DIPLOMA OF HIGHER EDUCATION COUNSELLING

Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology

In order to prepare students for their work with clients, students will be introduced to a number of mental health disorders and diagnostic criteria. They will also be encouraged to reflect on a range of assessment issues and consider when counselling may, or may not, be helpful, and when referral might be required. The module will assist students in reviewing psychological literature and research in order to consider cognitive, developmental and social psychology and the potential implications of findings for the practice of counselling.

Counselling Skills: Clinical Practice 1

In order to further enable students to integrate their learnt theory into their clinical practice, it is important to build on previous skills and theory lectures. This module introduces students to a number of interventions, drawing on Psychodynamic Theory, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, creative methods and (if appropriate to the client) Christian approaches to spirituality. In section 2 of this module, students will be encouraged to identify issues of difference and diversity and to become increasingly aware of the impact of a client’s cultural and social context.

Students are required to undertake 50 hours of placement work with clients

Students are required to undertake 20 hours of self-funded individual supervision

Supervision and Professional Development 2

This module enables students to become ethical and competent practitioners. It provides students with professional awareness and expertise, in particular in providing a greater knowledge of ethical practice. The module provides training on how to use supervision and group supervision effectively; enables students to be supported in their client work with group supervision, and to gain experience in giving and receiving feedback on their client work in a group setting. Students will be informed at this stage on the accreditation requirements of counselling bodies (BACP and ACC).

Self-awareness and Personal Growth

It is important for counsellors to increase in self-awareness of self in relationship with others, thus encouraging personal growth. To facilitate the development of this, this module encourages students to understand theories and models of group dynamics; to continue to attend process groups during the remaining CertHE programme; to continue to reflect on the connection between the student’s personal story, their relationships with others, and their relationship with God and to have personal therapy to continue to assist personal growth and awareness.

Students are required to undertake 30 hours of self-funded personal therapy

Integrative Approaches and Mental Health

Students will be encouraged to further enhance their skills and knowledge from a variety of models of counselling. In addition, it is vital that students continue to appreciate the continuum between mental health and psychiatric disorders. This module will deepen their knowledge and critical understanding of a further range of theoretical approaches to counselling; provide evidence as to how interventions from a variety of theoretical approaches may be successfully integrated into the Waverley Integrative Framework and personal client work; build further on an understanding of a range of mental health problems that a client may present, identifying when counselling may not be appropriate; provide an understanding as to how quantitative and/or qualitative methods in outcome research inform counselling practice.

Advanced Counselling skills: Clinical Practice 2

This module supports students in developing advanced counselling skills, as they continue to work with clients, and in particular assists in evaluating the use of religious and spiritual interventions in clinical practice. This module builds on previous teaching from the first two years of study. Group supervision provided in this module will continue to support students in their clinical practice and enhance their ability to critically evaluate their clinical work with clients.

Students are required to undertake a further 50 hours of placement work with clients

Students are required to undertake a further 15 hours of self-funded individual supervision

Reflective Practice

This module provides further the conditions and opportunity to reflect on themselves and their interactions with others. It enables students to continue to experience group process by means of process groups and reflect on this experience in terms of their relational style in a group setting; encourage students to reflect on their relational experience with clients and supervisors; enhance the students self-awareness and personal development by means of their recording of reflections in a written format and encourage students to develop an awareness of the history and range of personality typologies and their personal therapeutic application.