CENTRE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING - COUNSELLING SKILLS

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Barbara Foad

Pre-requisites

None.

Co-requisites

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.

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.

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

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

Dr B Foad

Pre-requisites

KL 151R or equivalent.

Overview

This course will introduce the basic theoretical concepts of a tranactional analysis approach to counselling skills which include 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

10 three-hour weekly seminars in addition to private study.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Two essays, one of 1,200-1,500 words (30%) , second 3,000 words (50%), plus weekly learning logs (20%).

Resit: Resubmission of essays. Candidates should note that a resit is not permitted for learning logs.

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

Formative Assessment

A reflective personal learning log of 250 words 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.

The course is a mix of presentation, discussion and guided exploration. Participants are expected to be willing to share and learn from their own experience.

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 10 logs will be graded linked to the CAS and weighted at 20% of the overall course mark.

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

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr B Foad

Pre-requisites

KL 151R 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. Developmental stages. Object relations to theory. Do we have a dynamic, unconscious inner world? Transference and counter-transference. 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 an individual, a dyad, a group. The psychodynamic helping relationship/supervision and ethics.

Structure

12 two and a half hours weekly seminars in addition to private study.

Assessment

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

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

Resit: Candidates should note that a resit is not permitted of the learning log element of the course.

Formative Assessment

A reflective personal learning log, 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.

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 course12 logs will be graded linked to the CAS and weighted at 50%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

Dr B Foad

Pre-requisites

KL 151R, Counselling Skills 2 or Equivalent. A CAS mark of 14 or above in this course.
Or professional experience in helping relationships.

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: 2,000 word Case Study (25%), Weekly learning log/reflective journal 200 words(25%), Oral participation (25%), Oral Practice (25%).

Resit: Resubmission of 2,000 word case study.

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, 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 .

Feedback

Weekly:

A reflective learning log: will be read by tutors on weekly submission and any necessary feedback or concerns communicated to students.

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

Dr B Foad

Pre-requisites

Successful Completeion of Counselling skills 1-4 or equivalent.

Overview

• Attitudes and Beliefs about Human Development.


• Gender and Sexual identity.


• Counselling Models and Process of Change.


• Understanding Trauma.


• Understanding and working with Addictions/Dependency.


• Transpersonal Perspective and Psychosynthesis.


• Working with Conflict.
  
• Practical experiential work using counselling skills to develop practice in the seminar/workshop on a weekly basis.

Structure

12 two and a half-hour weekly seminars.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Assessment will be through continuous assessment (2,000 word essay (25%), 300-500 word weekly learning log (25%) and oral assessment (50%).

Resit: Resubmission of essay (2,000 words). There is no resit of learning logs or oral assessment. Failure of these elements will require repeat of the course.

Formative Assessment

Assessment will be through continuous assessment of oral practice and weekly learning logs.

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 and participation: Tutors will give individual feedback as necessary during the course. Oral Practice and participation will be marked on the CAS scale and will make up 50% of the course mark.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr B Foad

Pre-requisites

KL 151R

Co-requisites

A commitment to full attendance and to daily mindfulness practice.

Notes

This course may not be suitable for those who have faced a serious emotional issue in the last 6 months. Please consider this carefully before applying.

Overview

1. Meditation practices: body scan, breathing meditation, sitting and walking meditation.


2. Theories of mindfulness, compassion and stress reduction.

Structure

10 three-hour sessions in addition to daily private practice and study.

Course members are expected to write 400 words per week clearly demonstrating how they are conceptualising and working with the
course learning. The learning log/journal should include reflection on the body scan practice, sitting and walking meditation. The effect of automatic pilot, developing key attitudes including acceptance, compassion, kindly curiosity and patience should be explored with understanding of these concepts demonstrated. At all times links should be made with personal practice in class and out of class.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Will be through continuous assessment: weekly learning log of 400 words (25%), oral assessment including presentation of review of learning (50%), Essay 2500 words (25%).

Resit: A resit is not permitted for learning logs/journals or presentation of Review of their Learning.

A pass is required of each element to achieve a credit.
Essay one resit attempt only allowed.

Formative Assessment

Self reflection and assessment is integral to this course and tutors take a collaborative approach to summative oral assessment. Course members are encouraged to submit their learning log/journal for feedback at any time throught the course and are required to do so after week four in order to receive formative feedback.
Formal summative assessment of the the learning logs/journals will then happen when learning log/journal are submitted at the end of the course.

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 course10 logs will be graded linked to the CAS and weighted at 50%of the overall course mark.

Oral participation: Tutors will give individual feedback as necessary during the course. Oral participation will be graded at 50% at the end of the course. This will include assessment of the presentation to the group of the 'Review of Learning' (week 9).

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr B Foad

Pre-requisites

KL 2010

Overview

The course will build on previous Transactional Analysis training and practical experience. The course will focus on important counselling themes in order to explore and integrate a range of Transcational Analysis concepts. Each seminar will address a specific topic area. The structure of the course will provide opportunity for participants to apply Transactional Analysis according to their own contexts and priorities.

Structure

10 three-hour weekly seminars in addition to private study.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Two essays, one of 1,200-1,500 words (30%), second 3,000 words (50%), weekly learning logs (20%).

Resit:Resubmisssion of essays.

Candidates should note that a resit is not permitted for learning logs.

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

Formative Assessment

A reflective personal learning log of 250 words 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.

The course is a mix of presentation, discussion and guided exploration. Participants are expected to be willing to share and learn from their own experience.

Formative peer and self-assessment are integral to this course.

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 course10 logs will be graded linked to the CAS and weighted at 20% of the overall course mark.

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

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr B Foad

Pre-requisites

Successful completion of Further Steps in Counselling 1.

Co-requisites

Successful completion of Counselling Skills 1-4 or equivalent.

Overview

• Transpersonal Perspective and Psychosynthesis


• Integration of counselling Skills and video-taped practice


• Working with conflict


• Practical experiential work using counselling skills to develop practice in the seminar/workshop on a weekly basis.


• Presenting self analysis of transcript and receiving feedback and/or working creatively using a counselling approach.

Structure

12 two and a half-hour weekly seminars.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Assessment will be through continuous assessment (presentation of transcript and analysis (25%), learning log 300-500 words weekly (25%) and oral assessment (50%)).

Resit: Transcript of Counselling skills practice and analysis (2000 words). No resit is offered for the learning logs and oral assessment. Fail of this element requires a repeat of the course.

Formative Assessment

Assessment will be through continuous assessment of oral practice and weekly learning logs.

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 and participation: Tutors will give individual feedback as necessary during the course. Oral Practice and participation will be marked on the CAS scale and will make up 50% of the course mark.