CENTRE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING - COUNSELLING SKILLS

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Barbara Foad

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

none

Overview

Counselling Skills 1 will introduce the theory, practice and ethics of using counselling skills. It will integrate theory, skills practice, professional development, personal development, and self-assessment. Theory will establish a definition of counselling, and distinguishing it from other helping activities, with an overview of the development of counselling, introducing Roger's person-centred approach. Participants will practice active listening skills of attending and responding and how to communicate empathetic understanding. Professional development will consider ethical considerations, particularly the need for confidentiality and boundaries. The importance of on-going personal development and self-assessment will be emphasised.

Structure

Twelve weekly seminars in addition to private study with learning support materials.

Assessment

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 is not permitted of the other three elements of the course.

To achieve credit for the  course overall, a pass in each element is required.

Formative Assessment

A reflective personal learning log, between 300 – 500 words in length will be completed by all students and submitted to tutors after week 2 on a weekly basis. The log is an opportunity for students  to reflect on their experiences of learning in the class , how they relate theory to practice and 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.

Feedback

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 12 logs will be graded linked to the CAS and weighted at 25% of the overall course mark.  

Oral practice : Tutors give verbal feedback to the group and individuals in each of the 12 classes

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

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Barbara Foad

Pre-requisites

Successful completion of Counselling Skills 2 achieving a CAS mark of 12 or above.

Co-requisites

None

Overview

The five elements of theory, skills practice, professional development, personal development, and self-assessment, are integrated in this course. Theoretical work will involve a detailed look at other counselling approaches from the humanist, cognitive, behavioural and analytic traditions. Focusing on the person-centred approach, the course will develop an understanding of congruence and authenticity. Attention will be given to the beginning, middle and end stages in the helping process. The practical element will involve integrating theory and practice with the development of congruence. The professional element will include discussion of values, specifically those connected with race, culture, gender and sexual orientation. The way in which client issues impinge on the helper will be investigated, and a reflectivelearning log will be used for personal assessment.

Structure

Twelve weekly seminars in addition to private study with learning support materials.

Assessment

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 is not permitted of the other three elements of the course.

To achieve credit for the  course overall, a pass in each element is required.

Formative Assessment

A reflective personal learning log, between 300 – 500 words in length will be completed by all students and submitted to tutors after week 2 on a weekly basis. The log is an opportunity for students  to reflect on their experiences of learning in the class , how they relate theory to practice and 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.

Feedback

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 12 logs will be graded linked to the CAS and weighted at 25% of the overall course mark.  

Oral practice : Tutors give verbal feedback to the group and individuals in each of the 12 classes.

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

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Barbara Foad

Pre-requisites

Successful completion of Counselling Skills 1 or equivalent.

Co-requisites

None

Overview

The five elements of theory, skills practice, professional development, personal development, and self-assessment,integrate in this course. Person-centred theory will be studied in greater depth, focusing on the core conditions of empathy, acceptance and genuineness. Skills practice will develop accurate empathy and exploring the condition of acceptance as well as introducing structuring of the counselling context. Students will work in triads will be introduced to develop effective feedback skills. Professional development will develop further understanding of ethics, looking specifically at prejudice and its impact on unconditional positive regard. This issue will also be the focus of personal development work, and the learning log will promote self-awareness in counselling.

Structure

Twelve weekly seminars in addition to private study with learning support materials.

Assessment

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 is not permitted of the other three elements of the course.

To achieve credit for the  course overall, a pass in each element is required.

Formative Assessment

A reflective personal learning log, between 300 – 500 words in length will be completed by all students and submitted to tutors after week 2 on a weekly basis. The log is an opportunity for students  to reflect on their experiences of learning in the class , how they relate theory to practice and 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.

Feedback

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 12 logs will be graded linked to the CAS and weighted at 25% of the overall course mark.  

Oral practice : Tutors give verbal feedback to the group and individuals in each of the 12 classes

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

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Barbara Foad

Pre-requisites

Successful completion of Counselling Skills 3.

Co-requisites

None

Overview

The elements of theory, practice, professional development, personal development, and self-assessment, will be present. Theory will continue the exploration of other counselling approaches from different traditions including Gestalt, transactional analysis and psychodynamic. Students will undertake a complete session from beginning to end using counselling skills and ensuring that the core conditions are present. Professional development will consider the issues of record-keeping, referral, use of supervision, professional accreditation and working in institutional settings. Personal development will look at what happens to the helper during the helping process and issues of power and vulnerability in a helping relationship.

Structure

Twelve weekly seminars in addition to private study with learning support materials.

Assessment

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 is not permitted of the other three elements of the course.

To achieve credit for the  course overall, a pass in each element is required.

Formative Assessment

A reflective personal learning log, between 300 – 500 words in length will be completed by all students and submitted to tutors after week 2 on a weekly basis. The log is an opportunity for students  to reflect on their experiences of learning in the class , how they relate theory to practice and 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.

Feedback

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 12 logs will be graded linked to the CAS and weighted at 25% of the overall course mark.  

