Counselling Theory and Skills

PSY80081 12.5 Credit Points Hawthorn

Duration

  • One Semester or equivalent

Contact hours

  • 36 hours plus two 3 hour workshops per teaching period

Prerequisites

Admission to DR-CFPSY Doctor of Psychology (Clinical and Forensic Psychology) program

Corequisites

Nil

Aims and objectives

This unit provides knowledge and skill-training that form the foundation of an evidence-based approach to counselling/psychotherapy. It develops the students’ understanding of key theories and concepts in the provision of counselling, and of high levels of counselling and core intervention skills. Specific objectives are to provide students with theory and applied training in counselling skills, case conceptualisation and time limited interventions, so that they can work effectively with clients in counselling settings.


Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Demonstrate expert capabilities in critically assessing and synthesising complex information, in order to facilitate a client centred interview while applying advanced counselling micro skills
2. Integrate advanced counselling skills to elicit a description of client’s concerns
3. Effectively communicate and apply appropriate treatment decisions based on clinical evidence
4. Apply a high level of knowledge and skills including the integration of client information and established theories, to produce a provisional case formulation and treatment plan
5. Demonstrate the ability to extend and redefine existing knowledge as applied to an area of Clinical and Forensic therapy