage and family

therapy and the understanding and application of major models of marriage and family therapy.

5. Comprehend research methodology and be able to apply current research findings to the practice and assessment of clinical work in the field of marriage and family therapy.

http://www.converse.edu/program/master-of-marriage-and-family-therapy-mmft/



6. Students will apply in both an academic and clinical setting knowledge of individual and family development, including issues related to human sexuality and sexual

dysfunction. 7. Understand contemporary and diversity issues and be able to implement that

knowledge in a clinical setting. 8. Understand and internalize ethical, legal, and professional issues associated with the

practice of marriage and family therapy and be able to apply that knowledge in a

clinical setting.

Program Director:

The program director’s primary responsibility is to maintain and enhance students’ educational experience, curriculum, and clinical training in the MFT program. Specifically, the Program Director assesses and reports on Program and Student Learning Outcomes, collects data and meets with faculty members annually for faculty evaluations, runs biannual faculty retreats,

collects and distributes feedback concerning the program, schedules academic and clinical coursework, approves and assigns adjunct faculty to courses, maintains COAMFTE

accreditation, distributes and collects student surveys, meets with Student Representatives biannually, conducts the MFT Program Open House and program interviews, completes a progress evaluation on each student, implements Academic Comprehensive Exams, participates

in Clinical Readiness, Clinical Comprehensive exams, and quarterly clinical meetings, approves students for graduation, maintains students’ academic files, maintains academic data, distributes weekly students emails, participates in weekly clinical faculty meetings to oversee clinical and

facility maintenance and community service, and supervises at least 2 semesters each year.

Clinical Director:

The clinical director’s primary responsibility is to maintain and enhance students’ clinical experience and training. Specifically, the Clinical Director collects semester student evaluations, assigns practicum supervisees to individual and group supervisors, oversees file audits, coordinates clinical readiness meetings and clinical comprehensive exams, collaboratively works

with the Westgate Operations Director and clinical supervisors to plan and implement quarterly clinical meetings, maintains the clinical portion of students’ academic files, monitors Form C’s, organize site placement, mentor assignment, and transfer therapists for incoming practicum students (in collaboration with the Westgate Operations Director), maintains clinical data, develops and revises clinic-related forms and evaluations (e.g., student evaluations, client forms),

participates in weekly faculty meetings and bi-yearly faculty retreats designed to oversee clinical and facility maintenance and community service, and supervises at least 2 semesters each year.

Program Evaluations:

The MMFT program is designed to support students in their achievement of the above student learning outcomes. In order to best accomplish this task, the program is comprised of four

important evaluations. These evaluations are admission, progress evaluation, clinical readiness, and graduation. The requirements of each evaluation must be met before a student can progress to the next evaluation. The balance of this handbook discusses the components, requirements,

and assessments associated with each evaluation.


Evaluation One - Admission

Requirements for Admission:

1. An application to the graduate school

2. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or institution 3. Official transcripts of all completed college-level work

4. Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which should be from a former university instructor

5. A GPA of 3.0 or higher

6. An essay describing the student’s professional goals and how he or she believes the MMFT program can help him or her achieve those goals

7. GRE or MAT scores

8. Interview with MFT faculty

After receipt of completed admission application, the student will be invited for an interview

with MFT faculty. This interview is an important part of the process and helps faculty assess whether or not the student may have the required personal characteristics to be successful in the field of marriage and family therapy. In addition, this interview allows the student an opportunity

to assess whether or not the MMFT degree program is a good fit for him or her. After successful completion of the interview, the student’s application is submitted for review to the Graduate Admissions Committee. Students will enter in a cohort system only in the fall. Students may complete coursework on a full or part-time basis. If a student is attending full-time and begins the program in the fall semester, the program can be completed in two years. Students have five

years to complete all requirements for the degree.

Provisional Admission:

Students with a GPA below 3.0 but no lower than 2.75 may be accepted into the program on a

provisional basis. These students must achieve a 3.0 average in the first 12 credit hours of the program. Failure to do so for provisional students will result in dismissal from the program. Upon successful completion of the student’s first 12 credit hours results in being removed from provisional status and becoming fully admitted. Students on provisional status are still eligible

for financial aid.

Tuition:

Currently, the tuition for graduate courses at Converse College is $400.00 per credit hour ($450.00 per credit hour for a Directed Independent Study or DIS). Each class entails 3 credit hours. The entire program is 63 credit hours, which totals $25,200.00. Practicum fees are

$1400.00/semester, and there are five semesters in the practicum. These fees are in addition to the Converse tuition. This brings the total tuition up to $32,200.00, not including registration or

application fees or books. Tuition and fees can change without notice.


Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for MMFT students in the form of student loans. To learn more about the specific loans available and how to apply, contact the Converse Financial Aid office at (864)

596-9019 or go the financial aid website at http://www.converse.edu/admissions/graduate-financial-

planning/#1463501902525-305151f0-e5e4. The Financial Aid office is located in Wilson Hall on

the second floor.

Advisement:

Upon admission into the MMFT program, students receive a letter informing them who their advisor is along with his or her contact information. Students will have the opportunity to meet

with their advisor at least once in the fall and spring semesters. Although students will receive notification of advisement times via email, it is the student’s responsibility to schedule these meetings. Students should also consult this advisor concerning any program-related issue.

Advisors are located in the MMFT offices, upstairs in the Ezell Building.

Registration:

Registration may be handled on-campus in the Carmichael Building, Room 201, or your

registration form can be mailed in. The registration form is found in the registrar’s office, in the offices of the Graduate School in Ezell Building, or online at

http://www.converse.edu/office/registrar/. Your advisor does not need to sign the form unless you are planning to take an overload of coursework. Anything over 12 hours during the fall or spring

semesters, or 6 hours during the January or summer semesters is considered an overload.

Textbooks:

To access the bookstore, and the list of books for your classes, go to

http://www.bkstr.com/conversecollegestore/home. Click on BOOKS. Select the class or classes you’ll be taking and the required and recommended texts will be listed there. You do not have to

buy the books from the college bookstore, but if you decide to, follow the online instructions for purchasing or go in-person to the bookstore, which is located in the Montgomery building on

campus.

Emails:

All students in the MMFT program are required to have a Converse email for purposes of communication. Your admission acceptance package received upon acceptance into the MMFT

program includes an email account form. This form should be filled out and return to the graduate office in the self-addressed, stamped envelope included. If you somehow missed this

step, you may obtain an email address by contacting Campus Technology at 596-9738 or

[email protected].

Checking Course Schedules:

The course offering schedule is posted on-line and may be accessed by going to

http://www.converse.edu/office/registrar/course-offerings-academic-catalogs/. Choose the

appropriate semester. The schedule will give you course meeting dates, times and locations.

http://www.converse.edu/admissions/graduate-financial-planning/#1463501902525-305151f0-e5e4

http://www.converse.edu/admissions/graduate-financial-planning/#1463501902525-305151f0-e5e4

http://www.converse.edu/office/registrar/

http://www.bkstr.com/conversecollegestore/home

http://www.converse.edu/office/registrar/course-offerings-academic-catalogs/


Grades Converse does not mail out grades. You must access them online. Below are the instructions for

doing this: 1. Log on to my.converse.edu using your user name and password

2. You should then be on your home page and can follow the instructions from there.

Removal Policy:

Students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA at all times while in the MMFT program. Dropping below a GPA of 3.0 or failing a course may be grounds for dismissal. Please consult the

Converse Graduate Student Handbook, found at my.converse.edu

Student Complaint Procedure:

Students in the MMFT program who wish to file a complaint should do so by contacting in person, in writing, or via email the Dean of the School of Humanities, Sciences, & Education,

Dr. Ann Pletcher. Her office is located in Kuhn Hall Room 303. Email:

[email protected] Phone: 864-596-9086

Student Grievance Procedure:

In compliance with the regulations of Title IX of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended

in 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Converse College has established the

following procedure for students to pursue grievances against faculty or staff members:

Step One – the student should request a conference with the employee (professor or staff member) against whom the student has a complaint in order to discuss the problem. The

conference must occur within ten working days of the incident. The employee will make an effort to resolve the issue equitably and informally and will send a written response to the student

within three working days of the conference.

