Unit information: Integrative Skills Development in 2008/09

Unit name	Integrative Skills Development
Unit code	EDUCM5132
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Ms. Di Brothers
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Applied Community and Health Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

The central focus of this module is on the development of the students' understanding and practical application of: Integrative counselling models; Ethical considerations; Counselling skills; The importance of the therapeutic relationship; Key components of core theories from psychodynamic/analytic, humanistic/person - centred and cognitive behavioural schools of counselling. The relevance and application of current research within these topics will be present within all the above. This module will be used as the foundation for all practical and personal work during this programme.

Aims:

This unit aims to equip students with a thorough understanding of the theoretical and practical basis for an integrative and developmental approach to counselling and to develop their capacity to apply this knowledge within their role as counsellors in a range of generic counselling settings and to introduce the students to the relevance and practice of research within this field.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Successful completion of this unit will enable a student to:

• Critically evaluate the theories underpinning an integrative and developmental model of counselling

• Apply this knowledge and understanding competently and appropriately within counselling contexts.

• Critically evaluate the relevance of counselling research

• Begin to research their own practice.

Teaching Information

Tutor input, experiential methods, workshops, tutorials, small groups skills practice and self-directed learning groups.

Assessment Information

• Essay of 3 – 3,500 to test theoretical understanding of counselling theories and the relevance of counselling research, to provide evidence of reading research literature and to demonstrate effective application of knowledge to practice and self.

• 1,000 words – heuristic piece on self-reflective practice as an introduction to researching their own practice.

Reading and References

• Cain D J and Seeman J (2002) Humanistic Psychotherapies, Handbook of Research and Practice APA

• Clarkson P (2003) The Therapeutic Relationship London, Whurr

• Culley S and Bond T (2004) Integrative Counselling Skills in Action London, Sage

• McLeod J (2003) An Introduction to Counselling (3rd Edition) Milton Keynes, OU Press

• McLeod J (2003) Doing Counselling Research (3rd Edition), London, Sage

• Robbins A (ed) (1998) Therapeutic Presence ; bridging expression and form London: Jessica Kinsley