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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Foundations of Psychotherapy II (Face-to-Face)

PSY 6310-01

Course: PSY 6310-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: PSY
CRN: 12349

Course Description

Our theoretical (and personal) assumptions about people and their motives influence how we see the strengths and weaknesses of our clients, the style of therapeutic relationship we develop, the kind of therapeutic goals we set, how we attempt to intervene to meet these goals, and how we study this process. As a result, it is especially important for us to develop a strong, useful theoretical viewpoint, as well as to understand those of other therapists. This course will take a “deep” dive into four influential third-wave therapy models (CBT, DBT, MBCT, ACT) as well as a certification in the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS). This course is designed to build on the foundational counseling skills and theories learned in PSY 6300: Foundations of Psychotherapy, PSY 6100: Ethics Laws and Professional Practices, PSY 6610: Human Development Through the Lifespan, and PSY 6620: Individual and Cultural Diversity. Additionally, it will provide a deeper more comprehensive perspective on four influential third-wave therapy models. This course will further prepare students to conduct and engage in individual psychotherapy with clients in future practica. Furthermore, this course will provide opportunities to practice core skills and techniques necessary to conduct four forms of therapy serving as a foundation for additional skill development and practice in all subsequent intervention courses and practica. (Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): PsyD students only

Required Texts

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Basics and Beyond Third Edition, Judith Beck
ACT Made Simple, Second Edition; Russ Harris
DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents; Rathus and Miller
DBT Made Simple, Sheri Van Dijk
The Feeling Good Handbook, David Burns

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes:
This course and will require significant thinking and writing about yourself and others. I believe that you will significantly profit from this work, as will the people you work with in the future. By the end of this semester, you will begin to be able to:
·      Describe, understand, and begin to use the major foundational ideas in psychotherapy. These skills include CBT, DBT, CAMS, and ACT, as well as recognizing worldviews, cultural and diversity factors of clients.
·      Describe, understand and use the major psychotherapy "languages." You should be able to use the theory’s terminology and concepts and apply it to yourself and others.
·      Think divergently about a single phenomenon. This course will ask you to consider multiple explanations for a person's behavior.
·      Explore social context. As we consider the change process, we will consider how issues of gender, sexual orientation, culture, class, and physical ability affect our experience of ourselves and others. As you do so, you may find that your ability to be empathic increases.
·      Apply these ideas to yourself and others. Knowledge that is unapplied is sterile. You'll apply these ideas to yourself and others in papers, and to case material in our very applied exams.
·      Initiate conscious self-change. Although this is not a primary goal of this course, I hope that you consider your life during this course, using the ideas presented here as a springboard for your own change. Furthermore, you will learn to use writing to support your process of growth.
·      Understand the implications of one’s philosophy and theory for multicultural issues in counseling.
·      Improve scholarly writing skills.
·      Improve academic presentation skills.

Course Requirements

Final Grades will be assigned in accordance with the Psy.D. Grading Policy. Grade appeals and grievances may be made according to SUU Policy 6.19, Grade Appeal. Outcomes of Remediation, and/or Formal Probation actions may be appealed, in writing, to the SUU Psychology Department Chair and the Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Their determination is final.
Exams:  There will be three, non-cumulative, short answer, exams during the semester with a comprehensive final.  With the exception of the final, each exam will be around 10-15 questions and will be worth more or less 100 points. Questions will be drawn from both in class lectures, textbooks, and empirical article readings.  There will be no make-up exams, except under extenuating circumstances.
Service-Learning component: During the semester you will be involved in facilitating a training group based on DBT skills. Grading for this component will be based on attendance, preparedness, weekly quasi-therapy notes during the seven weeks of the training group, and a summative evaluation by group members. 
Discussion Leading: Leading and participating in the discussions are designed to help students to integrate the course readings and promote class participation. Students leading the discussion will be required to collaboratively synthesize the reading by pulling out no less than ten quotes with corresponding questions for the class to discuss. These quotes and questions should promote students’ critical thinking. You will lead 3 class discussions with another student. You, and your co-discussants, are encouraged to meet and collaborate on your agenda for leading the class session. Each discussion/class session lead will be worth 30 points, 3 discussions x 30 points = 90 points. It’s worth a fair amount so make them good. For the DBT presentations – don’t use PowerPoint, rather create a 1-page (front and back) cheat sheet to share with your peers. This will be the sheet that each group uses to facilitate their group that week – so make them good/useful!
CAMS: I’d like you to practice filling out the SSF-4. You and a fictitious client (from one of my undergraduate courses) will role-play a therapist client interaction filling out the SSF-4. Your practice session will need to be recorded and the completed SSF-4 and a conceptualization (about a half a page) writeup will be turned in for your final product. 
Intakes:  In this class you will write one intake and one case-conceptualization (the intake and the case-conceptualization will be on the same person). This case conceptualization will be written with a focus on explaining how the theory captures and explains why the undergraduate student is behaving in a particular manner.  You need to highlight SIX different elements from a theory and tie it into the conceptualization. These conceptualizations will help you to develop your conceptualization skills. Each of these conceptualizations should include intersections related to the cultural influences on your fictitious client. These intersections include, but are not limited to: Age, Disability, Religion, Ethnic/Racial identity, SES, Sexual orientation, Indigenous heritage, National origin, Gender (Please see the ADDRESSING article).
Case conceptualization