Step Two – If the employee’s response is not satisfactory, the student may send a formal written complaint with supporting evidence and documentation to the department chair or other immediate supervisor of the employee against whom the students has the grievance within three days. The department chair or supervisor will acknowledge receipt of the complaint in writing

within three working days and will respond to the student in writing within ten working days of

receipt of the complaint.

Step Three – If the response of the department chair or supervisor is not satisfactory, the student may notify the dean of the school or college in which the student is enrolled or the employee’s senior administrator of that fact in writing within three days. The dean or administrator will acknowledge receipt of the complaint in writing within three working days, will consider the

accumulated evidence, interview any of the parties concerned at his/her discretion, and reply to

the student in writing within ten working days of receipt of the complaint.

Step Four – a student who is not satisfied with the disposition of the matter may request a formal grievance hearing by notifying the Provost in writing within three days of receipt of the dean or

senior administrator’s response. The request should explain the complaint and should include

https://www.converse.edu/sites/default/files/site-files/Academics/Education/GRADUATESTUDIESHANDBOOK.pdf.

mailto:[email protected]


copies of all letters written and received, as well as supporting evidence and proper documentation. The Provost will serve as Chair of a Committee made up of a faculty or staff

member appointed by the Provost, a faculty member or administrator chosen by the President, and a faculty member or administrator chosen by the student. The Provost will set a date for the

hearing within five to ten working days of receipt of the request and will send copies of the appeal to committee members. All members of the committee must be present in order for the hearing to take place. The student will appear before the grievance committee to present the

grievance. The committee will also interview the employee against whom the student has the grievance and the employee’s supervisor, as well as any additional witnesses that it considers necessary in order to render a fair decision. The student has the right to present witnesses, either character or circumstantial, if their testimony is deemed relevant by the chairperson. The student must present a list of these witnesses to the chairperson at least twenty-four hours in advance and

state the reasons for calling each one to testify. Participants in the hearing may include the following: students, faculty or other agents of the college who may be affected by the case. The

Provost, as chairperson of the committee, will forward copies of the committee’s decision to all involved within three working days.

Step Five – A student who wishes to appeal the decision of the committee must notify the President in writing within three days of receipt of the committee’s ruling. The President may interview any of the parties concerned before deciding to approve, modify, or overturn the committee’s decision. The President will inform the student of his/her decision in writing within ten working days of receipt of the appeal.

Step Six – A student who is not satisfied with the decision of the Grievance Committee may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights in Atlanta, Georgia. All information regarding

students is confidential and will be communicated only to faculty and administrative personnel who have a justifiable reason to have the information. Because Converse prefers to resolve

complaints at the lowest level, a student whose complaint involves accommodations for a disability should contact the Director of Student Support Services and either the Vice President for Finance & Administration for ADA issues or the Director of Human Resources for Section

504 issues prior to beginning step one.

Note: if the case involves a complaint filed against an adviser of a student organization, the procedure will begin with a meeting with the employee as stated in Step One. If necessary, it will

then proceed to Step Four, which involves the Committee hearing.

For information on academic accommodations, Converse College’s Honor Code and policy on plagiarism, student id’s, transfer credit, etc. please consult your Graduate Student Handbook.

Delta Kappa:

Delta Kappa is the International Honor Society for Marriage and Family Therapy graduate students. Students are eligible to join Delta Kappa after they have completed 12 credit hours in

the program and have maintained a 3.7 grade point average. Induction ceremonies are held once

a year and fees to join are $60.00.


Student Governance

During the fall semester, students will elect two representatives each from the first year class and the second year class to serve as a student advisory committee. This committee will meet with

the program director at least once during each regular semester to discuss student concerns, complaints, and suggestions for program improvement. Then, the program director will meet with the core faculty members at their semi-annual retreats to share minutes from the student

representative meeting. Faculty responses to the students’ concerns and a plan of action will be added to the minutes and distributed via email to the students one week following the faculty

retreat.

During the next faculty retreat, the faculty will review the response and ensure the response is

executed if action items were listed. Students are also encouraged to discuss items where they do

not feel the faculty appropriately responded.

Technology Requirements

Students will need access to the Internet and a computer to check email and complete assignments. They may use the computer labs located on campus. They also need access to a

private phone so that they can be available in case of a clinical emergency.

Steps to AAMFT Clinical Membership and Licensure and Portability of Degree

The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is the national professional organization for marriage and family therapists, and students are urged to become

active student members. For more information on AAMFT, please visit their website at www.aamft.org. The curriculum of the Converse College Marriage and Family Therapy program is designed to follow the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy

Education (COAMFTE) requirements as well as the requirements for Clinical Membership in AAMFT. Every effort is made to ensure that the curriculum follows state licensure requirements

in South Carolina for licensure as a marriage and family therapist. However, students are advised to contact the appropriate state licensure board on their own for application materials and current curriculum requirements. Application packages for South Carolina are available from the South

Carolina Board of Examiners, 110 Centerview Drive, Columbia, SC 29211-1329, or from their website at http://www.llr.state.sc.us. The program is not responsible for changes made in state

licensure laws. The following describes the steps to obtaining full licensure as a marriage and family therapist in the state of South Carolina after graduation. Other states may vary in their

licensure requirements and procedures.

After receiving the Master of Marriage and Family Therapy degree, the student should submit an application to the state credentialing board for permission to sit for the national MFT exam. The

credentialing body will review the applicant’s coursework. Upon approval by the credentialing body, the student schedules a time to take the exam. Upon passing the exam, the student applies

for a provisional license as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Intern. After this license is granted by the state licensure board, the intern begins an internship of no less than two years. During this two-year internship, the intern must provide a minimum of 1350 client contact hours

and receive 150 hours of supervision from a licensed marriage and family therapy supervisor. Of


the 150 hours of supervision, 50 may be group supervision. Upon successful completion of the

internship, the intern applies for and is granted full licensure.

Students seeking licensure as a MFT outside of South Carolina are strongly encouraged to

consult the following site about requirements for specific states:

https://www.aamft.org/iMIS15/AAMFT/Content/directories/MFT_licensing_boards.aspx

https://www.aamft.org/iMIS15/AAMFT/Content/directories/MFT_licensing_boards.aspx


Coursework

Curriculum:

The Master of Marriage and Family Therapy at Converse College is a 63 credit hour master degree and utilizes a semester format. The 15 credit hours required by the clinical practicum are included in the total 63 credit hours. All coursework will meet for a total of 45 contact hours.

During the regular semesters, fall and spring, each course meets once a week for three hours. During the shorter semesters, such as the January term or the summer terms, classes will need to

meet more frequently.

Course Sequencing:

Coursework for full-time students is tentatively sequenced as follows.

