Work Sample

Submit a current Work Sample of a client.

1.   The work sample should be a well organized, cohesive, and professionally suitable paper. It must conform to APA 5^th Style.

2.   Submit the work sample typewritten, double-spaced, and not more than 20 numbered pages in length. Any tests and protocols used as the basis for your intervention shall be presented as appendices. Cover sheet, a table of contents, references, and appendices are not counted as part of the 20 page limitation.

3.   Use original resources (i.e., articles, the resources cited / referenced in a book).

4.   Be certain to include how multiculturalism / diversity influenced your conceptualization and interventions.

5.   Address how your practice orientation is consistent with a counseling psychology identity, as this will be the ethical foundation for your professional practice.

6.   Note that you will be selecting relevant information to write a focused sample of your work.

Be certain to maintain confidentiality.

1.   Use a pseudonym, change the age somewhat or be general about the age (e.g., traditional age college student, 30ish, mid-40s), be general rather than specific about where the client is from (e.g., a metropolitan area in the same state as the agency; a small town near the agency), and do not name the agency where you saw the client. If needed, you can supply this information.

2.   Rather than giving precise dates, say something like "I saw the client during my second semester practicum for 10 sessions" or "I saw the client during my first and second semester practicum for 20 sessions."

3.   Choose relevant information in writing your conceptualization, which links theory with the meaning of client's material. Notice that you do not need to repeat the intake report.

4.   Most times, when you talk about client behavior, you will be providing examples of what you mean by your statements about interventions, your decisions, and how both relate to your theoretical approach. These examples will be from sessions or termination rather than from intake.

5.   If the client was taking medication, simply include that information; you do not need to specify the  drugs, unless they are somehow relevant to your focus.

6.   Do not copy and attach assessment results. Choose the relevant aspect of the assessment, that is, what was your analysis and how did you use it in conceptualizing and intervening with the client. Examples will illustrate your meaning. 

Include:

1.   Your guiding orientation and its fit with Counseling Psychology, along with client information and treatment conceptualization.

2.   The theoretical orientation upon which you base your work, reasons for holding this orientation, and your understanding of how it compares and contrasts with other major theories.

3.   The methods by which you assess clients' needs including the particular effectiveness or limitations of your methods. Relate your methods to your theoretical perspective.

4.   The significant interventions you make with the particular client, significant decisions that you made during the course of contact with the client which particularly altered or advanced the course of your work, the theoretical and/or practical reasons which led you to make these interventions and decision.

5.   Present disposition of the case including present interventions, methods of termination, referral, additional interventions needed.

6.   Relevant research and theoretical literature that supports your treatment decisions for this client and supports the appropriateness of the methods employed.

7.   Ethical issues raised by this case.

8.   Your analysis of the effectiveness and/or appropriateness of services, procedures, or approaches involved in the case study.