Current Teaching Areas
Graduate courses:
Treatment of Sexual Problems in Clinical Practice
This course is offered as a clinical seminar every 3-4 years
and uses a problem-based learning approach to examine sexuality issues
that arise in a general clinical practice. In the course, we focus on
assessment of sexual functioning to inform the development of an
effective
treatment plan. Although not a focus of the course, we also consider
treatment implications and strategies Research in human sexuality
serves as the basis for decision-making. We discuss clinical practice
procedures in light of available research data or lack there of. I also
assign experiential exercises to increase students' comfort in
talking about sex.
I last taught this course in the Winter of 2013.
Ethics for Psychologists
This is a required course for all first year graduate
students in both the Experimental and Clinical programs. In the course, we examine the ethical standards for
psychologists involved in research, teaching, applied, and clinical
work based on the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists, Third Edition. The
course uses a proble- based approach in which students discuss and
attempt to resolve ethical dilemmas.
I typically teach this course every Fall.
Professional Issues in Clinical Psychology
This course examines a number of important
professional concerns and practice issues of clinical
psychologists. Topics vary from year to year but may including
working with cultural minorities, working in rural settings, M.A. vs
Ph.D. licensing, prescription privileges for psychologists, and sexual
abuse by professional, among others.
I typically teach this course every Fall.
Therapy Skills with Adults
This skills course is designed to equip students with the basic interviewing
and psychotherapy skills necessary to practice as a clinical psychologist.
The first half of the course is aimed at the acquisition and practice
of basic interviewing skills using a micro-counseling approach involving
instruction, modeling, and role-playing with feedback. The interviewing
skills are prerequisite to therapy skills, obtaining client cooperation,
developing rapport, good staff relations, etc. The second half of the
course is aimed at facilitating the use of basic interviewing and therapy
skills with student client volunteers who are discussing a personal
problem.
I last taught this course in the Fall of 2009
Undergraduate courses:
Human Sexuality
This course provides a broad introduction to the psychology of human
sexuality including examination of such specific topics as sexual anatomy,
sexual behaviour throughout the lifespan, sexual response, sexual dysfunction
and sex therapy, sexual coercion, and pregnancy and childbirth. The
emphasis is on placing empirical findings within physiological, individual,
interpersonal, and social frameworks. A popular component of the course
is participation in a series of small group interactive tutorials that I developed in conjunction with a
number of my teaching assistants. These are facilitated by graduate
students in psychology. We designed and redesign the tutorials to
provide students with a forum to: discuss sexual issues; clarify their
own opinions and values; acquire personally relevant information;
become more aware of the complexity of many sexual issues; become more
aware of other students' values and opinions; become more accepting of
diversity; prepare for sexual decision-making; increase their comfort
in talking about sex; and, develop skills.
I typically teach this course every year.
Student Supervison
I regularly supervise undergraduate students completing
Basic Research requirements or their Honours thesis. I also typically
have a number of doctoral students working under my supervision. Most
of my graduate students have been in the Clinical Psychology
program. My students and I meet regularly as the
UNB Human Sexuality Research Group. Students in other areas and
colleagues
in other Departments or in the community with a background in human
sexuality are welcome to attend our meetings—and regularly do so.
In recent years our lab has met jointly with Dr. O'Sullivan's
lab--which is a win-win situation for both labs.
Click here for more information about members
of the Human Sexuality Research Group.