Fall Semester – First Year

EDU634 Systems of Family Therapy I 3.0 credit hours

EDU661 Basic Techniques 3.0 credit hours

EDU643 Cultural Competence & Family Therapy 3.0 credit hours

EDU646 Couples Therapy 3.0 credit hours

Total 12.0 credit hours

January Semester – First Year

EDU645 Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in MFT 3.0 credit hours


Spring Semester – First Year

EDU680 Systems of Family Therapy II 3.0 credit hours

EDU639 Self of the Therapist 3.0 credit hours

EDU683 Advanced Techniques 3.0 credit hours

EDU642 DSM-5 in Marriage & Family Therapy 3.0 credit hours

Total 12 credit hours

Summer Semester-First Year

EDU633 Child Psychopathology 3.0 credit hours

EDU648A Clinical Practicum 3.0 credit hours



Fall Semester –Second Year

EDU648B Clinical Practicum 3.0 credit hours

EDU647 Research Literacy 3.0 credit hours

EDU681 Individual Psychopathology 3.0 credit hours

EDU636 Treatment of Sexual Dysfunction 3.0 credit hours


January –Second Year

EDU648C Clinical Practicum 3.0 credit hours

Elective – may be taken now or later

Total 3.0 or 6.0 credit hours

Spring Semester – Second Year

EDU648D Clinical Practicum 3.0 credit hours

EDU641 Resiliency 3.0 credit hours

EDU635 Brief and Extended Models of Family Therapy 3.0 credit hours

Elective - if not taken earlier 3.0 credit hours


Summer Semester-Second Year

EDU648E Clinical Practicum 3.0 credit hours

Elective – if not taken earlier 3.0 credit hours


Part-time Students:

It’s extremely important that students attending part-time stay in close contact with their advisor.

For part-time students, there is always the scheduling challenge of being able to take the coursework needed. Although the advisor will work closely with students to assist them in

meeting their graduation goals, there are no guarantees that this will be possible.

Course Descriptions

For descriptions of the individual courses, please see the Converse College Graduate Catalog

found at http://www.converse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Graduate-Catalog-15-16.pdf.

Evaluation

http://www.converse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Graduate-Catalog-15-16.pdf


Grade Scale:

The grading scale for all classes is as follows:

A 95-100 B 84-86 C 74-76

A- 90-94 B- 80-83 C- 70-73

B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 F Below 70

Coursework Evaluations:

Professors in the MMFT program use a variety of methods to evaluate your work, including but

not limited to: exams, research papers, presentations, role plays, and projects. Each professor has the academic freedom to construct a course based on his or her idea of how best to deliver the

course content and assess student learning. If students have questions regarding course evaluation, they should consult the corresponding class syllabus first, then the professor for that course if further clarification is needed. The MMFT program values the diverse experience

students have the opportunity to receive through various teaching styles and evaluative procedures. Additionally, students are highly encouraged to complete course evaluations sent

electronically to their converse email address at the end of each semester to provide constructive

feedback for each instructor.

Participation/Attendance:

Students are expected to complete all assigned reading before arriving in class so that they can

participate in an active and informed manner in classroom discussions and activities. Class attendance is extremely important and students are expected to be present and on time to class

sessions unless unavoidable. Please inform the class instructor if you are unable to attend. The

student is responsible for all coursework missed.

Respectful Learning Environment:

The MMFT program values dialogue, openness, and intellectual curiosity in both students and

faculty. We respect individual differences, beliefs, and opinions and believe classroom discussion is the appropriate venue for exploring ideas, discussing controversial topics, and

engaging in critical thinking. Therefore, in the spirit of promoting a respectful learning environment in which these intellectual pursuits can best flourish, we ask that students adhere to

the following guidelines:

1. Please set your cell phones to silent and refrain from accepting calls or texts during

class times. If you have a situation at home, such as a sick child, etc., please inform the instructor before class begins that you may need to take an emergency call from home.

2. Please don’t text or pass notes to each other during lectures or presentations. 3. If you are using a laptop to take notes or access readings, please stay on-task. You

should not be surfing the internet or browsing social media. 4. Please don’t engage in sidebars with your classmates that are noisy and distract from

class lectures or discussions.


5. By all means, offer comments and opinions and ask questions. Please be sure, though, that your questions and comments promote the discussion rather than derail or bog it

down. 6. Respect the opinions and comments of other students as well as those of the

instructor.

Incompletes:

Occasionally, an emergency situation comes up during the semester, which requires that students

take an incomplete grade in a specific course to allow them to complete the requirements for the course. Incompletes should be avoided if at all possible, but, should an incomplete become necessary due to extenuating circumstances, students have until the end of the next full semester

to complete the course requirements. If the student does not complete the coursework before this time, the incomplete will turn into an F and the student must retake the course, if allowed to continue in the program. Students must clear up any incompletes before entering the practicum.

It should also be noted that if a student receives an F in any graduate course while in the MMFT program, he or she may be removed from the program. See the Graduate Handbook for more

details on this policy.

APA Style

All writing projects in the MMFT program utilize the APA style formatting. Students should

purchase a copy of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition. Unless otherwise specified on a course syllabus, writing assignments will follow the APA formatting for font style and size, spacing, margins, headings, and citations, and will

include running heads, pagination, and abstracts, as per the APA manual.

Syllabi

You should keep the course syllabus for each course you take in the MMFT program. If you are

transferring any courses or take a transfer course while in the program, you should keep the syllabus. When you apply for licensure, you must produce copies of the syllabi of each graduate

course you take.


Faculty

Core faculty roles in teaching, scholarship, service and practice are highlighted on the MMFT program webpage at the following link: www.converse.edu/program/master-of-

marriage-and-family-therapy-mmft/ (click on each faculty member’s name for detailed description). The program’s mission is to train clinically-skilled and culturally-competent systemic marriage and family therapists who can practice effectively and ethically with a

wide variety of clients. This focus is also reflected in our program goals and student learning outcomes, which emphasize clinical practice, systemic knowledge and research,

diversity, and ethics in the field of MFT. The expectation of faculty members to teach, supervise, practice, and serve in the MFT program, local community, and the MFT field helps to promote a systemic, service-oriented approach where faculty practice, model,

teach, and supervise students to meet the program goals and student learning outcomes.

As documented below and on the web link above, MFT faculty members are highly qualified through education and experience and possess the expertise to fulfill this mission. In addition, the program and College require and support quality teaching and

supervision. Scholarship, including grants, publications, and presentations, promote both faculty and student success to fulfill program goals and student learning outcomes.

Faculty service roles at the College and in the community exemplify the dedication to the field and keep faculty experienced in the field. Through the program’s requirement that full-time faculty members provide supervision in the program, faculty members skilled in

the supervision and implementation of marriage and family therapy are better able to instruct and model the skills necessary to fulfill our outcomes framework. Please see the table below for a more detailed review of how our faculty help to achieve our student

learning outcomes:

Student Learning Outcome Faculty Role in Achieving SLO

1.Learn to practice skillfully in collaboration and communication with other

disciplines, agencies, and professions.

Faculty service work with professional organizations create networking and learning opportunities for students to hear from outside professionals about how to collaborate in the field. Faculty

teach key courses such as Advanced Techniques and Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues to help prepare students for collaboration and communication with outside disciplines, agencies, and professions.

Faculty regularly invite clinicians and community mental health partners to quarterly clinic trainings each year to inform students about local agency resources for their clients, as well as agencies’ preferred best practice for collaborative communication. In their clinical supervisor role, faculty advise students regularly on their client cases and how to address requests for information, subpoenas,

mandated clients, and other various aspects of community collaboration.

2.Use basic clinical skills, including admission to

treatment, establishing a therapeutic alliance, maintenance of treatment

records, case management, crisis intervention, and systemic treatment planning.

Faculty serve as clinicians in the community, which increases their direct experience with systemic therapy. Faculty teach key courses

such as Basic Skills of the Psychotherapy Interview to help students practice and understand basic clinical skills. Faculty often role play or do co-therapy with students in the classroom and in the practicum.

Core faculty all have academic and clinical training with COAMFTE accredited doctoral programs. All faculty are AAMFT Approved Supervisors or Supervisors in Training. As clinical supervisors,




faculty regularly engage in live supervision to assess students’ clinical skills and therapeutic alliances. Additionally, faculty supervisors routinely oversee file audits of students’ clinical cases, which includes assisting with and signing off on all treatment planning.

3.Demonstrate proficiency in assessing, diagnosing, and

treating serious mental illness as defined by the state of South Carolina, and will understand its

impact on the system.

