ED504Q: COUNSELLING COUPLES; WORKING WITH RELATIONSHIPS (2018-2019)

This is a one-year (minimum) programme which is structured into three distinct elements but it is delivered in an integrated format since the learning and experience from each module impacts on the learning in the other two modules.

Each area of study is supported by tutorials and guided study directed by appropriate specialist counsellors. Students are required to prepare for each tutorial by reading a designated article which is used as the key text for that session. The articles for each term are given at the first meeting of the group and the learning aims for each session will build from the assigned reading. Students are encouraged to read other material related to the session theme and bring that

learning into the tutorial discussions. This module emphasises the importance of each student being responsible for their own learning journey and the role of the tutors is to support the learner on that journey. In effect, this means, each person’s thoughts and reactions to the content are valid and to be respected and that there is an expectation that all participants actively engage in discussions and experiential activities.

There are three alternative routes for the student building on the learning which has been covered in the Post-Graduate Diploma:

Option 1 Counselling in a Health-Care setting; working with anxiety and depression

Option 2 Counselling Couples; working with relationships

Option 3 Counselling Children and Young People; working in educational settings

Option 2

Counselling Couples; working with relationships

This option will focus on examining at depth key theoretical frameworks for working therapeutically with couples and providing an advanced investigation of evidenced based interventions in the area of family and couple work. It will build on the knowledge base of the Post-Graduate programme by providing a specialist consideration of the theories and their applications in relationship counselling.

The option will integrate humanistic experiential, systemic and attachment theories and will provide a context for an advanced examination of theories in this area. It will encourage students to engage in their own examination of theories particularly examining relationship and theories of attachment.

Learning Objectives

Provide an advanced examination of couple relationships as defined in diverse ways according to social, cultural and religious norms including an historical perspective of how such norms have changed over time

 Provide an expert knowledge-base for students who wish to specialise in working with couples specifically the examination of issues of individual development, attachment and adult relationships

 Provide a detailed, structured framework for therapeutic practice within which students can develop their competence in working with couples

 Provide an in depth examination of relevant ethical issues and legal parameters within which therapeutic work can be done with couples

 Provide an advanced consideration of common relationship issues and current research on best-practice in supporting a couple to deal with such issues

Learning Outcomes

Students will have an advanced understanding of Holmes ‘six domain’s and attachment style and be able to explain to other professionals how this can be applied when working with a couple



 Students will have a critical awareness of the practical and theoretical differences between individual and couples counselling

Students will develop their understanding how to integrate their core counselling model with the Egan model of goal-focussed therapy

Students will have a good understanding of ethical and legal guidelines which apply to working with couples and be able to evidence a practical application of this knowledge

Students will develop a critical understanding of family/relationship issues as they contextualised differently in terms of cultural and social norms for different ethnic, sexual, religious groups

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

More Information about Week Numbers

Two essays each worth 50%.

There are no assessments for this course.