Overview

This unit provides a theoretical introduction to counselling psychology. In the profession of counselling, theory, process and research are intertwined. The unit content, readings and online activities will give students the opportunity to develop their knowledge of the application of counselling theory to the therapeutic process. Major therapeutic approaches will be covered including psychoanalytic, existential, person-centred, behavioural, cognitive, family and solution focused therapy, as well as coverage of the research and ethical issues involved in counselling.

Requisites

Prerequisites
PSY10005 Introduction to Research Methods
STA10003 Foundations of Statistics
PSY10003 Psychology 100
PSY10007 Brain and Behaviour
PSY10004 Psychology 101
PSY10008 Fundamentals of Psychology

Pre-requisite
PSY10005 Introduction to Research Methods
OR
STA10003 Foundations of Statistics
AND
PSY10003 Psychology 100
OR
PSY10007 Brain and Behaviour
AND
PSY10004 Psychology 101
OR
PSY10008 Fundamentals of Psychology

Equivalent
PSS270(C) - Introduction to theories of Counselling

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Appraise a range of different theoretical counselling approaches
  • Compare and contrast the different approaches and their application to counselling
  • Explain how research and ethical issues inform both theory and practice in counselling
  • Reflect on and write critically about how research, process and theory are intertwined

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Live Online
Class		1.00 13 week 13
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		11.42 12 weeks 137
TOTAL150

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Live Online
Class		1.00 12 weeks 12
On-campus
Class		2.00 12 weeks 24
Specified Activities
Various		5.00 12 weeks 60
Unspecified Activities
Various		4.50 12 weeks 54
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
EssayIndividual 40% 1,3,4 
ExaminationIndividual 40% 2,3 
Reflective JournalIndividual 20% 1,2,4 

Content

  • Major therapeutic approaches to counselling
  • Psychoanalytic
  • Existential
  • Person-centred
  • Behavioural
  • Cognitive behaviour
  • Family
  • Solution-focused
  • Ethical and research issues

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.