All faculty are licensed in the state of South Carolina to diagnose and treat serious mental illness. Faculty teach two key courses

(Diagnostics in Interpersonal Systems and Individual Psychopathology), as well as include diagnostic practice in various other courses (e.g., Self of the Therapist, Advanced Techniques) to

help prepare students to diagnose and treat serious mental illness. Faculty serve as clinicians in the community to continue practicing diagnosing and treating serious mental illness. Faculty supervisors

advise and approve every client’s treatment plan created by studen ts, which includes a portion for clinical diagnosis in DSM 5 formatting.

4.Demonstrate an understanding of the theories and history of

marriage and family therapy and the understanding and application of major models

of marriage and family therapy.

All faculty teaching courses in MFT theory are core faculty who have academic and clinical training from COAMFTE accredited

doctoral programs. Some of the courses taught by faculty specifically focus on major MFT theories and models (e.g., Systems II, Self of the Therapist, Brief and Extended Models of Therapy, Systemic

Approaches to Couples Therapy). In each of these courses faculty facilitate discussion, lecture, role plays, and assignments that teach and assess for student comprehension of the history, theory, and

application of major models of MFT. Faculty serve as clinicians in the community to practice application of major models of marriage and family therapy. Faculty attend state SCAMFT trainings each

year and serve on the board to ensure continued systemic training. As clinical supervisors, faculty utilize major models regularly in advising students in supervision of their cases. Additionally, faculty

supervisors help students plan and prepare for the clinical comprehensive exam in which they must successfully apply a major MFT model in written and video format with a relational case from

their caseload.

5.Comprehend research methodology and be able to apply current research findings

to the practice and assessment of clinical work in the field of marriage and family therapy.

Both core faculty members engage in their own research projects and allow students to work with them on those projects if they so choose. The core faculty members, led by the Clinical Director, are currently

working to implement research at West Gate/Emerge therapy Clinic to allow students the opportunity to gather data and apply that research to their current clinical practice. A core faculty member

teaches a Research Literacy course to help students comprehend research methodology. As clinical supervisors, faculty evaluate students at the end of each semester of their practicum regarding

their demonstration of applying research findings in their clinical practice.

6.Students will apply in both an academic and clinical setting

knowledge of individual and family development, including issues related to human

sexuality and sexual dysfunction

Faculty teach two key courses (Resilient Families and Sexual Dysfunction in Systems) to help students learn about individual and

family development, including issues relating to sexuality. Both faculty members attend regular continuing education to learn more about this area of focus. One of the core faculty members is in the

process of becoming a Registered Play Therapist to learn more about child development and how it relates to systemic therapy. As clinical supervisors, faculty evaluate students at the end of each semester of

their practicum regarding their demonstration of knowledge of individual and family development including issues related to sexuality and dysfunction.


7.Understand contemporary and diversity issues and be able to implement that knowledge in a

clinical setting.

The Clinical Director oversees the practicum partnership with West Gate/Emerge Therapy Clinic and helps West Gate manage externship sites for students to gain a more diverse experience working with

various clinical populations. The Program Director works to incorporate adjunct faculty and supervisors from different backgrounds and areas of specialization to enhance the students’ learning experience in the classroom and in clinical supervision. As clinical supervisors, faculty conduct weekly live supervision of students and utilize a cultural competence lens in the supervising of

these cases. Students are regularly challenged on self of the therapist and/or cultural competency-related issues when deemed necessary by the supervisor, as well as evaluated on this at the end of each

semester of the practicum.

8.Demonstrate an understanding and competency of ethical, legal, and professional issues

associated with the practice of marriage and family therapy and be able to apply that

knowledge in a clinical setting.

An adjunct faculty member teaches a professional and legal ethics issues course. Faculty serve on the state professional organization’s board of directors and have presented at a state conference, as well as

the national AAMFT conference. All faculty supervisors are AAMFT approved supervisors who facilitate students’ understanding of ethical, legal, and professional issues while in the practicum.

Additionally, students are evaluated by faculty supervisors at the end of each semester of the practicum on their ethical clinical choices and professionalism in the clinic.

Kelly Kennedy, Ph.D., LMFT-S – Dr. Kennedy is an Assistant Professor and the Program Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program. She has a BA in Psychology, an

MS in Child and Family Development, and a Ph.D. in Child and Family Development with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a licensed MFT, an

AAMFT Approved Supervisor, clinical member of AAMFT, and a board member for SCAMFT division. As Program Director of the MFT Program, Dr. Kennedy directs the academic curriculum, takes responsibility for the maintenance and enhancement of the

quality of the program, provides service to the program (e.g., Delta Kappa Honors Society Faculty Advisor), and helps the Clinical Director in any area of need she may

have. She also serves on the Graduate Admissions Committee. She teaches EDU634 Systems of Family Therapy I, EDU 635 Brief and Extended Models, EDU 636 Assessment and Treatment of Sexual Dysfunction, EDU 661 Basic Techniques of the

Psychotherapy Interview, EDU 683 Advanced Techniques, and EDU 691 Illness and Disability in Childhood and Adolescence. Dr. Kennedy also supervises students in

various phases of the practicum, EDU 648 A-E. Dr. Kennedy has received three grants while at converse College and has conducted two studies. One study investigated the influence of Marriage and Family therapy for teen mothers using a systemic CBT model.

The other study was a grounded study exploring resilience in African American women with breast cancer. She is currently working with Dr. Szarzynski to implement active and

ongoing research at Emerge Therapy Clinic. Dr. Kennedy maintains a small, part time

private practice as a partner at Magnolia Counseling in Spartanburg, SC.

Amanda Szarzynski, Ph.D., LMFT – Dr. Szarzynski is an Assistant Professor and the Clinical Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program. She has a BS in

Psychology, a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, and a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a licensed MFT, an AAMFT Supervisor, clinical member of AAMFT, and a board member for SCAMFT division. As the Clinical Director of the


MFT Program, Dr. Szarzynski directs the clinical training of students, takes responsibility for the maintenance and enhancement of the quality of the program, provides service to

the program, and helps the Academic Director in any area of need she may have. She also serves on faculty senate, on the Graduate Curricular Committee, and on Graduate

Council. She teaches EDU 646 Couples Therapy, EDU 647 Research Literacy in MFT, EDU 639 Self of the Therapist, EDU 680 Systems of Family Therapy II, and EDU 637 Family Therapy with Families of Addiction. Dr. Szarzynski also supervises students in

various phases of the practicum, EDU 648 A-E. Dr. Szarzynski has received one grant while at Converse College, and has been working to publish her dissertation related to

military spouses. She has presented a poster presentation at AAMFT in 2014 and co-presented a workshop on utilizing Solution-Focused Therapy with couples at SCAMFT 2015 with Dr. Kennedy. She is also working to implement ongoing research at Emerge

Therapy Clinic. Dr. Szarzynski maintains a small private practice at Magnolia

Counseling Associates in Spartanburg, SC.

Dominique Chuku, Ph.D., LMFT – Dr. Chuku is an Adjunct Professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program and has a BA in Child and Family Studies/Psychology, an

MA in Marriage and Family Therapy, and a Ph.D. in Couple and Family Therapy. She is a licensed MFT and clinical member of AAMFT. She teaches EDU 643 Cultural

Competency and EDU 641 Developmental Process of the Resilient Family.

Julie Dillon, Ed.S., LMFT-S, RPT-S – Ms Julie Dillon is an Adjunct Professor in the

Marriage and Family Therapy Program and Director of the Middle Tyger Counseling Center satellite practicum site. She has a BA in Psychology, MA in Math Education, and an Ed.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a licensed MFT, licensed MFT

supervisor, and a Registered Play Therapist and Supervisor. She is a clinical member of AAMFT and a board member of the SCAMFT division. She teaches courses in EDU 682

Play Therapy and supervises students in various phases of the practicum, EDU 648 A-E.

