Introductory description

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Module web page

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.

All weeks Foundational Counselling and Psychotherapy Skills, Qualities and Interventions: Practice groups, introduction to core conditions (Rogers), modelled practice, boundaries and contracting, feedback and evaluation, videoed practice, fitness to practice assessment, clinical placement.
Introduction to the following professional practice and clinical influences will be explored for application to practice in the weekly seminars:
Working in the Counselling and Psychotherapy field and Preparation for Work Based Learning placement;
On being a psychotherapist or psychotherapeutic counsellor: professional requirements, support and development;
Principles to practice: Developing the core conditions (Rogers) and therapeutic presence, working with (edge of) awareness;
Principles to practice: Transference / Countertransference (Freud, Kohut), Projective Identification (Klein), Analytic Third (Ogden);
Preparation for clinical placement (1);
Principles to practice: Automatic Thoughts, Schemas and tracking Cognitive Processes (Beck, Wells);
Principles to practice: Archetypes, Complexes and the Transcendent Function (Adler, Sharp);
Preparation for clinical placement (2);
Principles to practice: Integrative Relational principles in practice (De Young, Mitchell);
Assessment, Formulation, Client and Self-Evaluation of practice, Record Keeping, Referrals, Beginnings and Endings;
Beginnings of clinical placement for those who have Fitness to Practice and approved placement.

Learning outcomes

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

• Synthesise and critically apply key qualities for working therapeutically: empathy, sincerity, courage, respect, humility.
• Consistently demonstrate fitness and readiness to practice therapeutically with clients on supervised placement, and monitor and evaluate this.
• Consistently evidence and apply advanced competence, insight and critical evaluation in the following: relationship building, communication, assessment, formulation and psychotherapeutic strategies and interventions.
• Analyse, synthesise and critically apply, ethical and legal principles to practice appropriately, and consistently evaluate this.
• Analyse, synthesise and critically apply cutting edge therapeutic theory to practice, including integrative psychotherapeutic theory.
• Critically and systematically monitor and evaluate own practice, including the effective and reflexive use of supervision.
• Form and maintain good, supportive, challenging and reflexive relationships with others, in clinical practice development work on the course, and to synthesise and apply the learning from this effectively to practice.
• Establish a deepened capacity to receive constructive feedback on clinical practice, and to tolerate the process of challenge, critical self-reflection and change, and synthesise and apply the learning from this effectively to practice.
• Consistently evidence and synthesise the following key skills:Evaluate their own achievement and that of others, particularly in clinical practice development; Self-direction and effective decision making in complex and unpredictable practice situations;Independent learning and the ability to work in a way which ensures continuing professional development through enhanced practice;Critically to engage in the development of practice professional/disciplinary boundaries and norms;The ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing - to include skills such as the ability to articulate principal concepts and arguments, to give and receive feedback, and to include self-reflection on practice in written communications where appropriate; The ability to work in small groups, with some understanding of the dynamics of such groups;The ability to form good, supportive, challenging, trusting relationships with others in which sensitive personal material can be considered.
• Consistently evidence and synthesise the following cognitive skills:Articulate sophisticated principles and approaches for good clinical practice orally and in well-argued writing, supported by wide reading and research.Synthesise and articulate, orally and in well-argued writing, links between theoretical ideas and practice, supported by wide reading and research.Critically reflect on their own and others’ practice development and processes.

Indicative reading list

Finlay L. (2016). Relational Integrative Psychotherapy: Engaging Process and Theory in Practice.
Chichester: John Wiley.
Jacobs M. (2017). Psychodynamic Counselling in Action (5th Ed.). London: Sage.
Mearns D. and Thorne B. (2013). Person-Centred Counselling in Action (3rd Ed.). London: Sage. Pilgrim D. (2017). Key Concepts in Mental Health. (4th Ed.). London: Sage.
Trower P., Jones, J Dryden, W Casey. A (2015): Cognitive Behavioural Counselling in Action. London: Sage

Subject specific skills

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Transferable skills

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