CO1001: COUNSELLING SKILLS 1 (2015-2016)

The theme of Counselling Skills 1 is 'Beginnings: Advanced Communication Skills', introducing participants to the concepts and skills involved in a counselling approach.

All Counselling Skills courses contain the following strands: skills, knowledge, self-awareness and ethics. These are interwoven throughout the exercises.

The course begins by establishing a working agreement and defining a counselling approach.  It introduces participants to the practice of attending and responding, and provides a means of increasing participants’ self-awareness. Participants are introduced to the essential qualities of acceptance, genuineness and empathy and trained to practice these qualities. Participants engage in informed discussions on the importance of ethics, in particular confidentiality. The module concludes with an assessment of participants’ integrated practice of the above counselling skills.

This course may not be suitable for anyone who is currently receiving counselling or has faced a serious emotional issue in the last six months.

Students must complete a diagnostic test prior to being able to Register on this course.

Class size is limited to 15. Students must be able to attend the same class at the same time over 10 weeks. There is a strict attendance requirement of at least 85%. Students who miss more than two 3-hour classes - for any reason - cannot pass the course.

Students will be required to pay the COSCA materials fee of £30 at the online store before the first class and before your workbook will be issued.

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

More Information about Week Numbers

1st Attempt

In-course assessment: Essay (25%), learning log (25%), oral assessment (50%) [divided between practice 25% and participation/attendance 25%]. Candidates should note that to achieve credit for the course overall, a pass in each element is required. Attendance at 85% of the weekly seminars for each module of Counselling Skils 1-4 is a requirement of COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland).

Resit

In-course assessment: Essay (25%).
Candidates should note that a resit of the other three elements of the course is not permitted. To achieve credit for the course overall, a pass in each element is required.

A reflective personal learning log, between 300 and 500 words in length, will be completed by all students and submitted to tutors on a weekly basis after Week 2. The log is an opportunity for students to reflect on their experiences of learning in the class, how they relate theory to practice, as well as their own personal awareness, growth and development. Skills practice is included in each class. Tutors provide feedback on practical skills on a group or individual basis as appropriate in each of the 12 classes. Oral participation is assessed in the whole class group and with all class members and includes attendance.

Weekly: A reflective learning log will be read by tutors on weekly submission and any necessary feedback or concerns communicated to students. At the end of the course, 10 logs (12 for Saturday classes) will be graded linked to the CGS and weighted at 25% of the overall course mark.

Oral practice: Tutors give verbal feedback to the group and individuals in each of the 10 classes.

Oral participation: Tutors will give individual feedback as necessary during the course.