Gabrielle Leopard, Ed.S., LMFT-S, RPT-S - Ms. Leopard is an Adjunct Professor in the

Marriage and Family Therapy Program and has a B.A. in English and an Ed.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a licensed MFT, licensed MFT Supervisor in South

Carolina, and Registered Play Therapist and Supervisor. She is also an Approved Supervisor for AAMFT. She teaches EDU 691 Illness and Disabilities in Children and Adolescence, EDU 656 Business Strategies for the Health Care Professional, EDI 631

Intro to Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and EDU 642 Diagnostics of Mental Disorders

in Interpersonal Systems.

Elizabeth Pratt, Ed.S., LMFT-S – Ms. Pratt is an Adjunct Professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program and has a BA in History and Literature, an M.Div., and an

Ed.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a licensed MFT and Supervisor in the state of South Carolina. She is the clinical director at Safe Homes/Rape Crisis Center. She teaches EDU 645 Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in MFT, EDU 681 Individual

Psychopathology in MFT, and EDU 691 Special Topics in MFT.

Cathy Sparks, Ed.D, LMFT-S, LPC-S, RPT-S – Dr. Sparks is an Adjunct Professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program and the Post-Degree Institute Director at WGTCN. She has a BS in Psychology, a M.Ed. in Counseling, an Ed.S. in Counseling,


an Ed.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. She is a licensed MFT, a licensed MFT supervisor, a licensed Professional Counselor, a

licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, and a Registered Play Therapist and Supervisor. Her research interest is filial therapy. She

teaches EDU 633 Child Psychopathology and EDU 682 Play Therapy. Dr. Sparks also

supervises students in various phases of the practicum, EDU 648 A-E.


Evaluation 2 – Progress Evaluation

Progress Evaluation:

For full-time students, the Progress Evaluation occurs during the January semester of the

first year in the program in anticipation of beginning the practicum in the summer. For part-time students, the Progress Evaluation occurs when they have been in the program somewhere between 15 and 30 credit hours. The timing depends on when the student will

be entering the practicum. The Progress Evaluation occurs automatically, and students do

not need to do anything to begin the process.

The program director reviews students’ academic performance. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA average. Students dropping below a 3.0 GPA average are in danger of being

dismissed from the program. The program director surveys the faculty and asks them to fill out a Professional Disposition form on each student that they have taught in the

program. This form is found in the appendix of this handbook. The form assesses time management, respect for diversity, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills. Students must receive at least a 3.5 on this form in order to pass the Progress Evaluation. After

collecting this data, the program director informs students in writing of the outcome of the evaluation. Students who pass the Progress Evaluation are eligible to continue to the

next benchmark in the program, which is the Clinical Readiness Committee meeting.

If a student does not pass the progress evaluation, clinical readiness committee meeting,

or fails one of the requirements for graduation (e.g., Academic Comprehensive Exams, Clinical Comprehensive Exams, etc), the student and the Program director will form a remedial plan. In addition, if a student receives three matters of record from Emerge

Therapy Clinic, he or she will meet with the Emerge staff and Converse faculty to determine need of a remedial plan. If the issue is clinic related, the student’s individual supervisor and Clinic Director will also participate in formulation of a remedial plan. The remedial plan will include behavioral markers the student should achieve within the next long semester of the program to remain in the program. The Program Director will take

responsibility to review the student’s progress toward the remedial plan at one month following putting the plan in place as well as at the end of the remedial period. If a

student does not pass the remedial plan, he or she may be removed from the practicum (p.

28 of Program Handbook) or the program (p. 21 of Graduate Handbook).


Benchmark 3 – Clinical Readiness Committee Meeting

Requirements to Begin the Practicum:

1. Completion of a minimum of 24 credit hours in the program or permission of

academic advisor. 2. Completion of practicum prerequisites EDU634; EDU680; EDU661; EDU645;

EDU642; EDU639, EDU635, or EDU646; and EDU683, or permission of academic

advisor. 3. No academic incompletes.

4. Successful completion of Benchmark 2, the Progress Evaluation. 5. Completion and submission of practicum application.

a. Receipt of liability insurance

b. Clean criminal background check

6. Score of 3.5 or higher on the Clinical Readiness Rubric

Application Form:

Students must complete an application form to Emerge Therapy Clinic in order to begin the practicum. The form must be signed by their academic advisor and then turned into the clinic at

least one week before the scheduled CRC meeting. A release to run the background check is part of the application. The clinic office manager will run the background check upon receiving the application. A clean background check is necessary in order to begin the practicum. After

successful completion of the CRC meeting, the office manager will obtain the students’ liability insurance.

Clinical Readiness Committee Meeting:

The students are sent a sign-up schedule for the Clinical Readiness Committee meetings. Students meet with the faculty and supervisors of the clinic. Students should come prepared to discuss why they believe they are ready to begin the practicum, how they will manage their time,

what hours they will be devoting to the practicum, and what placement site, if any, they might prefer. Although there are definitely no guarantees, the clinic will do its best to accommodate

student preferences. Faculty will interview students and fill out the CRC rubric found in the appendix of this handbook. At the end of the interview, if there are no concerns, students are

given the date of the clinic orientation and their supervision assignment.


Clinical Practicum

The clinical practicum is the most demanding component of the MMFT program and probably the most rewarding. It is a 15 consecutive month, five continuous semester experience. Students should prepare to devote a minimum of 20 hours a week to clinic responsibilities, including

client contact, supervision, quarterly day-long clinic meetings, telephone calls, interfacing with other agencies and professionals, and record-keeping. Students should also expect to continue to

see clients in the clinic during academic breaks. No student should be absent from the clinic longer than one week without permission from his or her supervisor. Students should also remember that there will be additional fees associated with the practicum that will be deducted

from their financial aid disbursement.

The following is a description of the expectations of the practicum experience.

EDU683 Advanced Techniques

The Advanced Techniques course is a pre-practicum class that works to prepare the student for the transition into clinical work. During this class, students learn how to prepare and complete

clinical paperwork, maintain a case file, create treatment plans, collaborate with other disciplines, do crisis intervention, and conduct an initial interview. In addition, students will

begin observation of live sessions and sitting in during sessions. The instructor of this class works closely with the clinical director to identify clients who may become transfer cases for the

new student, and if possible, these clients will be the ones students will observe.

Emerge Therapy Clinic

The practicum experience is provided by Emerge Therapy Clinic (Emerge). Converse College partners with Emerge, but the clinic is not owned or operated by the college. This is why there

are additional fees associated with the practicum experience. In addition to providing the practicum experience for graduate students, Emerge also provides the internship experience for licensed interns who, as part of a fellowship they receive from the clinic, often serve as mentors

to incoming practicum students.

The clinic is located on Dillon Drive in Spartanburg, and PJ McEnroe is the executive director of

Emerge. Externship sites are listed in the practicum application.

Occasionally, a student may be seeing clients at his or her place of employment, or may desire a placement site that provides experience in the students’ area of special interest. This is possible; however, the student must seek approval from the clinical director. There are specific

requirements in order for a student to be able to count client contact hours at a specific site, and the faculty will insure that the site is suitable. No more than 250 hours client contact hours may

be obtained at such a site.

The clinic is staffed with an office manager from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.

However, students receive access to keys to the clinic and may schedule client sessions until 8:00 pm and on Saturdays. No one should schedule clients past 8:00 pm, and safety and common


sense should always be the guide. New clients or questionable clients should not be scheduled a

time when the student might be alone in the clinic.

For a calendar of clinic meetings and announcements, students will be expected to use a clinic

email assigned to them at the start of the practicum. This email can be linked to students’ Converse email for ease of communication.

Professional Comportment

All student therapists are to dress professionally and modestly while conducting business at the

clinic. Tube tops, low-cut shirts, short skirts, etc. are not acceptable. In addition, behavior in the clinic should be professional at all times. Loud laughter, horse-play, or other unprofessional

behavior is not acceptable. Please remember that people come to the clinic with many life issues and often are hurting. They are due our respect and consideration. Please see the practicum

handbook for further detail.