o   1 page (conceptualization with SIX elements from a one specific theory).
o   ADDRESSING intersections
o   Single spaced
o   Size 12 font; 1-inch margins
o   Eight different elements from the theory

2 Mock Sessions: this assignment is designed to give you some experience building rapport and transitioning into the application of one of the interventions described in DBT, ACT, or CBT. You will need to record this training session. Your final product will be a SOAP note about the session and then a one-page reflection on what you learned, what was challenging for you, what surprised you, and a brief conceptualization of the quasi-client.

Practicing ACT Metaphors: this assignment is designed to help you develop skills in delivering Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) metaphors. You will select and practice metaphors for five of the six components of the ACT hexaflex (excluding values), reflect on the process, and demonstrate your ability in class. Please see the CANVAS assignment for further details.

Grading Schedule & Points

 | Assignment | Possible Points | Points Earned
 | Exam 1 | 75 | 
| Exam 2 | 75 | 
| Exam 3 | 75 | 
| Service Learning   | 100 70 (10 per session) 30 Preparedness/attendance due  | 
| Presentations/Discussions(3) | 90 (30 per discussion) | 
| Papers (4) CAMS conceptualization Intake and conceptualization Mock session Client paper | 130 30 40 30 (each) | 
| ACT Metaphor practice  Pair and Share/Class Demo | 50 (10 per demo) | 
| Total points possible | 595 |  
Course grade will be as follows
A  = 90.0-100%                                             
B  = 80.0 – 89.9%                   
C  = 70.0 – 79.9% 
D  = 60.0 – 69.9%
F   =      0 – 59%

Course Outline

Week 1a
Hayes, P.A. (2016). Addressing Cultural Complexities in Practice, Third Edition. Chapter 1 The New Reality: Diversity and Complexity 

Week 1b
The CAMS Foundational Video Course  Chapter 4 CAMS Risk Assessment: The Collaborative Use of the SSF  The effectiveness of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) compared to alternative treatment conditions: A meta-analysis; Swift, Trusty, Penix (2021); Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. 00, 1-15 DOI: 10.1111/sltb.12765 

Week 2a
The CAMS Foundational Video Course  Chapter 5 CAMS Treatment Planning: Coauthoring a Suicide-Specific Treatment Plan  

Week 2b
The CAMS Foundational Video Course  Chapter 6 CAMS Interim Sessions: Tracking Suicide Risk Assessments and Treatment Plan Updates 

Week 3a
DBT overview
Chapter 5
Chapter 7
Chapter 8

Week 3b
DBT overview
Chapter 9
Chapter 10 & 11
Chapter 12 

Week 4a
Beck, J. (2021). Cognitive Therapy: Basics and Beyond. The Guilford Press. Chapter 12-13

Week 4b
Class prep of DBT skills workshop Chapter 9 Emotion Regulation Session 1

Week 5a
The Feeling Good Handbook, David Burns. Chapter 11-12 Pair and share

Week 5b
Chapter 9 Emotion Regulation Session 2

Week 6a
Beck, J. (2021). Cognitive Therapy: Basics and Beyond. The Guilford Press. Chapter 14-15 

Week 6b
Chapter 9 Emotion Regulation Session 3

Week 7a
Chapter 9 Emotion Regulation Session 4

Week 7b 
Beck, J. (2021). Cognitive Therapy: Basics and Beyond. The Guilford Press. Chapter 17-18

Week 8a
Chapter 7 Distress Tolerance Session 1
 
Week 8b
The Feeling Good Handbook, David Burns; Chapters 6 and 8 (not 7) Pair and share

Week 9a
Chapter 7 Distress Tolerance Session 3

Week 9b
The Feeling Good Handbook, David Burns; Chapters 9 and 10

Week 10a
Chapter 7 Distress Tolerance Session 4

Week 10b
Chapter 6 pg 81-96 Creative What? 

