Counselling Theory and Skills
Overview
This unit provides knowledge and skill-training that form the foundation of an evidence-based approach to counselling/psychotherapy. It develops the students’ understanding of key theories and concepts in the provision of counselling, and of high levels of counselling and core intervention skills. Specific objectives are to provide students with theory and applied training in counselling skills, case conceptualisation and time limited interventions, so that they can work effectively with clients in counselling settings.
Requisites
Pre-requisite
Admission to MA-PSYCLP Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)
OR
Admission to DR-PHICP Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology)
Equivalent
HAY530 - Counselling theory and Skills and HAY630 - Counselling theory and Skills
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Critically assess and synthesise complex information, in order to facilitate a client centred interview while applying advanced counselling micro skills
- Integrate advanced counselling skills to elicit a description of client’s concerns
- Effectively communicate and apply appropriate treatment decisions based on clinical evidence
- Apply a high level of knowledge and skills including the integration of client information and established theories, to produce a provisional case formulation and treatment plan
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
---|---|---|---|
On-campus Class | 3.00 | 12 weeks | 36 |
Unspecified Activities Various | 6.50 | 12 weeks | 78 |
Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 3.00 | 12 weeks | 36 |
TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
---|---|---|---|
Assessment 1 | Individual | 50% | 1,2,3 |
Assessment 2 | Individual | 50% | 3,4 |
Content
- Evidence based practice in psychology
- Counselling micro skills (attending, questioning and empathic responding)
- Solution‐focussed approach to counselling/psychotherapy (paying attention to what the client wants, amplifying, exploring for exceptions, formulating feedback, tracking progress, coping questions in crisis situations)
- Interpersonal psychodynamic approach to psychotherapy (establishing a working alliance, resistance, internal focus for change, responding to conflicted emotions, familial and developmental factors, inflexible coping strategies, current interpersonal factors, termination)
- The Egan problem‐solving framework
- Developing an individual case formulation
- Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
- Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
- Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and negotiation
- Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Information literacy
- Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Technical literacy
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.