EDU648A

All students beginning the practicum are assigned a supervisor who will provide their supervision during their first quarter. This first quarter is designed to be a very structured

experience that transitions the student gradually into clinical work. Any questions a student has about any aspect of the clinical experience should be directed to students’ assigned individual supervisor or the clinical director. The Emerge staff provide a clinic orientation that is mandatory

attendance for practicum students. Initially, students will be conducting co-therapy with other therapists, including mentors and exiting practicum students. Students are required to have their

fellow mentor or assigned supervisor observe their first new intake session but may begin taking new cases on their own after this initial live observation. Students’ assigned individual supervisor should conduct at least one live supervision within the first 2 weeks of seeing clients

on their own, and it is the responsibility of the student to schedule this live supervision session.

Scheduling New Clients

After the EDU648A supervisor has cleared a student to begin seeing clients alone, the student’s name is put into the clinic rotation. When potential clients call into the clinic requesting services, the office staff gather a very brief intake, places the person on a waiting list for an initial intake, and notifies the client assignment fellow. The client assignment fellow then contacts the next

student on the rotation list and gives that student the intake information. It is that student’s responsibility to contact the potential client and schedule an initial intake session. New clients

should be contacted within 24 hours and should always be scheduled at a time the student knows others will be in the clinic. It’s important to note that, at this point, this is an intake only. The clinic has only limited information on the potential client and doesn’t know if the person is suitable to be seen in a training outpatient setting. The student assigned the intake conducts the initial interview and completes the appropriate assessment paperwork. At the end of the session,

the student lets the client know that he or she will be assigned a therapist who will contact him or her and arrange the next appointment. The student brings the new client file and intake to his or her next scheduled session of individual supervision. The individual supervisor, in collaboration

with the student, determines whether or not the client is a good fit for both the student and the clinic. There are many reasons why a potential client might not be a good fit for the clinic


including active psychosis, severity of symptoms, need for medications first, etc. It is the clinic’s responsibility to determine this, not the students. However, it is the student’s responsibility to conduct a thorough assessment interview to gain as much information as possible to assist the

clinic to make the best decision possible.

Requirements of the Clinical Practicum

Client Contact Hours

Client contact hours are face-to-face experiences defined as time spent with a client system in the therapy room. Telephone calls do not comprise client contact hours.

Intake, assessments, and psychoeducational experiences can be considered client contact hours if they are direct experiences with the client in the room.

Students must log in a total of 500 supervised, direct client contact hours during their five-semester clinical practicum.

At least 250 of the 500 direct client contact must be relational, that is with couples or families.

At least 250 of the 500 direct client contact must be within the Emerge facilities

Assessing Client Contact Hours

Students are to keep a log of their client contact hours. See appendix for a copy.

Students are to fill out a Weekly Supervision Form and give to their supervisor at each individual supervision meeting. See appendix for a copy.

Students are to fill out a Form C at the end of each month in the practicum and turn in a copy to their individual supervisor and the clinical director, and keep a copy for themselves. See appendix for a copy.

Students are to fill out a Form D at the end of the practicum after they have completed all

requirements. This should be turned in to the clinical director. See appendix for a copy.

Supervision

There are five supervisors in the Emerge system, all of which are either approved AAMFT Supervisors and SC Licensed MFT Supervisors or Supervisor Candidates.

You will be assigned to an individual supervisor and a supervision group each semester.

All supervision must be face-to-face or live.

Individual supervision is defined as one supervisor and up to two supervisees.

Group supervision is defined as one supervisor and three to ten supervisees. Group supervision can never exceed 10 supervisees.

Students must complete a minimum of 100 hours of face-to-face supervision.

At least 50 hours of the 100 must be individual and no more than 50 hours must be group.

50 hours of the supervision must be direct observation, defined as audio, video, or live supervision. 25 hours of the 50 raw data supervision hours must be either video or live.

During individual supervision, if one student presents a videotaped session, both students may count the hour as video supervision.

During group supervision, if one student presents a videotaped session, all students may count the time as video supervision.


During live supervision, if the supervision is conducted with a supervision group observing, the student in the room with the supervisor may count the time as live individual supervision. The students observing as a team may count the time as live group supervision.

Students must maintain a ratio of one hour of supervision for every five hours of direct client contact (.20 ratio).

For every week in which a student has direct client contact, that student must receive at least one hour of supervision, even if the student only sees one client.

Individual supervision should occur for one hour once a week, and group supervision for

two hours every other week.

Assessing Supervision

Each time a student receives supervision, he or she should bring a supervision form filled out prior to supervision and should also bring a supervision log and have the supervisor

sign it. The log is found in the appendix of this handbook.

Students are to fill out a Form C at the end of each month in the practicum and turn in a copy to their individual supervisor and the clinical director, and keep a copy for themselves. See appendix for a copy.

Students are given an opportunity to evaluate their supervision experience utilizing an

anonymous, online evaluation form at the end of each semester.

Internship

Students are to complete 300 hours of internship during their practicum experience.

The internship hours consist of the hours spent making telephone calls, record-keeping, traveling to and from meetings, clinic meetings, and any other clinic related activities that

are not face-to-face client contact.

Students do not need to keep a log of these hours but should be aware of this hours stipulation per COAMFTE requirements. It is assumed all students will surpass 300 hours

of practice management internship hours during the five semesters of practicum.

Record Keeping

Students are required to maintain accurate, complete, and up-to-date records on their clients. These records are to be kept in the clinic or on-site where the client is being seen

at all times. Assessing Record Keeping

Prior to each practicum student semester evaluation, the Post Degree Students in the clinic conduct a File Audit of all student files assessing for accuracy, completeness, and

up-to-dateness. In preparation for this audit, the student turns in a list of his or her caseload to the file audit coordinator. Results of the audit are given to the student and the

student’s individual supervisor for feedback during the practicum student semester evaluation. Students have one week after receiving audit feedback to make any necessary corrections.


Maintain Client Confidentiality

Students are responsible to maintain their clients’ confidentiality at all times.

Client files are to be kept in the locked client file cabinets unless being used during session or supervision.

DVDs and videotapes are part of a client’s file and should be treated with the same confidentiality rules. They should be kept in the client’s file in a locked cabinet.

If a student knows or recognizes a client’s name during an intake assignment, he or she should inform the office manager and return the intake.

If students realize they know a client being presented at individual or group supervision, they must excuse themselves from the supervision session.

Students should exercise caution when discussing client cases whether in the clinic, the classroom, or in public places, such as restaurants. Spartanburg is a small community, and a listener could recognize the details of a case.

Practice Effectively with a Wide Variety of Clients

The purpose of the clinical practicum is to give students an opportunity to apply in a clinical setting all the academic knowledge and skills learned in the classroom. By the

completion of the 5-semester practicum, students should be practicing effectively and applying clinical skills with a wide variety of clients at a developmental level consistent with an entry-level therapist.

Students are expected to have an active caseload of at least 15 clients once a caseload is established.

Assessing Effective Practice

Weekly individual supervision and bi-weekly group supervision utilizing direct observation methods provide the student with a great deal of assessment and feedback

surrounding effective practice

The supervisor fills out a Practicum Student evaluation form found in the appendix of this handbook that quantitatively assesses students’ level of competence on the skills and requirements deemed necessary to exhibit clinical effectiveness and professionalism. This

form is used during the practicum student evaluation, as well as to calculate each student’s grade for each semester of EDU 648.

Each semester students meet with their individual supervisor who offers overall feedback using the Practicum Student Evaluation form, the student’s self-evaluation form (same as supervisor’s), Form Cs, and results of the file audits.