Week 11a
Chapter 7 What You’re Thinking: Defusion pg 97-133 (New book chapters 11-14)  Pair and share/one Demo  Acceptance and commitment therapy: model, processes and outcomes; Hayes, et al., (2006) Behavior Research and Therapy (1):1-25 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2005.06.006  

Week 11b
Chapter 9 Be here and now: Contact with the present moment; pg 156-172 (In the new book Chapters 17-18)  Pair and share/one Demo  

Week 12a
Chapter 8 Opening up: Acceptance pg. 134-155 (In the new book Chapter 22-23; pg 251-275)  Pair and share/one Demo 

Week 12b
Chapter 10 Pure Awareness: Self as context; pg173-188 (In the new book Chapters 25-26)  Pair and share/one Demo 

Week 13
Chapter 11 Know What Matters: Values; pg 189-208; (In the new book Chapters 19-20) Pair and share/one Demo

Week 14
Chapters 21; 24 Do what It Takes: Committed action 

Week 15
Butler, A., Chapman, J., Forman, E., & Beck, A. (2006). The empirical status of cognitive-behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Clinical psychology review, 26, 17-31.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Extensions & Make-Ups:
In the event of a university approved absence or a significant medical problem please contact the instructor prior to the due date to discuss making up a missed exam or presentation.  Written documentation (e.g., university notice, note from physician) will be required for a make-up.  Family vacations, weddings, sleeping in, etc will not justify missing an assignment or exam.  No exceptions will be made to this policy.

Principles of civility dictate that students do not talk when the instructor, or another student, is talking.  Also, please turn off cell-phones and note text messaging is prohibited. Should a cell phone ring the instructor will take all calls.  Please show up promptly and stay until class is over (the size of the classroom does not allow subtle entrances and exits).  Every faculty member has the right to remove any student from the classroom when a student has compromised the instructor’s ability to teach, and/or other students’ rights to learn.  For more information see the University’s Classroom Civility Policy in the student handbook.

Attendance & Late Work
Consistent with the program handbook and attendance policy, doctoral students are expected to attend all class meetings and arrive prepared to actively participate in class activities.  I reserve the right to refuse any work submitted after the listed deadline in Canvas, but may consider late submissions on a case-by-case basis provided you have contacted me prior to the deadline.  Documentation of a university-excused absence or late submission (i.e., a note from a physician) may be required for approval.  Late work that is accepted will be penalized 10% per calendar day after the due date. 
Student Grievance
Per program policy, any grievances are generally encouraged to be resolved via informal and respectful discussion between the parties involved, and I sincerely hope you would be willing to approach me to discuss possible grievances with course policies, activities, etc.  If you do not feel comfortable discussing potential grievances with me directly, you are welcome to consult with a supervisor, mentor, department chair, or other resources for support (see program Grievance policy for additional information).

Attendance Policy

Attendance Policy:
Because the Doctoral Research Project course is designed as an ongoing mentorship and accountability space, consistent attendance is essential for maintaining progress and meeting program deadlines. Students are required to attend all scheduled meetings with their Chair and/or Committee, as well as any class-wide or cohort DRP meetings organized by the program.

Students must attend at least 80% of scheduled meetings each semester to receive a passing grade. Absences will be counted regardless of whether meetings are in-person or virtual. If a student knows they will miss a meeting, they must notify the Chair in advance and arrange for any necessary make-up tasks or updates.

Acceptable reasons for absence include documented illness, medical appointments, bereavement, professional development activities approved by the Chair, and other exceptional circumstances. Missed meetings beyond the 20% allowance, without prior approval, will result in an unsatisfactory progress evaluation for the semester and may require a remediation plan.

Repeated or unexcused absences may lead to a delay in the student’s overall timeline and could ultimately impact their eligibility for graduation.

Course Fees

There are no course fees associated with this course.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.