Lifespan Development and Systemic Thinking

This unit introduces students to the key theories of development across the lifespan, and demonstrates how understanding “normal” development is necessary for understanding atypical development. Students will also develop an understanding of key systemic principles and how to apply them to counselling individuals, couples and families across the lifespan. A further aim is to demonstrate how different life span issues present in a counselling context, and how these can be managed by drawing on the relevant research literature.


Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Analyse the major theories of development across the lifespan, and apply this analysis to a written case study and observation reports.
2. Explain the critical events associated with each developmental stage across the lifespan as a means to understand atypical development.
3. Apply knowledge of the major methods (e.g., observation, interviewing) used to study human behaviour to the preparation of an observation    report.
4. Evaluate key systemic principles and relevant research literature, and apply this knowledge to developing a case study of an individual,    couple, or family.