Students evaluate their own performance using the Practicum Student Evaluation form found in the appendix of this handbook. This is also discussed during the practicum

student semester evaluation.

Clinical comprehensive exams will also evaluate effectiveness. These are discussed under Benchmark 4.


Completing Client Contact Hours

Students must complete the above listed requirements for the clinical practicum within 5-semester practicum period.

All practicum requirements must be met in order to be cleared for graduation.

Grounds for Dismissal from the Practicum:

The Executive Director of Emerge may remove a clinical practicum student for appropriate

reasons. Appropriate reasons include, but are not limited to, the following:

Disobeying a supervisor’s instructions on a practicum case involving a legal or ethical issue, including suicidal or homicidal clients, duty-to-warn or mandatory reporting issues,

or dual relationship issues.

Failure to inform your practicum supervisor if you have cases that involve the above issues.

Lack of progress in clinical competency

Breach of professional ethics as defined by the AAMFT and SC Board of Licensure for LPC, LMFT, and PES.

Failure to comply with COAMFTE standards or licensure statute or regulations

Substance abuse

Endangering clients in any way, including not contacting or covering clients for over 24 business hours

Non-compliance with WGTCN’s guidelines

The student may request a hearing from a student evaluation committee composed of the faculty

at Emerge. The decision of the evaluation committee is final.

Appeals Process

Students enrolled in the clinical marriage and family therapy education program have the right to

appeal any action taken that adversely affects them. The appeal process is as follows:

The student consults with his/her individual supervisor. If no resolution occurs, the student proceeds to the second step.

The aforementioned parties carry the concern to the Clinical Director of Converse College, Dr. Szarzynski. If no resolution occurs, the student proceeds to the third step.

The aforementioned parties carry the concern to the Executive Director, PJ McEnroe. If no resolution occurs, the student proceeds to the fourth step.

The aforementioned parties carry the concern to the Emerge Evaluation Committee. This committee is composed of all clinical supervisors and clinical faculty of Emerge. The decision of the Evaluation Committee is final. Each member of the Evaluation

Committee has one vote. Should a member of the Evaluation Committee be involved in that student’s concern, he/she is to be present but not participate in any voting. Clear written documentation of any interventions and/or decision-making in connection with

the process is to be entered into the official records of the Emerge.


Any student may exercise his/her right of appeal through the South Carolina Board of Examiners for the Licensure of Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists and Psycho-educational Specialists. He/She may also appeal to the Ethics Committee of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy by first contacting the Ethics

Committee chair of the South Carolina Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. The contact information about these organizations is as follows:

SCAMFT – telephone 1-803-779-0340

AAMFT – 112 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314-3061

Telephone: 703-838-9808

Fax: 703-838-9805

South Carolina Board of Examiners for LPC, LMFT, and PES

P. O. Box 11329

Columbia, SC 29211-1329

Telephone: 803-895-4658


Benchmark 4 – Graduation

The requirements for graduation from the MMFT program are as follows:

Forty-eight credit hours of required and elective MFT coursework with at least 3.0 GPA.

Fifteen credit hours of clinical practicum including the following: i. Successful completion of all the requirements of the clinical practicum

ii. A rating of pass on Clinical Comprehensive Exams

A rating of pass on Academic Comprehensive Exams

Complete any incomplete work by end of spring term with grades sent to the Registrar and recorded by the appropriate deadline. (See Converse academic calendar)

Not receive any incomplete grades Summer I or II immediately preceding summer graduation or be enrolled in Summer III.

Have all transfer work sent to the dean by the end of the spring term. The dean, who with the advisor approves the transfer, notifies the Registrar by the appropriate deadline. (See Converse academic calendar)

Have fulfilled all financial responsibilities no later than one week prior to graduation.

Request and complete a degree application form from the Graduate School office in Ezell.

The two “sub-benchmarks” mentioned above that are necessary to complete successfully before you can graduate are the Academic Comprehensive Exams and the Clinical Comprehensive

Exams. Below is a description of each.

Academic Comprehensive Exams

Requirements:

1. Student must have a current GPA of 3.0 or above in the MMFT program.

2. Student can have no incompletes in the program. 3. Student must be in or about to enter their last long academic semester of the program.

Students who are in their last semester of academic coursework but have not

completed their practicum requirements may still sit for the exam. 4. Student must fill out an application and turn it into the program director four weeks

prior to the scheduled date for the exam.

Students must pass their academic comprehensive exams before graduation and should apply at

least four weeks prior to the scheduled exam dates. Exams are scheduled twice a year at the end of the fall and spring semester. The date for the exam as well as the deadline for applying is

listed on the calendar. If students fail their first attempt, they may schedule and take the comprehensive exams one more time. The following is information on content and process of the academic comprehensive exam:


The academic comprehensive exam is a multiple choice exam that is administered online in one

of the computer labs. The topics covered include major theories of MFT, major models of MFT, diagnosing, ethical issues, cultural and diversity issues, developmental and family life cycle

issues, and treatment of sexual dysfunction issues. A score of at least 70% is considered a passing score.

Clinical Comprehensive Exam

Requirements to Sit for Clinical Comprehensive Exam:

1. Student must be in the EDU 648-D or EDU 648-E semester of the practicum.

2. Student must have a current GPA of 3.0 or above in the MMFT program overall as well as in the practicum.

3. Student must have the approval of the individual supervisor.

The Clinical Comprehensive Exam occurs in addition to your final practicum student semester

evaluation. During this exam, you will present a sample of your work to the Emerge faculty/supervisors. The following are some guidelines for the exam:

Select a client system that you have seen consistently for three months or more. Be sure you have representative videotapes of your sessions.

Prepare a written narrative that includes the following:

Client Psycho-Social History

Presenting Complaint

Your theoretical conceptualization of the case

A description of your treatment plan and course of therapy to date

Your personal theory of change and application of MFT model

Description of the three videotaped excerpts of therapy sessions you’ll show illustrating progression of therapy and your use of model

Self of the therapist issues and your growing edge with this client

Diversity issues related to client system and yourself

DSM-5 diagnoses relevant for each member of the client system

During Comprehensive Exams, you will present this case along with the videotaped excerpts and your written narrative. You must be prepared to describe the MFT model

you used and answer any questions about your conceptualization or therapy.

Note: If your video tape shows you using a technique not consistent with the model you state you are using (i.e. asking a Miracle Question when you are using Structural Therapy), you need to acknowledge that you understand this and why you chose to use another technique.

Please remember, this is not a supervision session. The supervisors aren’t particularly interested in the client dynamics except as they informed your therapeutic approach.

The supervisors are interested in seeing examples of your clinical work that clearly demonstrates your model and your ability to conduct therapy.


You must receive a score of pass from a majority of the supervisors to whom you will present your work. A copy of the clinical comprehensive exam rubric is attached to this handbook.


Appendices

Professional Disposition Standards

Clinical Readiness Committee Meeting Rubric & Typical Interview Questions Weekly Supervision Form

Client Contact Sheet Form C Practicum Student Semester Evaluation Rubric

Clinical Comprehensive Exam Rubric Form D


Converse College Professional Disposition Standards


An important responsibility of a marriage and family therapy training program is to ensure that

those who proceed to the clinical practicum manifest the appropriate disposition for providing therapy to clients. Students are expected to demonstrate quality of character and the ability to make a contribution to the field of marriage and family therapy. This assessment sheet exists to

provide students with feedback from their instructors on any behaviors that may be inconsistent with the professional disposition required of practicum students and, ultimately, marriage and

family therapists. Each student will be rated on the following dispositions when he or she has

completed from 15 to 30 credit hours.

Please rate students on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 representing little or no evidence of this disposition and 5 representing exemplary evidence of this disposition. Circle the appropriate number. If you rated a student at 3 or below, please explain the deficit in the space provided, or attach a separate

sheet.