Oral practice : Tutors give verbal feedback to the group and individuals in each of the 12 classes

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

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Mrs B Foad

Pre-requisites

Completion of Counselling Skills 2 or equivalent.

Overview

This course will introduce the basic theoretical concepts of a transactional analysis approach to counselling skills. The course emphasises the importance of contract making, theory of ego-states, transactional analysis, game analysis and script analysis. Transactional analysis provides an integrated model of counselling skills and the course will therefore build on previous training and/or practical experience.

Structure

1 three-hour seminar per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: In-course assessment: two pieces of written work, one of 1200-1500 words (30%) and a second of 3000 words (50%) plus a learning log (20%).

Resit: Essay of 3000 words (100%).

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Ms B Foad

Pre-requisites

Completion of Counselling Skills 2 or equivalent.

Overview

• Historical beginnings of the psychodynamic approach.


• Overview of working with the individual, the couple, the group.


• Particular theories of psychodynamic working. Free association to linking and discovering meaning.


• Attachment, separation and the family. Genogram. The need for relationship.


• The Couple, their family, society. Development stages. Object relations to theory.


• Do we have a dynamic, unconscious inner world? Transference and countertransference.


• Thoughts, feelings, identity and belief systems.


• The need for defence systems and resistance.


• Mirroring, Splitting, introjections and projection.


• How the process of change can take place within and individual, a dyad, a group.


• The psychodynamic Helping Relationship/Supervision and Ethics.

Structure

One, two and a half hour seminar per week for 12 weeks.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Weekly (400) word log/journal writing (50%) Practice (25%) and Participation (25%).

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Ms B Foad

Pre-requisites

Completion of Counselling Skills 2 or equivalent.

Overview

• An overview of the key concepts of the person centred approach: therapist attitudes, the therapeutic conditions, theory of self


• Rogers' Personality Theory: self-awareness and developing more effective personal and social relationships


• The need for the person centred core conditions as the basis of the helping relationship: empathy, unconditional positive regard and congruence. What difference do these qualities make and how can they be developed?


• Encounter: experiencing and reflecting on the process of awareness of self and others in the group setting


• Transition theory: a historical overview. Change and self-acceptance. How can we relate the theory to personal life experience?


• Ethical considerations: relating difficult moral questions that arise for the practitioner of counselling skills/helper to an ethical framework


• Different dimensions within a person centred approach: working at relational depth, focussing, the spiritual dimension. How these may be relevant to individual working contexts

Structure

1 three-hour seminar over 10 weeks or 1 two and a half hour seminar over 12 weeks.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Weekly learning log/reflect journal 200 words (25%) Oral participation (25%) Oral Practice (25%) 3000 word Essay (25%).

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Mrs B Foad

Pre-requisites

Completed Counselling Skills 1-4 successfully.

Co-requisites

If this is not recent then the student must evidence their active use of their counselling skills by a professional reference.

Overview

The focus of this course is the further development of participants’ counselling skills. It will give those who have completed Counselling Skills 1 – 4 (COSCA Counselling Skills Certificate or equivalent) the opportunity to reconnect with their previous learning and experience and update their practice and understanding of counselling skills. It will also assist participants to further deepen and develop their knowledge of counselling skills.

The core of the learning comes from participants working with their own life experiences and skills applications. As in Counselling Skills 1 – 4 the threads of Skills, Theory, Self-awareness and Ethics is embedded in all the material covered.

The course recognises that participants will have had differing experiences of Counselling Skills Training and provides sufficient information on the themes covered for everyone to participate.

Each unit has been designed to enable participants to evidence two core competencies whilst they are engaged in large and small group discussions and practice groups. Competence 1: Establish, maintain and bring to an end a supportive interaction. Competence 2: Self Monitoring.

Course Outline:
Unit 1 - Review of Previous Learning, Expectations of this Course and Working Agreement
Unit 2 - Attitudes and Beliefs about Human Development.
Unit 3 - Gender and Sexual Identity.
Unit 4 - Counselling Models and Process of Change.
Unit 5 - Understanding Trauma
Unit 6 - Understanding and Working with Addictions/Dependency.
Unit 7 - Transpersonal Perspective and Psychosynthesis
Unit 8 - Integration of Counselling Skills and video-taped practice.
Unit 9 - Working with Conflict.
Unit 10/11 - Presenting self analysis of transcript and receiving feedback and/or working creatively using a counselling approach.
Unit 12 - Reflection on learning from the course and group review, evaluation and course ending.

Structure

Seminars in addition to private study with learning support materials.

Assessment

1st Attempt: In-course assessment: presentation of transcript and analysis 25%; learning log (25%); oral assessment (50%) (divided between practice 25% and participation/attendance 25%). Candidates should note that to achieve credit for this course overall a pass in each element is required.

Resit: In-course assessment: written analysis of transcript (25%); learning log (25%); oral assessment (50%) (divided between practice 25% and participation/attendance 25%). Candidates should note that to achieve credit for this course overall a pass in each element is required.