Introductory description

To provide a theoretical overview of approaches to counselling and psychotherapy, consolidating and deepening learning about person-centred theory and its application to practice and personal development, and offering a critical and comparative introduction to other theories of counselling and psychotherapy including cognitive behavioural therapy and psychodynamic approaches. From the context of their learning about these paradigms, students will consider different ways in which mental health is managed and understood, and the various settings in which it is delivered. The module also covers an introduction to research in the field and will enable students to begin to critically appraise research sources across the field of counselling and psychotherapy.
Students will continue to be expected to apply learning about theories of counselling and psychotherapy to their own practice, reflecting on professional practice and decision making in the light of theoretical learning, as well as reflecting critically on their own learning process while on the course.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Theories of counselling and psychotherapy, CBT and psychodynamic approaches, covering historical and philosophical background and current applications.
Theory of person-centred counselling – a deepening exploration of concepts.
Mental health – exploring ways in which it is understood and managed.
Culture and diversity – exploring students’ own identity and bias.
Power, oppression and accessibility in counselling.
Relating theoretical learning to practice and professional decision-making.
Theories of supervision and application to practice.
Research in counselling and psychotherapy – understanding the types and scope of the research and adopting a critical approach to the reading.
Person-centred teaching and learning.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Explain the underlying philosophy of psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural approaches to counselling and have some idea of how they are delivered in counselling practice.
• Show a comprehensive understanding of the underlying values and assumptions of person-centred counselling, and begin to be able to explain how other theories may complement or contradict those values.
• Continue to develop a wide range of understanding of the experiences of various different groups in society, and to critically explore how their experiences may impact on their access to and experience of counselling.
• Develop a critical understanding of the purpose and importance of research in counselling and psychotherapy.
• Gain knowledge of where to find research in counselling and psychotherapy and how to effectively search for relevant research material.
• Reflect critically on a range of different models of explaining mental health and wellbeing, and be able to explore how a person-centred approach might fit with these models.
• Critically reflect upon professional decisions with relation to person-centred theory and to ethical and legal considerations.
• Evaluate some teaching styles experienced during the year and to reflect on own responses to these in relation to person-centred theory.
• Show awareness of and manage own learning needs.

Indicative reading list

Bond, T. (2015) Standards & ethics for counselling in action (4th edn.). London: Sage.
Cooper, M. (2008) Essential research findings in counselling and psychotherapy: the facts are friendly. Lutterworth/London: BACP/Sage.
Dryden, W. & Reeves, A. (2014) The handbook of individual therapy (6th edn.). London: Sage.
Higdon, J. (2012) Psychodynamic Theory for Therapeutic Practice (2nd edn.). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan..
Lago, C. O. & Smith, B. ed. (2010) Anti-discriminatory counselling practice. London: Sage.
McLeod, J. (2016) Using research in counselling and psychotherapy. London: Sage.
Trower, P. et al.(2015), Cognitive behavioural counselling in action (2nd edn.) London: Sage.

Subject specific skills

Explain the underlying philosophy of psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural approaches to counselling and have some idea of how they are delivered in counselling practice.
Show a comprehensive understanding of the underlying values and assumptions of person-centred counselling, and begin to be able to explain how other theories may complement or contradict those values.
Continue to develop a wide range of understanding of the experiences of various different groups in society, and to critically explore how their experiences may impact on their access to and experience of counselling.
Reflect critically on a range of different models of explaining mental health and wellbeing, and be able to explore how a person-centred approach might fit with these models.
Develop a critical understanding of the purpose and importance of research in counselling and psychotherapy.
Gain knowledge of where to find research in counselling and psychotherapy and how to effectively search for relevant research material.
Evaluate some teaching styles experienced during the year and to reflect on own responses to these in relation to person-centred theory.
Explain and evaluate some theories of groupwork and apply them to own experiences
Critically reflect upon professional decisions with relation to person-centred theory and to ethical and legal considerations.

Transferable skills

Show awareness of own learning needs and progression in academic skills.