Instructor: ____________________________

Student: ______________________________

1 2 3 4 5 Displays good time management, i.e. class attendance, punctuality, and

completion of assignment within class guidelines.

Comments:__________________________________________

1 2 3 4 5 Respects diversity and individual differences.

Comments:__________________________________________

1 2 3 4 5 Displays intellectual curiosity and interest in subject matter.

Comments:__________________________________________

1 2 3 4 5 Values philosophical and theoretical perspectives in discussion and reflection.

Comments:__________________________________________

1 2 3 4 5 Balances self-exploration with appropriate personal boundaries in class

discussions and assignments.

Comments:__________________________________________

1 2 3 4 5 Demonstrates an awareness of his/her own beliefs and attitudes.

Comments:__________________________________________

1 2 3 4 5 Demonstrates a positive attitude toward self, instructors, potential clients, peers

and fellow students, and subject matter.

Comments:__________________________________________


1 2 3 4 5 Handles class role-plays and therapy observations in a competent and mature

manner.

Comments:__________________________________________

1 2 3 4 5 Values professional growth and development, i.e. professional organizations,

presentations, conference attendance, additional study, etc.

Comments:__________________________________________

1 2 3 4 5 Receives and values feedback.

Comments:__________________________________________


Emerge Therapy Clinic

Clinical Readiness Committee Meeting Rubric

1 Poor; 2 Below Average; 3 Average; 4 Above Average; 5 Excellent

Student Demonstrates: 1 2 3 4 5

Self of the Therapist Awareness (Therapist is

conscious of issues that may arise during practicum,

therapist has a strong support network, therapist is reasonably prepared for challenges he or she will encounter, therapist receives feedback well, therapist demonstrates

appropriate boundaries during a professional evaluation)

Preparatory Life Experiences (Serving others,

volunteering, personal counseling, resiliency in surviving

personal struggles)

Philosophy of Helping Others (Evidence that

student genuinely desires to serve others, and work within a

systemic framework)

Coursework Requirements (Student has successfully

completed prerequisite coursework in preparation for

practicum)

Favorable Faculty Evaluations (Student has support

of clinical director and at least one other faculty member to

enter practicum)

Cultural Diversity (Student has demonstrated a

sensitivity to and understanding of diversity issues in

clinical applications)

Interview (Answers questions genuinely, and relates well

to faculty and site coordinators, appears to have some level of confidence in ability to successfully navigate practicum, seems to be a good fit for program or placement site,

appropriate dress & professionalism)


Optional Qualitative Questions generally asked during clinical readiness meetings:

How will you balance work, family, practicum, and coursework responsibilities? How have you prepared yourself and significant others for this rigorous commitment?

What are your sources of support and how will you care for your self during this challenging experience?

Does your current schedule accommodate seeing a minimum of 10 clients a week in addition to coursework, supervision, and paperwork?

What populations are you interested in working with and what would be an ideal placement for you?

You’ll be seeing a very diverse population in terms of diagnoses, culture, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. What issues do you anticipate might crop up for you?

In what ways do you feel prepared for entering the practicum?

What are you most concerned about in regards to entering the clinical practicum?

How many courses will you take throughout the practicum? Is this a realistic expectation?

How has the MFT course work and/or life experiences prepared you for entering the clinical practicum?

What questions do you have for faculty and site supervisors?

What do you hope to gain from this experience?


Practicum Student Semester Evaluation

Student: ______________________________ Supervisor:______________________________

Date: _________________________________ Evaluation: (Circle) A B C D E

1 Poor; 2 Below Average; 3 Average; 4 Above Average; 5 Excellent

Student Learning

Outcomes Student Demonstrates: 1 2 3 4 5

4, 7 Professional Dress & Behavior (No jeans, athletic wear, tight clothing, heavy perfume, etc.; On-time for supervision, client sessions, & meetings; Professional demeanor towards clients, students, outside professionals; Returns calls quickly; Shows strong work ethic)

1, 2, 4 Case File Management (Maintains orderly client files; Updates treatment plans when necessary; Legible progress notes; Has all appropriate signatures and documentation in timely manner; Passes file audit)

4 Consistent Attendance (Attends individual and group supervision regularly; Attends quarterly clinic meeting; Consistently schedules & attends client sessions)

1, 2 Application of Systems Theory & MFT Models of

Therapy (Displays theoretical knowledge of MFT; Can distinguish between context, content, & process; Attempts to apply MFT models in therapy)

5, 7 Openness to Feedback & Personal Growth (Open to discussion of self-of-the-therapist issues; Willing to learn by taking risks; Open to being challenged by supervisors and peers; Utilizes supervision suggestions with clients; Has clear personal & professional goals; Utilizes current research findings in clinical work)

1, 2 Participation in Supervision (Encourages others in individual & group supervision; Engaged in case discussion; Prepared for case presentations; Supportive of peers)

4 Meets Supervision Requirements (Has had at least 3 live supervision sessions; Maintains a .20 or higher supervision ratio; At least 50% of supervision hours consist of raw data; Presents clinical comps video if applicable)

1, 2, 4 Improvement of Clinical Skills (Shows progress in utilizing basic therapy skills; Shows awareness of diversity issues and other aspects of cultural context; Able to develop strong rapport with clients; Appears comfortable in the therapy room; Able to appropriately assess & diagnose clients using the DSM 5; Able to develop goals & treatment plan with each client)


General Comments and Observations:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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Converse College/Emerge Clinical Comprehensive Exam Scoring Rubric

5-3.5 3.4-0 Program Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes

Videotaped sessions Score:_______

Student presented three video clips demonstrating mastery of a designated model, basic skills, and progress of therapy over a period of at least 3 months with a relational case. See attached rubric on following sheet.

Student presented less than three video clips or video clips do not demonstrate use of designated model, basic skills, or progress of therapy

1, 3 1, 2

Written narrative Score:_______

Student’s written narrative includes thorough, accurate, and grammatically correct psycho-social history, presenting complaint, theoretical conceptualization, treatment plan and progress of therapy, any cultural/diversity issues, any collaboration with other agencies, any ethical/legal issues, description of model used and theory of change, self-of-therapist issues, and relevant DSM-5 diagnoses.

Student’s written narrative does not include all of the components listed, or discussions are poorly developed and unclear

1, 2, 3, 5, 7 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

Verbal presentation Score: ________

Student provided accurate verbal description of theoretical approach and techniques used in video clips during presentation. Student responds to supervisors’ questions accurately and knowledgably.

Student’s verbal description of theoretical approach and techniques used are inaccurate or inconsistent with videotaped sessions presented; Student responses to supervisors’ questions are inaccurate or inadequate.

1, 3, 5, 7 1, 2, 7, 8

In order to pass the clinical comprehensive exams, students must receive a cumulative average score of at least 3.5.

Student:______________________________ Supervisor:______________________________ Date:________________________________ Grade:__________________________________


Videotaped Sessions:

1 point each

Student demonstrates an understanding of theory and the model and uses techniques and stances of the therapist appropriately.

_________Session 1 followed the model, or if wasn’t consistent, a valid explanation was given (1 point)



_________Student utilizes basic techniques consistently throughout the session and shows exemplary empathy, warmth and

genuineness (Each subcategory worth .20 points)

o Body language and facial expression was calming and reflected interest and concern; Eye contact with client

o Counselor to therapist talk time appropriate; Tone and volume were appropriate and mirrored the client’s o Comfortable with any silences that occurred

o Used both open and closed questions to facilitate the telling of the client’s story; Tracked the client’s story closely o Used basic listening skills; Reflected the client’s feelings accurately and with compassion when appropriate

.25 points each

__________Three videotaped sessions over 3 months

__________Student demonstrates exemplary dress, language, and management of the sessions

__________Student demonstrates exemplary respect for client’s position, contextual issues and/or power differential

__________Student identifies ethical issues and takes appropriate action if needed


Total: _____________/5

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