Marsha Carolan
Courses Currently Taught at MSU

FCE 470 - Families and Stress
Course Objectives: To acquire a conceptual framework for understanding the systemic effects of stress.To become familiar with the current literature that addresses the key stressors of loss, disabilities, mental and physical illness, family violence, and addictions on the family.To examine in-depth key sources of stress on families.To understand how families cope with and adapt to stress.To examine options for clinical assessment and treatment of individuals, couples, and families confronting domestic violence, sexual and physical abuse, elder abuse, illness and loss and substance abuse.

FCE 831 - Treatment Processes in Marriage and Family Therapy
Course Objectives: To introduce the therapist to the developmental process and basic skills necessary for becoming a family and marital therapist.To examine and practice the systemic treatment skills necessary for becoming a family and marital therapist.To examine and observe the systemic framework as it is applied to the treatment of individuals, couples, and families.To introduce the marital and family therapist to the DSM-IV and other basic tools of assessment and diagnosis.To sensitize the developing therapist to race, culture, class, and ethnic issues in the practice of marital and family therapy.

FCE 892 – Diverse Families and Communities: Intervention Strategies
Course Objectives: To deepen multicultural consciousness and enhance multicultural competence.To identify how biases can contribute and influence service delivery.To address critical issues in working with culturally different clients.To examine interactions and belief systems of multiple cultural groups.To be able to apply this acquired understanding and consciousness to work with culturally different families and communities.

FCE 902A - Advanced Marital and Family Therapy Theory: Transgenerational Approaches
Course Objectives: To examine Bowen Family Systems, Contextual Therapy, and Attachment Theory as a background for Emotionally-Focused Therapy.To gain a working knowledge of these models and approaches and be able to apply them to your work and training experiences.

FCE 902 – Advanced Marital and Family Therapy Theory: Feminist-Informed and Narrative Therapy
Course Objectives: To take in in-depth look at two major frameworks for family therapy; the feminist framework and the postmodern or constructive framework in the form of narrative therapy.To attain a working knowledge for application into clinical experience.

FCE 982 - Qualitative Research Methods
Course Objectives: To provide an introduction to and a basic working knowledge and understanding of a non-numeric approach to research.To examine the theoretical, methodological, reflexive, and ethical challenges of conducting qualitative research.To provide a practical opportunity for design, analysis and interpretation of qualitative data.To enhance collaborative learning of qualitative methods by working in small groups.

FCE 991A - Sex Therapy
Course Objectives: To examine the process of social construction as it applies to sexuality.To reflect on the intersection of social construction, diversity, and sexuality issues.To address critical issues related to sexuality in working with diverse clients.To examine lifespan developmental issues related to sexuality.To be able to assess for the presence of interpsychic and intrapsychic factors influencing sexuality.To be able to assess for the potential for treatment for physiological factors influencing sexuality.To gain a working knowledge of current pharmacological factors influencing sexuality.To be able to apply feminist, multicultural, and systemic treatment models to individual and couple issues related to sexuality.